On being 28

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On this birthday

I contemplate on my accomplishments, failures, goals, dreams, lessons. This is by no means a 'Look what I can do, I am better than you type'; it's more of a 'today is a gift, that's why it's called the PRESENT' type of entry.

Intrinsically capricorn-ish in nature, I was always one who saw the benefit of having goals and dreams, of planning for tomorrow and the rest of the future. Very contradictory in nature, I know just how much I've achieved in 28 years, but also feel it's NOT enough.

Having moved to Europe, I look at the past few years with VERY different eyes, learning more about myself, and knowing better what I want.

School-wise/Career-wise - Two post secondary attempts later, I find myself yearning to get into another. Social work this time. To get a job in the child-protection services. I want a job that makes a DIFFERENCE. THESE DAYS (the past 2 months really), the way I look at it is -- who are your company's 'clients'? If the company closed down they would be affected the most.

That's the way I gauge if that job is worth my time or not.

For example, the company I worked for NOW - is an international executive 'talent management' firm (offices in America, Canada, EMEA - (Europe, Middle East, Asia), South America, Australia) -- if it closed down, the only people who would lose a service are big cheeses with 6 figure salaries and 6 figure bonuses -- There was one guy who bought a Bentley to lessen the pain of the redundancy that left him 'jobless'.

GIVE ME A BREAK.

I'm not hating on the person, I'm hating on the industry. Not for me.

Now in social work - for example if the Children's Aid closed down -- cases of abused children and abusive parents, foster children stuck in the system and troubled youth without proper role models WILL LOSE OUT. They will be forgotten. This is worth my time. This is FOR ME.

I should have known this before -- with my love for volunteerism, being a leader to other youth, and having a sponsored child from a 3rd world country for the past 5 years now.

I should have KNOWN that this is a job that would be for me. This is the 'find a job that let's you do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life' - type of job.

Lesson # 1 - heard loud and clear. If I hadn't moved to Europe, I wouldnt have learned this. I would have been 'happy' in a job that was at the end of the day, unrewarding.


Wanderlust - I've been to 3 new countries so far (Amsterdam, Belgium & Wales) since I've moved to Europe. And I absolutely LOVE it. I have 3 more in the new year (Germany, Norway, Egypt) that are already booked and I can't wait.

It is true that the world is a book, and people who don't travel only read a page.

I hope to visit 10 new countries in total before I go home to Canada. And after that, plan to start a new goal of setting foot on ALL 7 continents before I'm 30 years old. Very, very possible.

North America - DONE
Europe - DONE
Asia - DONE
Africa - will be done when I visit Egypt

Continental South America -
Australia -
Antarctica -

The only one that requires some planning way ahead of time is Antarctica. But still. It can be done.

Lesson # 2 - Travelling is a good way of appreciating what you have at home, and learning about the world first hand. I've seen Buckingham Palace & Big Ben, and the Mona Lisa in books before, but when you see it through your own eyes, it takes your breath away. I know it will be the same for the Pyramids of Giza.


That's it, just two lessons for today. Off to Harrod's to buy some souvenirs.

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