Today marks one year since I walked across the stage at the U.S. Cellular Arena in Milwaukee for my undergraduate commencement. These 365 days have flown by with adventures of all sorts; when I look back though, there’s plenty I didn’t do and didn’t say. I officially end that today in two ways with work.
First, I started my journey toward speaking out about the bullying I’ve been enduring at work. Over the past few months, various incidents have occurred in which I’ve chosen to be the bigger person and not retaliate when I’m told that I’m “too young” for something to concern me even though it does, that I’m being a “smart-ass” when I’m actually joking around (major double standard in play here), being lied to my face, and simply being interrupted for no reason other than to interrupt me while I’m working. For the most part, I’ve let these slide because either a) I know I’m right, so I’m going to control my temper and not get in a pointless argument or b—and often the case) I’m too flabbergasted that I’m being spoken to in such a rude manner. This has led to me being very anti-social at work. While I am capable of not talking all day, the frustration behind my not talking makes work unnecessarily stressful.
During my bi-annual performance review today, I completely unloaded on my manager and told her every brutally honest detail. I’ve hinted that the work environment has degraded in recent months, but I never gave her the details necessary for her to fully understand what has been happening. Since she doesn’t work in the office on a regular basis, she never saw firsthand how I was being treated. Now that she knows, she’s insisting we move forward to combat this negativity and workplace bullying. A friend mentioned last week that I should go to HR (my manager also mentioned this today), and I’m still chewing on the idea. I’m thankful my manager is as supportive as she is and helping me move forward.
Side note: What frustrates me most about the whole situation is that all my life I’ve always stood up for myself and fought back. Now I’m just taking it; and I can’t even say for certain that I’m just letting it roll off my back. As I texted my older sister one day, “Idk whether to be proud of myself for controlling my temper or disappointed in myself for not speaking my mind…” Regardless, I’m learning a lot about professionalism (or lack thereof, at times) in the workplace from this whole experience.
That has been my adventure in what I didn’t say. Second—and much more positive—is my adventure in what I didn’t do. Despite having a fulltime job and fun money, I still haven’t gone abroad since studying in New Zealand. My wanderlust has become a burning desire to go far, far away to a land where everything will be new. My wanderlust has been like this for about the last six months, and it will finally get its wish in February when I will be moving to teach English in…
SOUTH KOREA 😀
When I read the email offering me a one year contract with Avalon English (a well-known, private English school), I couldn’t stop smiling. I was thrilled and happily applauded myself knowing the months of (secretive) hard work had finally paid off. While I’m still thrilled, a terror has also set in and surfaces from time to time. I will bounce from excitedly making lists of everything I’ll need to bring with me or all the incredible new experiences I’ll have to freaking out about how everything I want to bring might not fit in my suitcases or how unprepared I currently am for life outside the western world. Then I remind myself that my hard work and determination have gotten this far and they’re bound to get me the rest of way too; otherwise, I probably wouldn’t have gotten as far as I have. I also know I have a great support system who is all full of advice and encouraging words whenever I need to hear them. I may be physically moving to South Korea alone, but I won’t be making the journey alone 🙂
So Much New to Explore!!
Bethany Blount 