Oh man, seriously has it been two whole weeks since I last posted? Well, I've been incredibly busy, thanks to my personality adjustment. Before Spain, I kept to myself in public, and didn't make too much effort to say hi to strangers. Since returning, starting conversations with strangers has led to fantastic opportunities.
First off, I was able to get multiple job offers within two weeks of arriving thanks to not just blindly sending my CV, but actually making a huge effort to meet hiring managers in person. Whereas in the past I would just email it in and hope for the best, now I ask for even a scant five minutes, just so they can put a face to a name.
I'm also connecting with locals, striking up conversations in coffee shops, elevators, on public transit... I laughed out loud when I came across an old diary entry shortly before moving to Spain three years ago, in which I was angry that people in my hometown seemed so cold and dour. It may have been me - my extroverted side blossomed while living abroad and has helped me connect multiple times.
I'm also very nicely settled in the ground-level suite of my friends' house, co-habitating nicely with their family, thanks to word of mouth. Just as I was resigned to living with strangers found on Craigslist, only a few days before leaving Spain I sent a message to a friend I hadn't talked to in years, and now I'm living comfortably in his house. Not only am I seeing locals in a different light, I'm also viewing friendships for the special quality that they have.
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