HOME AWAY: DAY Sixty-Six

Day 66: Still Adjusting

It’s been roughly two months since I moved to New York, but it honestly feels more like two weeks. Recently I got back from a three week trip to Ghana where I experienced Accra’s Year of Return festivities, indulged in various work opportunities, and celebrated my 27th birthday at the top of 2020. The getaway was amazing. It fed me with motivation and inspiration that I felt necessary to reach goals for the new year. In between leaving Ghana and returning to New York, I stopped over to visit my family in Toronto. It was great to check in with my siblings and hang out with my parents. Returning home was fulfilling but it also gave me the reassurance that my decision to relocate to NYC was the right one. So after a few nights I booked a ticket back to Brooklyn and headed “home”. Now that I’m back, I realize January has basically come to an end and I’ve got a lot of catching up to do. It’s time to get busy - like extremely busy.

In case I failed to make it clear in the previous episode, I was approved for an O-1 Visa which provides this Canadian with the opportunity to pursue jobs specific to my creative field in the USA for exactly three years. Fun right? Immigrating to another country requires extensive research, tedious groundwork, patience, and baby steps. On my visa application I listed a start date of January 1, 2020 which means from November to December of 2019 I was technically visiting without a permit to work. Fortunately January is now here, opportunities are arising and I’m officially available for work legally! The next step is applying for a social security number, which takes up to two weeks to get approved.

Fast forward to the present. I’ve been in and out of meetings, creating presentations for potential clients, and connecting with folks of all kinds. Earlier this week I took part in a panel entitled Visibility in Media for Black Men where we touched on representation in the digital age, working with our black female counterparts, and constraints in the industry. It was an impactful event that reminded me how important my work is, in addition to the amount of people influenced by it. To be honest, it boosted my confidence a bit as I often overthink about my work’s purpose, the impact it has, and the direction it’s headed in. Shoutout to Sincerely Tommy and Visible Space for hosting a panel filled with brilliant minds. 

It’s a new week and time waits for nobody. As a creative on new soil I always remind myself to adjust effectively, move at a steady pace all the while maintaining strong mental balance. It does not take much to get caught up in a city where the grind is endless. Prior to moving, I created detailed plans for each month which honestly helped me break down the journey. A few of those plans have changed but the idea of achieving goals in portions remains important to me. 

If there was one message I could provide my readers, it would be to control your narrative and tell your own story. We all adjust differently and these experiences help build character for a lifetime.