Once again it's been quite a while since I posted. Work has been really busy, and like I said last time I feel like a bit of a fraud writing about interning when I haven't been one since last June.
While I'm really happy to have my job it is a freelance position which means no job security, something which I discovered a few days before Christmas when my boss told me there wouldn't be the budget for me to work the next project in January. By this time it was too late to secure work for the new year so I became resigned to an uncertain 2012. My boss has assured me I'll be returning in February when the next issue starts work but the prospect of an entire month not earning was still rather daunting, especially when as freelance holiday and sick pay are something I am not initialled to.
I'm in the fortunate position that I can *just about* afford to have this month off. I'm moving into a new house which needs to be entirely gutted so I'm back home with Ma & Pa (no rent - free food!) and heading out early every morning to head to my new place for endless, painful days and nights of ripping up carpets and steaming off wallpaper. If I did have to work this month the likelihood is I'd be living in a building site until Easter at the earliest. So this month the nights out, clothes, and other luxuries are definitely out and some nights I wake up in a cold sweat wondering what I'm going do if I don't go back to work in February (I still don't have a start date) - how the hell am I going to pay for this bloody house?!
While I am worried about the future and keeping my eyes peeled for new opportunities (best to cover your back - always have a plan B) I know that as scary as things are right now it could be worse. My best friend lives in Sweden and had been interning at a magazine. It looked like she too was on the road to great things - and no doubt she totally is, it's just she's reached a stumbling block. The magazine in question took her on as a freelance stylist, but in a familiar turn of events the budget for her was cut. While she has tried to find other work the opportunities are fewer there and with only a few months experience she has made the brave and difficult discussion to start interning again, and not only that, but a completely new profession. I know that whatever she does she'll be amazing. Talent always shines through, but both our situations have taught me two things, the first being NEVER take anything you have for granted. The second - people really need to buy more magazines.
Also thank you for all for your emails. It's been really nice to speak to so many of you and I hope I've been of some use and able to offer any small piece of advice. Like I said in my last post if any of you fancy taking a stand and writing on here about your experiences, your hopes, your fears just tap me out an email. internanonyme@gmail.com
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