Yes. After 5 years of traveling the world, diving, working, living, I feel it's finally time to possibly, maybe, think about continuing my education. After a tough first week back at work, I had a few things to think about. Now, I love traveling, and losing the freedom to get up and leave at any point in my life to jet off to some distant tropical island scares me. But there are only so many times one can do that and return to what feels like a go nowhere job.
Don't get me wrong, my current position with Rampton Rockworks is okay. I make a great wage, get along with the people I work with, get fit, and receive 3 months off every winter. Sounds great, but for how long do I want to carry concrete blocks, dig, and generally wear my body out? It doesn't seem to provide much of a challenge, mentally, just being a labourer. My boss has been doing it for well over 16 years, and as far as I can see, he'll be doing it for that much longer. As long as his joints hold out. It'd be an excellent trade to learn, and I could work outside everyday - just like I promised myself I would do in my youth. I used to think I would do well in the trades too, I just feel... There has to be more. I want to know more about the world I love to explore.
Every trip, my book collection grows, and I want to devour more. I want to read all the classics, the books that have defined eras in their pages. Changed the way we look at humanity, the planet, the holocaust, ourselves. I want to know WHY. WHEN. WHO. Sadly, I get home from abroad and priorities change. The TV is on. The internet is readily available, distracting me for hours with articles on the latest DSLR's, films, or Olympic standings.
Thankfully tonight the blasted interweb took me on a path first to Okanagan College. What about some upgrading? But wait, I could do an Associate Arts Degree in English for 2 years in Kelowna, then transfer to a larger University for another 2 years. Sweet! In my excitement (1hr 45min ago) as I went to say Good Night to Dad and Colleen, I mention all this to them. Dad, the genius he is, recommended I look into UBC Okanagan. It looks like an even nicer school, and I could do a full Bachelor of Arts Majoring in English. School would provide me with the opportunity to discover all the things I want to unearth.
And I'm sure I'd still find the time to have a party or two, along with meeting new and interesting people...
I just have so many options available to me -
- Work for the summer in my physically demanding but well paying job, then go teach diving somewhere beautiful, but return in the spring to work another long season at the same physically demanding but well paying job to pay off incurred debt. Or, if I was lucky, move onto another beautiful locale and keep teaching diving.
- Work for the summer in said Job, then go to New Zealand on a Working Holiday Visa for a year, with a few side trips over to Australia (which I must visit again). Then, not sure. Maybe have to return to said Job.
- Work for the summer in damned Job, attend University in September for 4 years, then get a career. Perhaps as a writer, for an esteemed publication such as Scuba Diving Magazine, Sport Diver, DIVER or something in the travel/adventure vein. At the very least I'm sure I could secure myself a journalistic position with the Salmon Arm Observer.
See you later, B
If you have any worldly advice that you think I may benefit from, please email me. DAMMIT! I was meant to start reading my new book tonight.
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