Unlike the first instalment of this newfound series, Unfinished Business, this is actually a fully written post. I chose not to Publish it because at the time, I managed to get a new contract job with the same employer right before my tourist visa ran out (YES!!!) only for my new work visa application to get rejected (NO!!!) due to a sudden change in Employment Pass criteria in Singapore. This consequently left a lot of foreign employees like me to be jobless. Most who were in the same position as me had to return to their home country and didn't get a chance to get new jobs.

Leave it to me to try and turn that disaster around and use the time to travel some more. Read about the adventures of my "Funemployment" in 2017 here. 

In hindsight, you guys this just happened in 2017! Almost 3 years later, I'm typing this intro comfortably at my Chelsea apartment in New York City! While I was trying to pick myself up by writing that post below, I wouldn't have guessed that I will be living in another one of my dream cities. I must say I'm patting myself on the back right now for holding it together through crisis and for choosing to persevere when I could have easily quit.

It's amazing where life takes us when we keep ourselves open to possibilities. Also, introspection is so fun, especially after the fact! Sending love and virtual hugs to everyone who need it right now! <3 font="">

I'm supposed to be writing about my recent Europe trip now. I could easily do it, I have time. I have all the time in the world, in fact. Behind the #jennevertravels Instagram posts, what I have not shared online is the fact that--without beating around the bush--I am jobless.

When a contractor's project ends, it means you're out of a job essentially. Here in Singapore, it means they cut off your Employment Pass and you get reverted back to tourist visa, if you're not a Permanent Resident nor a Local. It means you cannot work, nor legally find work during the stay as a tourist.

I'm trying to write this piece with an intention of posting it when I'm no longer unemployed, but right now is also a good time to get this off my chest first so I can proceed and make myself a more productive individual. I'm thinking maybe then, I'll finally be able to finish writing about my Europe experience, and then I can earn some freelancing money out of it. (I'm currently also a freelance "writer" or should I say blogger for Skyscanner Philippines.)

I have this true love and hate relationship with contracting. It gets me a contractor rate, which is a lot higher than a permanent role's rate. In short, contracting means I get paid more. My favourite part about contracting, however, is the feeling that I could do anything. You see, it gives me the freedom that I won't get in a permanent role. I'm like a broken record pointing out my recent trip, but yes I won't be able to suddenly just take off for 3 weeks to go to Europe. Not if I'm working permanently.

Right now, I'm thinking if my unemployment status doesn't change, I can go to Cambodia for a bit on tourist visa, submit travel articles from there and live cheap for 30 days. Whatever happens next, I could take one step at a time. It's very flexible and I can actually do it. No, hold that thought. I WANT to do it and I'm in that stage where I have no one depending on me, thus I can just move on from Singapore for now.

Contracting is constantly keeping me on my toes, like never before.

On the other side of the spectrum, contracting means I don't have stability. Everything has to be short term, because doing long term projects also means I won't be eligible for bonuses and other perks that I would have gotten if I'm employed as a regular employee.
Right now, it seems very lopsided. The only thing stopping me from running away and doing a nomadic life is that I still very much want my feet grounded for a while. I have just started to really feel at home in Singapore and leaving it, even temporarily, for a while is kind of disconcerting and saddening.

I'm on my last 15 days here as a tourist. I tried to say it here, albeit very briefly. To paraphrase Nelly, you don't know what this means to me.