The news has been filled with dismal facts about the economy, and our latest Newsweek International focuses just about 95% of the entire magazine on the current state of the economy. Many economists don't think the U.S. will recover for years, and some are predicting that a recovery will look much more like the L-shaped recovery that Japan experienced in the 1990's instead of the quick V-shaped recovery that we impatient Americans are accustomed to.
Unemployment is higher than ever (and is severely underestimated according to an article in Newsweek), and every day we hear of new job cuts from traditionally successful companies around the world. The latest: Nike is set to cut up for 4% of its workforce before the end of the fiscal year (See this Oregonian article for more information). We don't think it will affect us here in Amsterdam, but it's bound to hit some people we know back home.
With all this less-than-uplifting news lately, we're starting to feel pretty lucky that at least one of us has a steady job. Although it still surprises me that a year after graduating I have yet to have a "real" job, I'm starting to feel a little less bad about it. I'm trying to keep myself occupied in various ways - I'm still pursuing personal training on the side, and have just started volunteering with Friends of the Earth International, a fantastic NGO that focuses on both environmental and social issues throughout the world. So far, it's great - I get to write, do some interviews, and work with their website. Plus, it gets me out of the house and using my brain again, which is really the best part about it.
And despite being homesick, we're both pretty happy to be here right now. The job market in Portland is pretty bleak, and we both know that if we had tried to come over here this time this year instead of last year there wouldn't be any chance. We do miss everyone though, and hope that when we try to come back things start looking more positive!
Here are a couple of pictures so this blog isn't overly text-heavy:
Me braving the cold Amsterdam weather
A very smiley Brian
Tot ziens!
- Krista
1 comment:
Thank you for the updates, Krista. I always enjoy reading your blog entries and I'm so glad to hear that you are finding other outlets for your writing. If you can afford to do internships and volunteer work while you build up your portfolio, I highly recommend it. I so wish that I had gotten into writing for a living earlier in my career. Send me some of your articles when you have time. I would love to read them.
Hugs, kisses and hot chocolate with marshmallows from La-la-land.
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