I’m currently in the midst of a too-familiar dilemma. Set to take off for Poland and Germany in 8 hours, I’m feverishly adding up miles and calling airlines to possibly extend my stay in Europe. I’ve been notorious for doing this in the past, but have since stuck with weekend trips to avoid missing work or school (as I’ve written about before, I absolutely hate taking off). However… as it turns out, I’m already off next week. Truthfully, I haven’t worked since the day I left for Vienna.

This last-minute predicament pales in comparison to the one I faced in February. I’ve been meaning to post for days about Austria and my 24 short hours on the ground, but my thoughts have been preoccupied to say the least. After attending a networking event for work, I was approached and recruited by a nearby assisted living facility. Just four miles from my apartment, this new place – I’ll call it il Sogno for now – features an Alzheimer’s unit and offers considerably more patient/family interaction, tremendous room to grow, and a 401k. Davvero?! Are they reaching out to the right person?!!

No brainer, right? I wish.. I wish I hated Senior Helpers even a little bit. I wish my bosses were jerks or the girls I worked with were obnoxious. I wish I’d count down the minutes until Friday and dread waking up on Monday. This, however, was not nearly the case. I loved Senior Helpers. In the two short months I was there, I not only learned a tremendous amount, but also met some of the most incredible people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. I was sick over the decision to be made, and even took a week to think about it after receiving my former offer letter (the nerve! I couldn’t help it!!).

Thankfully, despite the horrifying scenarios I had imagined I’d face, my decision was met with support and understanding. Il Sogno is not a competitor but rather a potential referral source, and I was adamant about SH being their primary referral. Not because I feel guilty, but because I truly believe they’re the best of the best. I’m beyond grateful for the knowledge, insight, and experience my bosses and colleagues were able to provide me with in such a short amount of time. You truly can’t predict the paths your journey will present to you, but you do decide which ones to take. I hope this weekend’s leads to Italy ❤