Hope and Change

Chicago is my hometown and an amazing city!  It was an especially exciting place to live in 2008 with all the buzz of the presidential campaign.   I was personally lucky enough to meet and shake then-senator Obama's hand at the Super Tuesday event at the Hyatt (see photo below.  I'm between Obama and Jesse Jackson) as well as attend the gigantic Grant Park election night acceptance speech.  It was truly an amazing moment for my city, and like a majority of Americans, I was excited about "hope and change.

Sadly, the change that came my way just three days after Obama's inauguration was not what I had expected.  It would be the first time in my life I'd lose my job. 

At first, I wasn't worried; I've worked since the age of 15 and never had trouble landing a job.  After all, I had a Master's degree, including two years of study abroad; ten years of solid professional experience, including international work and a positive, passionate attitude!  What's more is that being the product of a fiscally conservative mother, I maintained little debt and a comfortable nest egg, so even in tough times, I could manage for several months.

Although I was confident about my ability to quickly land back on my feet, the economic free fall of the previous four months put a lot of things into question.  Unemployment rates were quickly rising as mass layoffs were announced daily; the media reported about the complete crash of the housing market, which would affect all other areas of the economy.  My first sent resumes were rejected.  This was like nothing I had experienced.

With more than 8 months of savings and a new President installed, I was hopeful that my unfortunate situation would change quickly.  Boy was I wrong...

The story continues here...