After 11 short weeks in Richmond, it was time to pack up my car and head for Virginia Beach! The only word that can adequately describe my feelings is bittersweet...
The bitter...
I love Richmond! I finally felt at home here... but as I became more comfortable the decision of "where to next" creeped up on me. I did consider staying here, however that was not an option at the time. Opportunities elsewhere presented and I had to do what was best for me and my career.
Security. Safety. It is very difficult (no matter how independent I may be) to move to a new city, new apartment, new everything... alone. Always spending the "first night" by yourself wondering if it is a safe place to live. The feeling of security comes with time, so at first moving to a new area can be very stressful for me. I feel as though having someone else with me, or even a dog, may make me feel better.. until then, flying solo!
I had the honor of working with the most incredible team! I learned so much, from so many. To say that you truly enjoy the people you are working with every, single day can be very rare. Going to work was not so bad when there are SO many great people. I will definitely miss the awesome work environment, the food (courtesy of some pretty awesome therapists and patients), and the awareness that I could learn something new daily!
And now for what I believe is the most difficult part of being a travel therapist... the connection you make with the patients you are forced to leave behind. On my last day at my current facility, I had an overwhelming feeling that I had/have unfinished business. In any therapists career you get to a point with a patient where you have not only applied your knowledge to make them more independent, but you have put your heart and soul into caring for them. These are the patients that you cannot wait to see walk out of the front door on their way HOME! As a traveler, you have those patients that are half way to the finish line, you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and are forced to pass on to the therapist who is taking over for you. Absolutely and utterly heartbreaking. I have a heavy heart for one patient in particular, one that I feel as though I left too soon. But, this person reassured me on our last day together that I did not have unfinished business. She said "Always remember, you have made a great impact on my life. You helped me get back to being a mother, a teacher, and a caregiver for my mother. No matter where you are, please know that you made a mark here!" & that, my friends, is sweet...
The Sweet...
New place. New people. New attractions. New restaurants. All of these make for one heck of an adventure! Adventure is definitely something I truly enjoy, seeing new things and experiencing new things is half of the reason I became a traveling therapist!
By becoming a travel therapist you have the opportunity to network all over the country... what better way to insure job security?! As travelers we get to show TONS of people just what we are made of, which will absolutely make you more marketable in the future. Not to mention the diversity you experience in so many different environments. This is awesome not only for job security but for increasing the tools in your toolbox, too! (Another reason I decided to travel)
You are thrown many obstacles when faced with a new placement. It could be furniture (current problemo), utilities, space, apartment, location, price, etc. or it could be related to the workplace. But ya know what the sweet part about that is? You adapt. You change. You get stronger. You become resilient. You can handle anything that you are faced with. Though these obstacles can be very frustrating, they make you grow, allowing you to learn more and more about life.
Needless to say, my first transfer to a new facility has given me a variety of emotions. Nonetheless, I will be a better therapist and a stronger person for doing so. That alone helps me sleep a little more soundly on my "first night"...
