So, what does starting over actually look like? Spoiler alert: there’s no dramatic music, no sudden makeover. It’s not like in the movies where the protagonist dramatically wipes a tear, dyes her hair, grabs her passport, and runs off to India to find herself while feeding stray cats. Nope. In real life, it’s just boring. A tedious, exhausting scroll through job boards, sending dozens of emails, and dealing with stress that feels like you’re starting in a completely foreign country, where nothing is familiar – from the language to the law. Both versions are full of fear, but this real-life one smells of… something new.
I’ve started over so many times. When I ran away from the idea of having a corporate life and went to England. When I dumped my boyfriend and went back to Poland. When I quit my jobs (yes, plural) and moved to Spain. When I quit my job in Spain and moved to Albania. When I left a fairly big part of my heart in Albania, only to return to Poland… and have an accident that made me learn to walk again. Literally, not a fugure of speech. When I moved to the Faroe Islands and got dumped by my boyfriend (karma, bitch), realizing the last year I spent building a life there was all a house of cards. When I moved above the Arctic Circle to the Lofoten Islands.
And guess what? I’m starting over again. I’m scared : I don’t speak the language and have no idea what I’m buying at the grocery store. The law, the taxes, the bills, the work permits, health insurance, a bank account… Where’s that movie romance?
It’s in the trash. That’s how you feel when you think, “Well, this was my own choice, wasn’t it, Aleksandra?” But wait – there’s always that little “but” that makes you do it again, right? Here it is: “But it’s worth it.” It doesn’t come right away, and sometimes it takes as long as a delayed train, but I’ve tested it over and over – it comes.
I’m not here to preach. No “listen to your intuition” or “bet on yourself” nonsense. That kind of advice belongs in New Year’s resolutions or the “health, happiness, success” messages from that One Aunt. The most common question I get is, “Aren’t you scared?” Uh, OF COURSE I’m scared! I’d be an idiot if I wasn’t. But what scares me even more is the thought that nothing will change, that this hunger for more experiences will never be satisfied. As someone who creates a million scenarios in my head, I’ve got a few pessimistic ones, and I don’t know what I’d do if they come true. But one thing I know for sure: repeating the same pattern and hoping for a different result is the quickest way to madness. To see change, you have to change something. And start over.
You’ve got a clean slate. You can update yourself! The new version of you is a mix of everything you’ve lived through – not some New Year’s cliché like “new year, new me.” The new version of you is smarter because you’ve been knocked down (and will probably get knocked down again), and you might not know exactly what you want, but you sure as hell know what you don’t want. And with that knowledge, you can create something new.
I’m not giving you advice; I’m sharing my tip for making this whole “starting over” thing a bit easier: Find your “but.” Mine’s easy: “… but I’m scared nothing will change.”
So…
Hey there from the Lofoten Islands! I’m Aleksandra, 29 years old, and I’m starting over again. This time, way above the Arctic Circle, in a place where the sun either never sets for 24 hours or doesn’t rise at all, where cinnamon buns are everywhere and orcas swim past your house. And now tell me, is there any doubt that it’s worth starting over?
PRACTICAL GUIDE & MY TIPS : working abroad
Where you can look for job offers?
- Facebook Groups: Like “Job Lofoten” or “Work on Iceland” – that’s how I found my job in the Lofoten Islands! Especially during the summer, there are tons of seasonal job offers with opportunities to extend the contract for positions like waiter/waitress, receptionist, housekeeper, and more. These often include accommodation and sometimes even meals. I always make sure that the employer guarantees the housing part – that’s 80% of the stress gone!
- Alfred: Lots of scrolling, but also more efficient scrolling. This website has very well-curated job offers in Iceland – I ended up somewhere else, but I really appreciate having used it.
- JobNord: If you have more time and don’t want to reach out to employers directly, this agency is a great middleman! They charge NO fees for their help. Once you set up your account and upload your CV, you’ll have an online meeting with an assigned agent, who, based on your preferences, will send you various job offers. That’s how I received job offers from Norway and Finland. I didn’t take them because I found a job on Facebook in Lofoten, but I was very close to finalizing an offer with a Finnish employer! The agency works for Finland, Norway, and Sweden. I had great contact with them!
- Google Maps! You open up the map, pick a location, and start scrolling to find a place where you’d want to work. That’s how I found my first job in Lofoten! I spotted “Eliassen” on the map, thought, “I want to work there,” sent them an email, had an online interview, and… in May, I flew to Lofoten for the first time, living in the Eliassen Rorbuer resort, working as a receptionist. I loved that job!
My advice for job hunting: A decent CV. But that’s obvious! And just to clarify, it doesn’t need to be impressive in terms of achievements, just professional—no watermarks like “FreeCVTemplate.com.” 😀 Here’s a little secret between us, okay? Do you know why my bosses at Eliassen decided to meet with me? My manager told me after my first few days: it’s because mine was the only professionally looking CV. And during the online interview, you need to win them over. It’s like Tinder – it has to click from the first moment, or you won’t even talk longer! 😀
Second tip: Stay flexible! Don’t be discouraged when you see job offers in the hospitality or restaurant industry. Do you think I planned to work as a bartender – yes, bartender – on the Faroe Islands? No way! I don’t even drink much. But I thought to myself: “Faroe Islands? Never been there!” 😀 You can always change jobs later, and after spending a few weeks in a new place, it’s easier because you know the people, the place, and the job market. After over six months behind the bar, I found a job at JYSK. None of these jobs were my ultimate goal – for me, it’s always about the place. But I want to tell you from my experience that once you arrive, there are always more than one door open.
Third tip: Don’t worry about what happens if it doesn’t work out. It didn’t click for me with a job in Spain, even though I loved the people I worked with. But now I can say: “I worked for a start-up in Barcelona.” I loved my boss in Albania, but I didn’t see myself staying there, so I filled my stomach with burek, my heart with Albanian hospitality and then, ended my contract. And guess what? My former emplyer and I we are still friends! There are no losses here.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out! I’m here to inspire you to travel and show you that it’s possible to live life on your own terms – I’m a walking example of my own words. 🙂
Anyway, that’s it for today. I’m off to the official countdown to Christmas in my Lofoten village! There will be a Christmas tree lighting and glögg! I’ll definitely show you everything on Instagram 🙂
