09/13/19. 17:10. P20
/Until We Meet Again/
/Category: Career Management/
/Guide Questions: What next steps will you take to achieve your dreams? How do you plan to invest in your personal and professional growth?/
My heart is filled with heaviness as I pack my bags and prepare to leave the country I want to reside in for the rest of my life. My year abroad has ended, and a new chapter begins…
This past year has really been the happiest year of my entire life. In my first post, I listed all the things I wanted to accomplish, and here I am writing the last post with a completed checklist. I am really proud of myself. Of course, this would not have been possible without the generous donors of Fund for Education (FEA). Thus, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the FEA organization for granting me a scholarship for the academic year 2018-19. Because of this scholarship, I was able to focus on maximizing my experience in South Korea rather than worrying about my finances. All my experiences that I shared in this blog – volunteering and joining school activities, seeking language proficiency and cultural experiences, touring, and trying new things – are also FEA’s as much as mine.
My dreams have not changed per se; the final destination is still Korea and I will definitely come back here at the right time within the right circumstances. For now, I have to nurture my professional career. In fact, I start work in October! I have no doubt that the lessons during this year abroad will compliment my professional development. Not being able to communicate well due to language barriers has thought me humility and patience. I’ve also learned how to connect with people who are different from me, an essential skill in this interconnected world. Being away from family has taught me how to be more independent and self-reliant, greatly improving my problem-solving skills. I no longer shy away from new environments because I know I have what it takes to rise to the challenge- and thrive in it too!
Out of these, my most important discovery is my capability. I’ve always been an ambitious woman, with many goals for herself, some seemingly far from her reach. But when I realized this dream of studying abroad in South Korea, I proved to myself that if I set my mind to it and worked hard, I really can achieve all my goals. I can vividly remember lying on the floor of my bedroom a few years ago, staring at the ceiling after a particularly bad crying episode. I was having a hard time and feeling hopeless then because of multiple problems that seemed to be happening all at once. I remember I kept chanting to myself, referring to all my future goals, “I can do it… I will one day… I can do it… I will… I can!” Look at us now past self, we did it! This won’t be the end of what we can do either.
My language studies will definitely continue, and I plan to start new languages later on. I will continue to work hard and put my passion to work in not only my career, but in everything that I choose to pursue. I will continue investing in myself by making sure I have a strong body– through proper nutrition and exercise, an active mind- through continuous learning and education, and a happy soul- through seeking and nurturing quality relationships with others, staying true to myself, and making time to do things I enjoy. As life goes on for me, I trust that I will make the right choices that will eventually lead me to my goals. And if not, I trust I have the resilience and willpower to try again. After all, what’s life but to fill it with our own meaning, and these have been some of mine.
This has been a pleasure FEA and fellow scholars, until we meet again.
