I've been seeing a lot of graduation photos on my facebook wall these past two weeks; it's graduation time in many parts of the world! My students back when I was volunteer-teaching in India have been posting photos which make me feel extremely happy and proud - the junior youth animators graduated top in their classes, once again! It's so inspiring to see how they've been able to balance animating junior youth groups and keep up their grades at the same time (despite the crazy amount of pressure always put on them to focus on the sciences and maths). It just shows that students do NOT need to fragment their lives into study study and study. They can excel at their studies while simultaneously being actively involved in extra curricular activities.
Seeing all these graduation photos has also made me reflect back on my life. It has been:
Eight years since I graduated from high school
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| Pace Setters' Academy, Nigeria |
Five years since I graduated from university: under-graduate level
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| De La Salle University, Philippines |
Two and a half years since I graduated from university: post-graduate level
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| University of Sheffield, England |
For the most part of my life, I dreamt of becoming a "Hala Gorani" reporting from the Middle East. But then puberty happened, and I started getting lots of pimples and pores, which eventually... became permanent scars. They never went away, no matter what I did, and this damaged my self-confidence so bad, you have no idea how low my self-esteem is even until this day. So I gave up the dream of becoming a tv-anchor and turned to print media. It was Mr. Uwem back in 3rd grade who pointed out my potential in writing, and encouraged me all the way. I wrote a lot of articles in all the schools I've studied at, as well as for all the Baha'i communities I've been a part of. I found my happy place in writing. But I never pursued journalism in university. I used to think "I don't want to learn how to write; I want to learn about things I can write about".
So I took up the broadest course I found on the list - International Studies. It had history, politics, economics, language...all the things I love. My favorite modules were human rights and international development. At some point in my life the dream became United Nations! Human rights activist!
I never pursued the UN dream, but I was happy enough with my first job as a communications assistant in a HIV/AIDS - USAID funded project back home. I wrote success stories, news articles - and most importantly I got to see first hand the positive impact on the lives of orphans and vulnerable children. I loved it so much, being deeply connected to my work.
So I took up the broadest course I found on the list - International Studies. It had history, politics, economics, language...all the things I love. My favorite modules were human rights and international development. At some point in my life the dream became United Nations! Human rights activist!
I never pursued the UN dream, but I was happy enough with my first job as a communications assistant in a HIV/AIDS - USAID funded project back home. I wrote success stories, news articles - and most importantly I got to see first hand the positive impact on the lives of orphans and vulnerable children. I loved it so much, being deeply connected to my work.
I went back to school to do my masters. I did International Studies again because I couldn't think of anything else specific. I was interested in so many things! This time I focused on security studies (terrorism and war). As much as I enjoyed it, life after graduation was really hard. I couldn't decide what kind of job I wanted! I didn't want to become a lawyer or a diplomat. I couldn't see myself in any one particular field. To deal with the overwhelming confusion, I decided to take a year off and serve the community of Lucknow - I dropped everything behind and went to a completely new place where I knew absolutely no one.
The year I spent in India was life-changing. It was during this year that I worked with children/young adults and was surrounded by amazing spiritual friends that I learnt about living a holistic life...a life which does not need to be divided and timed/ which can instead be well-balanced (studies, career, family, social). A life which has service to mankind at the core of every single thing I do. Even though I was a teacher that year, I learnt more from the students than they probably learnt from me. Sometimes when you teach younger ones to do certain things, it encourages you to reflect on your own life - are your actions coherent with your words?
The year I spent in India was life-changing. It was during this year that I worked with children/young adults and was surrounded by amazing spiritual friends that I learnt about living a holistic life...a life which does not need to be divided and timed/ which can instead be well-balanced (studies, career, family, social). A life which has service to mankind at the core of every single thing I do. Even though I was a teacher that year, I learnt more from the students than they probably learnt from me. Sometimes when you teach younger ones to do certain things, it encourages you to reflect on your own life - are your actions coherent with your words?
In India I met so many wonderful people who had nothing but gave everything. I met people who built toilets for rural dwellers. I met people who built solar cookers for rural women and who built schools for rural kids. It was truly an inspiring year which encouraged me to make conscious effort to re-define my priorities, my goals, my aspirations - I decided that whatever I end up doing should be such that I utilize my talents for the betterment of society.
So where am I now?
Well, I'm still hanging around. I still haven't figured it out. I love writing and telling stories, and even though my current job in the Philippines doesn't always give an an avenue to do those things, outside of working hours I push myself to blog as often as I can. A few months ago I also started making videos - I've really really enjoyed this, and I've been receiving so much encouragement and love from my Facebook viewers. I created the opportunity for myself instead of waiting for "the dream job".
With that said, our careers do not define us. I can't decide what I want to become when I grow up.... not even what I want to become NOW! so I've stopped worrying about it. It's the journey that defines us. It's how much we make out of the little opportunities that come left and right. Our attitude through the tests and trials. Our courage to take leaps of faith.
A lot of us end up with jobs totally unrelated to the course we studied in University. That's absolutely my case, but at least I know I enjoyed what I studied while I was at it, whether I knew there was a future in it or not.
So to the younger ones out there, when you start planning your 'future', do not limit "What I want to become when I grow up" to a job or a title. Make the most out of the journey getting there. After school, keep that "learning mode" switched on. Forever.
So where am I now?
Well, I'm still hanging around. I still haven't figured it out. I love writing and telling stories, and even though my current job in the Philippines doesn't always give an an avenue to do those things, outside of working hours I push myself to blog as often as I can. A few months ago I also started making videos - I've really really enjoyed this, and I've been receiving so much encouragement and love from my Facebook viewers. I created the opportunity for myself instead of waiting for "the dream job".
With that said, our careers do not define us. I can't decide what I want to become when I grow up.... not even what I want to become NOW! so I've stopped worrying about it. It's the journey that defines us. It's how much we make out of the little opportunities that come left and right. Our attitude through the tests and trials. Our courage to take leaps of faith.
A lot of us end up with jobs totally unrelated to the course we studied in University. That's absolutely my case, but at least I know I enjoyed what I studied while I was at it, whether I knew there was a future in it or not.
So to the younger ones out there, when you start planning your 'future', do not limit "What I want to become when I grow up" to a job or a title. Make the most out of the journey getting there. After school, keep that "learning mode" switched on. Forever.