When I learned that we were moving to Delaware, I decided to prepare myself so that I wouldn’t be unemployed, again. I scoured the internet for employment opportunities for hours and a commercial happened to come on about a news outlet that considered working for when I was in college. Immediately, I went to their website and learned that they had internships and decided right then and there I was going to apply.
Exactly 24 hours after we moved in, I received a call about an interview in Philly. While I was excited, I couldn’t help but to think of the huge inconvenience it would be to get down to Philly. I got there and it was a piece of cake. The entire time I was there, the person who was interviewing me was hinting that he would like me on the team like he made up his mind before he met me. But I didn’t want to believe it just in case. Even after he asked me to send him information regarding my start date, I didn’t believe it.
Despite the fact that I applied to the internship so that I could have something to do rather than sitting at home. And despite that fact that the position was a great way into my field, I considered turning it down.
I almost didn’t take the internship for the same reason I suppose many women in relationships turn down opportunities: the fear of what the change could do to their relationship. I realized this after hearing more and more women I know nearly make the same decision I almost made a couple of years ago. It made me question why women are so willing to compromise.
I have a theory. When it comes to opportunities, both men and women consider their families for the deciding factor, but how they consider it varies. In my opinion, men always think about how it will benefit their families financially whereas women think about how it will alter the dynamic of their families. I know that was one of my biggest concerns and I can’t be the only one, right?
I’d like to think of myself as a modern woman, but when it came to making that decision (and many others) I reverted back to the fifties, a time where caring for the home and family was the ultimate opportunity. I am all into catering, but I am realizing, that if you don’t cater to yourself, nobody else will.
