The Happy Human by Gopi Kallayil

Author:Gopi Kallayil [Gopi Kallayil]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hay House
Published: 2018-09-11T00:00:00+00:00

GO OFF THE RAILS

I had decided on Iceland, but then it came to me—why not explore further? I had the opportunity. But how would I get by? I had a six-week severance package, which wouldn’t go far. I also qualified for unemployment, but I didn’t want to apply. I’d been raised with the notion that going on the dole meant you’d really gone off the professional rails. Forever. You couldn’t care for yourself. You were dependent on government largesse. I had a ridiculous story in my head that collecting unemployment meant my life had completely stopped functioning; I’d stopped functioning. I’d gone from engineering school to a top business school to leeching off the state. Weave into that narrative everything I’d heard or read about in public discourse and in incendiary politicians’ speeches against jobless immigrants filtering through our borders, pushing up unemployment, and becoming a drain on society—no.

I didn’t want to be that person. I wanted to be the hardworking person who gives back. When I shared my thoughts with a friend, she said, “No, no, Gopi, don’t feel too bad. You’ve been working hard, paying into this insurance plan every month. This is your money. You can collect it.” So I applied for unemployment. Thanks to the Internet, I’d be able to dutifully apply for jobs every week. I was in all the databases that recruiters accessed. They could reach me anytime, anywhere. I’d check my mail religiously. If someone wanted an interview, we could video conference or talk on the phone, and if the interview loop progressed to the point that they wanted to meet in person, I’d book a flight home. I decided to take the extended trip. With no overhead—no mortgage, utilities, no cable—and traveling as frugally as possible, and imposing on friends, I could make sure my meager unemployment, which capped out at six months, would be enough to travel the world while looking for a job.

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