kind of depressed

I've been feeling kind of depressed lately. I'm currently looking for a job. The jobs I've had in the past year were temporary and it's been difficult to find a full time gig. Also, I live in a house full of people so I don't get the privacy that I so need and used to having.

Last year I moved back to the US from Japan. I taught English in Tokyo for awhile and I enjoyed being there so much. However, I felt that I wasn't really great with teaching and I did miss my family so I chose not to renew my contract and move back. I moved in with my parents and figured I would be there 3 months tops. Well, it's been a year and I'm still living there and it looks like I'm still going to be there for awhile now. I'm not stupid, I know there's no possible way for me to be living on my own. My parents are kind though, and letting me stay there for free since I've had some trouble with my credit card and they want me to focus on paying that off and saving for a place of my own. I appreciate that greatly, but the frustrating part is my father tries to tell me how to live my life. I know he means well and he does it because he cares, but I'm not a teenager (I think that I may be one of the oldest memebers here). I'm a full grown woman capable fo making her own decisions.

Sometimes, I wish that I stayed in Japan where I had a career and making a decent amount of money.

Well, I do not truely understyand the concept of jobs, but are you glad tghat you're near your family? I mean, I bet that if you were still in Japan you would wish for the opposite.

I completely understand how you feel. A lot of kids who grow up very sheltered by their parents (me, too) have to push themselves to grow beyond their comfort zones (set in place by parents). But you'll never know how capable you are unless you are given opportunities to prove it. The only way you'll figure out what you want out of life.
Anyway, this is my practical advice. While you're living at home, get any job that will allow you to get out of the house, meet people and earn some savings for your great new life.Office job, temp agency, waitress, barista, retail ho - anything. Money's money. Get your own bank account and get your own credit cards (if you don't have them already). Start scouting for places to live. Send your resume out. SAVE EVERYTHING.You can also apply to progs for teaching English overseas or working a cruise ship etc. while you're living at home. Great experience and you can support yourself!

IF you feel that you have no privacy by living other members in your family, then the best solution for you is to move out and start freely discovering the joys of being you, otherwise you can talk about your situation, how you feel at the moment to your family members so that they can understand about your circumstances.

Good luck

It's understandable that you feel bad in that situation, Satin angel. Though, try to not worry and, as Miko-Angel said, try to focus on the top-priorities.

First of all, keep looking for a job: I understand how frustrating is by own experiences... but my advice is to keep enduring. Sooner or later, someone will phone you with a decent job offer.
Also, take your decissions until the ends: don't wonder now if you were right or wrong to come back because you will, at short term, feel frustrated (feeling like you took the wrong option). I will share with you what my mentor told me once (even though that was in a professional issue): "Whenever you take an option, don't essitate wondering if you are right or wrong, just keep going ahead with the path you chose. If you don't, you will get stuck in the same place and your option will become futile.".
You chose your option, and you thought that was the best thing to do in that time and that's the important thing you must think about: you did your best. *smiles*
Maybe you should try to explain him, whenever he tries to "direct your life", why are you doing something like you are doing, reasoning that's the best option, and such. I know... you shouldn't had to prove anyone you are independant or you are mature enough to make your own decisions, but in this situation, maybe it could be the best thing.

About parents, I guess all the parents in this huge world are like that... most of them feel over-protectors, without caring of our age. Though, I think we will be like them in a future (maybe I should say "unfortunatelly"? *chuckles*). You could try to expose your reasoning, whenever he tries to direct your life, about the issue you are dealing in that moment.

I just wish things can go better for you soon and that you cheer up a bit. *smiles*

Good luck with everything!

I usually talk things out with my father whenever I'm feeling depressed or frustrated. It's best to talk to someone so they can understand about your problems. As for the job advice- keep searching and don't give up! Good luck Satin-Angel

Yeah I usually talk to my parents too, they usually give me good advices. So try and search for a job and do what everyone else told you coz they're absolutly right. And it is better to be with your family then to be somewhere far off so you're not lonely, and being lonely would make you even more depressed. So please be happy and find what is good for you.

Thanks to everyone who's trying to encourage me. I appreciate it alot. Unfortunately, I'm not in the position to be living on my own. Even with my temp jobs I wasn't making enough to afford rent and pay my debt off. Even if I got a roommate I would be struggling.

I noticed that many of the posters here are either still in Jr/Sr high or live in Australia so I don't think that you're all aware of the economic crisis the US is going through right now. Jobs are hard to come by and even folks with B.A.'s and M.A.'s (myself included) are struggling to make ends meet. I went to a job fair last week and I was shocked at the amount of people who came (this event was featured in the news the next day). I waited in line for over 40 minutes to get in.

It's depressing because when I graduated from college 2 years ago I swore that I would never work in retail/customer service again. But here I am now trying desperately trying to get anything I can. Can't be helped though, I gotta make ends meet.

Yeah I know about the economy crisis in the U.S. since I live in the U.S, so I understand fully...well not fully since I don't have a job yet but I watched the news and in school the teachers talked about it. So it is hard to get and keep your jobs, my family's fine but I'm worried about everyone else, and since you told us I can see how hard it is for you and alot of people.

I think we need to give you a big group hug.

A big huggie for Satin-Angel

Thanks!