I've worked one way or another since college, but it has always been at school (stipulation of the F-1 student visa) or related to my major at school (stipulation of OPT). So it goes without saying that the real job I got out of college was also related to my major (H-1b). Although each job I had were "real" jobs in the sense that I got paid, but because they were always in some way related to my education and/or school, they didn't feel quite "real" to me.
Those that felt more "real" were the ones completely unrelated to my major: working as a shuttle driver during reunion/commencement (getting tipped was the best part!), server at an alum dinner event (bonus: a bag of dinner rolls and one apple pie), and working at the library during summer times.
In a sense, I was never free to choose whatever job I wanted to do. I always had to choose from the options I had given my visa status.
But it's different now.
For the first time, I have choices... and lots of them! Almost every day in the months after I got my green card, my husband has had to listen to me think out loud about working at different places (and gently remind me of the reality). I've thought of working at Costco, one of our favorite stores (too far), Starbucks (probably tiring), REI (a bit far, and I hate folding clothes, so that also ruled out a lot of clothing retail stores), B&N/Borders (my hubby had to remind me that working at a bookstore does NOT mean I that get to read all day), Maggiano's (plates are too heavy for me considering that I have trouble pushing open doors most of the time) and the list goes on and on. In the end, I realized that I have no skills other than my professional skill, and skills = pay. So despite all these exciting possibilities, I'm going back to what I know best and probably do best - teaching a test prep course once (4 hours) a week.
There, my first "real" job. I start in a few weeks... and I'm excited!
