I went to school to be a nurse. I specifically wanted to work in Labour/Delivery. Where I ended up moving after graduating was a saturated environment and I was lucky to get a new grad position on a heart/lung med surg floor. I did that for 4 years before covid stole the stars from my eyes. Now I run a bakery. I never got to do the one thing I thought I always wanted to, and I’ll never do it. I know I could go back, but I live abroad now and I’ve been out of the game 5 years. I don’t have any interest in going back to the US even if it meant I could have a shot at my dream job. Because at the end of the day, I’m happier and safer here.

It was like this in the Bay Area when I lived there, like in Alameda county at least. People exited at the rear doors and gave a thank you to the driver. Became a habit for me. I moved to Norway a few years ago and absent-mindedly said “Takk!” as I exited and I was quickly educated that, we don’t do that here.