I tend to do things backwards and always have. I pretty much even came out of the womb upside-down and backwards but that’s a story for another day. Naturally my working life reads like Benjamin Button’s condensed resume.
See, after I finished high school I decided that at that actual point I was done with school.
Through a twist of fate and some wicked networking I ended up working for a huge oil and gas company with my own office and my own assistant. I was barely 20 years old.
After two years and no raises (and a bad breakup on top of that), I started feeling like my life was missing something. I moved to a smaller company, took some oil & gas courses and got a better position but still felt like it wasn’t really me.
I made good money, had a lot of friends and a nice apartment but I just didn’t feel happy. Writing financial statements didn’t exactly stimulate my creative side.
I started working in a restaurant part-time to feel my own age again. The average age in my company hovered somewhere between Harrison Ford and the crypt-keeper. Being around people my own age, thinking about school and choices and life, rejuvenated me and made me rethink my priorities.
So at the beginning of 2010 I left my good job, moved back home and went to school to get my Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA). I left Canada at the beginning of October and spent a couple months in Las Vegas visiting my dad and playing poker. From there I traveled solo through Central America, starting out in Mexico City. Along the way I met amazing people, had some extremely humbling experiences, and learnt so much.
After being mugged in Nicaragua at knife point, and having everything of value stolen, I had to decide whether to pack it in and head home or tough it out and try to survive on what little money I had left. Luckily, at the beginning of February, I found a great organization that was looking for volunteers and needed an EFL Coordinator. Decision made, I headed into the rain forest - to a remote town 2 hours northeast of San Jose.
After a 6 month teaching stint, I went back to Calgary to visit family and friends for a few months and save money for my next adventure. In September 2011 I left for the Republic of Georgia in what would turn out to be one of the craziest experiences thus far...
After a 6 month teaching stint, I went back to Calgary to visit family and friends for a few months and save money for my next adventure. In September 2011 I left for the Republic of Georgia in what would turn out to be one of the craziest experiences thus far...
This is my story.
Oh, and my name is Jen.
