Sometimes I feel like a contradiction.
For as long as I can remember, I dreamt about climbing the corporate ladder and having a seat at the table. To me, that felt like respect. The way to be seen as hardworking, accomplished and successful.
I’ve now been working in the corporate world for ten years. That’s a slightly terrifying sentence to write. Maybe it’s being in my thirties, or maybe it’s just finally feeling like a proper adult, but I can’t honestly say that climbing the corporate ladder is even a goal of mine anymore, let alone something I think will make me happy.
These days, my goals look different. They’re centred around experiences and relationships. Around building a life that brings me real joy, rather than one that looks impressive to old school friends, family acquaintances, or the guy I had a situationship with, who still follows me on Instagram.
As an immigrant living in London, I get asked a lot why I moved here. My go-to sarcastic answer is “for the glorious weather, obviously.” But when that doesn’t land, the real answer is travel.
Back in 2019, my then-boyfriend and I saved for months to go island-hopping through Greece. It was my first proper “adult” trip overseas: Athens, Milos, Paros, Santorini. It was beautiful. And I can say with complete confidence that’s when the travel bug properly bit.
But when I got home to Cape Town, I had the worst holiday blues I’d ever experienced. All I could think was: how long will it take before I can afford to do this again? When you’re converting rands into euros or pounds, your money doesn’t stretch very far.
A few weeks later, I knew things had shifted. I didn’t want to be so far from the world, or see it at a snail’s pace. I wanted more - more travel, more culture, more opportunities.
So I decided I needed to move.
The options were Portugal, where I have family and a Portuguese passport, or London, where I had exactly one friend. At least the language was the same, which made finding a job feel more realistic. Brexit meant the timing for a London move was tight on my EU passport, so within a few months I handed in my resignation, ended my lease, packed up my life, and said goodbye to my friends — and, as it turned out, my relationship too.
Nearly six years later, I’ve travelled to over thirteen new countries, and it’s safe to say the travel bug hasn’t gone anywhere.
Seeing more of the world has given me so much perspective. It’s become the real goal in my life. I’m no longer chasing titles to update my LinkedIn with. I’m chasing experiences. I want to see as much of the world as I can while I’m able to. To learn, to taste, to wander, to collect stories. To live a life I can one day look back on and feel proud of, especially knowing that so many generations in my family never had this kind of freedom.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the version of me who wanted a corner office and a clear ladder to climb. She got me here. But this version of me is learning that a full life isn’t measured in promotions or titles. It’s in the experiences that shape you, the people you want to hold close, and the adventures that leave a mark long after they’re over.
Thanks for being here for week two of this little newsletter 💌
Tahlia