Sorry to totally mess up the order of things in the blog. This review is, sadly, a few days late. I was hiking/getting lost (really) in the rain forests and jungles of Thailand without internet access. I have only just returned to my home in Taipei and am able to write this review.
I have noticed in myself an either anti-social wariness to meeting new people or a feeling of almost complete confidence. It is rarely between those ends of the spectrum that I find myself. However, through this 2week I tried to battle my inner hermit (when he reared his ugly head) and force myself to meet new people even when I was feeling like being by myself. I met so many more people this way and conquered some of my inner social demons.
I thought of keeping track of the people I met- but rather I decided to remember their stories. I've found a passion of mine is listening to what other people do for a living. I like to know how people make their way, earn their keep, and contribute to society. For some this meant hauling oil in northern Canada, for others it was sailing across the Pacific in a sailboat holding down the nightwatch. I met one guy who was an airline steward and I listened to a locksmith tell his tales. A hostel owner, an electrician, an airplane mechanic, a SCUBA diving instructor, a carpenter, an editor for museum exhibitions- each one I met and listened attentively to their stories. In turn I met these people and saw a reflection of myself. What is it that I'm going to contribute to the world? What will my profession and title be, and thus a part of my identity? Each story I heard I found myself trying their role out in my mind, to see if it fits me. As I have yet to hold a 40 hour a week job so I find he very idea of one fascinating. To put so much time into something, to get paid and eat because of it. If nothing else I learned how important it is to love what you do. And when I get to that point I'll try my hardest to make sure I do something I'm passionate about. Otherwise, I'm just wasting my life. You hear this axiom many times but finally I saw just how true it is, and how applicable it is to my future career.
2Week or Too Weak?
2Week complete!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
A great two week activity, I feel that just asking people what they are doing and why can help give you much needed perspective. Shifts in the way you think are in effect a challenge to yourself and I think, make up the most important challenges you will face. To greater understand ourselves we need to challenge the idea that we have a self worth understanding.
ReplyDelete