A part of me still cannot believe how the year 2013 has unfolded. In 2012, an uncle of mine came to Edmonton as he often does (he's from Vancouver). We went to a bar in downtown Edmonton for a drink. The nature of our interactions is that whenever we see each other in Edmonton, he critiques my life from head to toe. And that's literally, head to toe. The beer I order, how I'm standing/sitting, sartorial tastes, everything is on the table. And then, of course, the important things like the education I am receiving, goals I have, etc. That night in January, I was feeling the effects of a break up. I was a The last time we met for a beer was that night 2012. That was when the idea of moving out of my house, let alone Edmonton, was as foreign to me as rap music. He implored me to get out and experience the world; to learn and develop. He also advised me to get out of North America for a while. As usual, I nodded my head, tried to convince myself that he had my best interests at heart, and vowed to change some things in my life.
Despite the idea being so foreign to me, I knew and had thought about getting out of Edmonton for a while. I knew the number of opportunities students have through the government, where processes are facilitated and things are generally easier. In high school, I had pictured my perfect university experience. One of the elements was spending a semester abroad to study. In my second year of university, I knew that it wasn't possible to do that if I was going to switch from Education to Communication Studies. So I had to find an alternative.
January, thanks to just a general frustration on my part, I began researching and pursuing other opportunities vigorously. I decided to commit the same amount of time to the research/application process that I would be to a university course. For the months of January and February, I was essentially in six university classes.
The time would have been worth it regardless, but the effort yielded (thankfully) tangible results. Eight months in 2013 I was outside of Alberta. It still doesn't feel real. I learned a huge amount, made some great memories with even greater people, and got to write a pretty surreal chapter in my life story.
I found out about both opportunities in the same week, which was quite overwhelming. In a cool twist of fate, on the afternoon I learned about earning the opportunity in Paris, there was an Edmonton Oil Kings game.At the game, I felt very weird, having just received this strange email. I ended up introducing myself to Edmonton Oilers President Kevin Lowe. We talked for a few minutes (VERY nice person). He actually knew about Paris before most of my family did.
This year, I probably took more and greater risks than my previous years combined. They all paid off in some shape or form, whether it was learning new skills or becoming more independent, or just gaining confidence that I was on the right path.
Looking at 2014, there are big decisions to be made right off the bat--namely, where I will be in May, and where I will be in September. Those are choices that will be thought about long and hard, though in my gut I know where I will end up. It is a VERY similar feeling to the one that implored me to move to France
Regardless, at one point fairly soon I'll also be faced with the task of reintegrating into Edmonton. It legitimately excites me that I get to rediscover my hometown. I imagine I'll be at Churchill Square, St Joseph's Basilica, Duchess Bakery, and other character-laden spots more often.
My approach during that reintegration will be the exact same as it was in Montreal and Paris; namely, that I'll have to start over in every regards. The streets will be
unfamiliar, the people will be different, and life will have a different pace. It'll still be a hell of a ride though.
A few people have asked me for advice on life. For the first time ever, I feel like I can contribute when this question arises. In no particular order is that advice:
--Get out of your hometown. Whether it is Castor or Edmonton or Brévy or Fez, get out and explore another city for an extended period of time. Move to Toronto for the summer to work. Find a volunteer program in an underdeveloped country. Teach English in France. I can't say enough how incredible both Montreal and Paris have been. Students have it easier than other demographics. Get out and explore.
--Talk to strangers (within reason). This is a habit I developed when I first got to Montreal when, well, I knew no one. Saying Bonjour to someone having a coffee can lead to more than meets the eye. Some of my funnest and fondest memories this year have been when I went to a random bar, didn't know anyone, and just started chatting with people I figured I may get along with. In this respect, I have been very surprised how friendly Parisiens have been. Many have ended up chatting with me for a few minutes about life, their kids, life in France, etc.
--Don't fear failure. I feel like I am here in Paris, writing this on a Friday night (don't hassle me, I have a cold) because I never really considered failure when I filled out the application, nor did it for the journalism job I have in the city, nor for the position in Montreal. I think that the word gets too bad a rap. It goes with my favourite saying Leave it all out there. There's also a Steve Jobs quote Stay hungry, stay stupid. I'll show Friday Night Lights here and coach Gary Gaines' definition of perfection:
--Sometimes, the best thing to do is throw out the playbook and go with your gut. Everything was telling me moving to France was wrong: delaying my degree by a year, moving somewhere without a support system, not making very much money, a position that, on paper, wouldn't help my CV very much, the list goes on. My first real gut feeling was the one that said to say screw that logic, I'm headed off. Best decision of my life (that and moving to Montreal).
--Realize that life does not have to consist of complete degree-->find career-->work 40 years-->retire. Who cares if you graduate at 24 instead of 22? How many years does someone get to take such massive and carefree leaps of faith? The race to get degrees and make partner at the accounting firm may be beneficial financially (in fact, it definitely would be), but is someone's life more enriched and complete with those extra couple of years of work, or of having new experiences, trying new things, and creating memories?
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My final anecdote will be this: on May 11, 2013 I moved into my apartment in Montreal. 3620 rue Lorne Crescent. A block from Stade Molson, where the Alouettes play. This was my first real chez moi. I remember having just gotten organized and put my clothes away and figured out the basics of the kitchen. I took the elevator down for the first time, and walked outside the building. My first thought: Will there ever come a day where I miss this place?
I feel so blessed I don't have to broach that question about the year 2013.
