A new realisation: in the country I mostly grew up in I had tons of problems getting jobs, even basic minimum-wage student jobs. I'd be pounding the pavement (as you did back then) for weeks. I knew that most employers thought 'No way' the minute they saw me. When I moved far away to a totally different country, getting basic student jobs was much, much easier. Up till now I've always thought that because I'm a foreigner here they couldn't really put me immediately in some category. That may still be a part of it, BUT part of it is surely that now that I'm at least geographically outside the perpetual FOO sphere of influence, I look less hunted than I used to look. I often look stressed these days, though I might not have as a student in my early years in this country, but I didn't look so self-conscious, I didn't look as if I wanted to disappear into the woodwork. People didn't look at me and immediately think: there's something wrong there.
Hi Blueberry :wave: - don't you just love new realizations? :cheer: - they can be so empowering! I believe you are right that you probably come across more healthy now that you are no longer in the middle of your FOO influence YAY :cheer: