February Update: 5 Months to Go!

Hello! I haven’t disappeared, I’ve just been working hard and playing hard. It’s a gloomy Saturday morning here and I’m finally taking a break.

In the past two months I’ve been able to piece together all the flights for the first 2 weeks of my trip, including the Emirates Business Class flight to Milan on points. I also went on day trips to the zoo, strawberry picking, and rock climbing!

    I took on a side gig driving for Uber Eats. At first it was just a one time thing when Rakuten offered $62.50 for new drivers to make a delivery, but I realized I didn’t really mind making the drives. It gave me time to listen to podcasts and audiobooks, it taught me more patience while driving, and it made my time seem more valuable as I began to get pickier about which deliveries I would take.

I happened to take up this offer around the same time I was reading about bank bonuses. I made my first delivery for the Rakuten bonus, but I kept with it because of the money some banks give to new customers for opening a checking account and making direct deposits. 

It’s not impossible to change my direct deposit at my day job (I’ve already done it once for a $200 bonus), but it’s a process that takes 4 weeks and includes getting a paper check in between banks, plus I would have to make sure to time it exactly right in order to avoid fees at my primary bank. So when my first Uber payment came through as direct deposit, it felt like striking gold! 

I currently have 2 bank bonuses lined up that require $1000 minimum in 90 days. When I complete both, I’ll have an extra $2725 towards my future plans and current enjoyment.

This is in addition to babysitting which has become even more frequent since the pandemic. It’s a lot of work, but the end is in sight!

February hit and for some reason, 5 months feels much shorter than 6. I have started taking the necessary steps to sublease my apartment. I am making medical appointments for things I want to get taken care of before my trip. 

I was pleased to find out from an expat friend that travel immunizations are cheap and readily available in many other countries, so that’s one expense/appointment off my list.

My trip and my 30th birthday are both quickly approaching and I couldn’t be happier with how everything is going. I always imagined that the closer it got, the more nervous and scared I would feel, but it’s almost the opposite. The closer it gets, the more paths seem to open, the more this opportunity feels like what my whole life has been leading toward.

Florida isn’t the world, so I won’t rule out education entirely but I just see so much potential for my passions for learning, reading, and working with kids outside of a traditional classroom.

I’m not sure exactly what the future has in store for me, but I know that I haven’t lived even half the life meant for me yet.