Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Its on!
Holy Crap! They actually picked me.
So, a few months ago I told you about my project. Well, it looks like its going to happen. Yikes!
I did go to Ottawa for the full day group interview. I met with a few people from CUSO-VSO and about a dozen or so applicants from all over the globe who had resumes that I thought were far more impressive than mine. At the end of the day, I was pretty much convinced there was no way in hell I was going be selected for an abroad placement. I mean, all of these guys and gals had benevolent work experiences that would make the pope blush with embarrassment.
So, you can imagine the shock and disbelief on their faces when I told them I had recently finished a contract for one the worlds biggest tobacco companies. The gasps of horror were all I needed to understand that this was going to be an uphill battle.
So, I did my best, smiled and played all the little games and role plays to the best of my ability and at the end of the day, when it was all over, I quickly bid my farewell to the group and left. I was the first person to leave. Not even the New-York psychiatrist who had a plane to catch left faster than I did. What was I thinking? Me? Humanitarian Aide. Laughable right?
Well, as I drove back to Montréal, only after a feeding my sorrows with my friend Stéphane at a local Caribbean restaurant, I accepted that I had already done more than most people just by applying to the program, and well, I could be proud of myself for that.
And then I forgot about CUSO-VSO. Totally. I was convinced it was over.
Well. I was wrong.
I got I call at the end of April with the wonderful news : I was accepted into the program.
So, a few months ago I told you about my project. Well, it looks like its going to happen. Yikes!
I did go to Ottawa for the full day group interview. I met with a few people from CUSO-VSO and about a dozen or so applicants from all over the globe who had resumes that I thought were far more impressive than mine. At the end of the day, I was pretty much convinced there was no way in hell I was going be selected for an abroad placement. I mean, all of these guys and gals had benevolent work experiences that would make the pope blush with embarrassment.
So, you can imagine the shock and disbelief on their faces when I told them I had recently finished a contract for one the worlds biggest tobacco companies. The gasps of horror were all I needed to understand that this was going to be an uphill battle.
So, I did my best, smiled and played all the little games and role plays to the best of my ability and at the end of the day, when it was all over, I quickly bid my farewell to the group and left. I was the first person to leave. Not even the New-York psychiatrist who had a plane to catch left faster than I did. What was I thinking? Me? Humanitarian Aide. Laughable right?
Well, as I drove back to Montréal, only after a feeding my sorrows with my friend Stéphane at a local Caribbean restaurant, I accepted that I had already done more than most people just by applying to the program, and well, I could be proud of myself for that.
And then I forgot about CUSO-VSO. Totally. I was convinced it was over.
Well. I was wrong.
I got I call at the end of April with the wonderful news : I was accepted into the program.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Another Blog
Yes. Another blog. As if the blogosphere really needed one more blog. I am creating this blog in the hopes that I will be able to stay in communication with my friends and family as I prepare for, leave (and come back) and live in Latin America. I will be documenting this process, right here.
So, I can here some of you already : "woah, woah. WTF! Are you out of your mind?" Well... those who know me well enough already know the answer to that question.
A quick calculation will clearly demonstrate that 2009 will mark the 35th year of my existence. Call it and early mid-life crisis, call it an existencial dilema, call it whatever you want, but I need more out of my life. I cannot be satisfied with this humdrum life of working for Corporate America, making rich men even richer in a context, which often, conflicts with my innermost beliefs, values and thoughts.
One day, I will look back upon my life, and my biggest fear is that when that moment comes, I will be filled with regret. When I die, I want to be die in peace, with the knowledge of knowing that my passage on this planet was worth more than a bunch of shares for some grumpy money grubbing old fart.
So, here isthe plan. Its very simple. Go out into the world and do some good for a change.
So my hope is that by the 1rst of January 2009 I will be somewhere else doing something else for the betterment of the world.
So, after polishing my CV and doing a bit of research, I applied with an international developement organization. I have already gone through the first few levels of screening and I will be going to Ottawa in 32 days for one final interview.
So, I can here some of you already : "woah, woah. WTF! Are you out of your mind?" Well... those who know me well enough already know the answer to that question.
A quick calculation will clearly demonstrate that 2009 will mark the 35th year of my existence. Call it and early mid-life crisis, call it an existencial dilema, call it whatever you want, but I need more out of my life. I cannot be satisfied with this humdrum life of working for Corporate America, making rich men even richer in a context, which often, conflicts with my innermost beliefs, values and thoughts.
One day, I will look back upon my life, and my biggest fear is that when that moment comes, I will be filled with regret. When I die, I want to be die in peace, with the knowledge of knowing that my passage on this planet was worth more than a bunch of shares for some grumpy money grubbing old fart.
So, here isthe plan. Its very simple. Go out into the world and do some good for a change.
So my hope is that by the 1rst of January 2009 I will be somewhere else doing something else for the betterment of the world.
So, after polishing my CV and doing a bit of research, I applied with an international developement organization. I have already gone through the first few levels of screening and I will be going to Ottawa in 32 days for one final interview.
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