As I write this, I’m sitting in Gregory’s Coffee shop on 30th and 7th in New York City, trying to make the most of their WiFi so that I can get some entertainment for the flight home. As I sit here I’m wondering what is going to happen in 2016, as some things are changing.

City and country

I always knew I was going to have to move back home, due to my visa situation here in the U.S., but that doesn’t change the fact that I have to deal with moving city (and country). I initially wrote a blog post when I moved here to NYC in July 2014, but that’s long gone. I’ve lived and worked here for 18 months now (the entire length of my visa), and I can’t stay any more.

New York is an amazing city to live in, with something new to do every day. That includes: getting shouted at by random strangers, experiencing new and different types of food, getting caught in torrential rain, and enjoying a bustling and thriving city. I’ve loved it, and it’s been a life changing experience.

I’m not sure where I’m going to end up next. I hope I get an opportunity to move abroad again, and have my eyes set on Germany right now. I need to plan a trip there (possibly Berlin) to see whether I’d like to live there. Other cities of interest are Amsterdam and Stockholm. It’s an interesting problem to have, trying to find a city that you’d like to live in. I’m trying not to think about job searches when thinking of these cities, as remote work is definitely a possibility in my profession.

Speaking of job searches…

Job

The end of my visa also marks the end of my time at Neo. I’ve worked there for almost 3 years (started in January 2013), starting as a relatively mid level developer, and have grown to be a senior/lead developer.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at Neo, as I’ve grown both personally and professionally. I had opportunities to succeed and fail, and have learned a lot from doing both. It helped that I got to work with some amazing people that helped me a long the way, and I’m definitely better for having worked there.

After working somewhere for so long I do worry about finding my next opportunity, but I keep getting told that developers are in high demand and shouldn’t worry about it. I’ll find out if that’s true soon enough. A large part of my job search will depend on where I end up living for the next few years (or longer). It’s also difficult to combine a job change with a location change, as I don’t know too many people in the places I’m looking to move to.

In some ways I’m glad that I have no choice but to find another job. I’ve spoken before about getting too comfortable in what you’re doing, and that change is a good thing. It’s a lot easier to say that though, now I actually have to do it.

The end of a chapter

It’s strange to think of life as a series of chapters, but this definitely feels like one of them. I get to look back on my time here, and it’s something I’m glad I’ve had the opportunity to do. It’s sad that I couldn’t continue to live and work here, but exciting that I also get to do something new too.

If anyone’s reading this and wondering whether they should move abroad somewhere (even for a short amount of time): go for it. Even if it’s just temporary, it’s an experience you’ll be glad you did (whether it goes well or not). You’re going to learn a lot, both about yourself and the world around you. Enjoy it.

As for me? Piece out, New York.