Singapore

Let's start with how I got his opportunity.

As most of you know, I spent my EVS (European Volunteer Service), 9 months at Outward Bound Romania from May, 2015 till January, 2016. After finishing my volunteer work in January, 2016, I never came back to my old life, and basically never came to live again in Hungary. I started to travel – from country to country, from training to training, to be a participant and learn about myself, about outdoor and about coaching. And to be an assistant, a co-trainer or a trainer, to practice what I’ve studied, and to continue learn in the meantime about myself, outdoors and coaching. I’m just a newcomer in this field, and still think, it’s a never ending process to develop further.

Last September I went back to Outward Bound Romania, to do some programs again, and to make my final exam in becoming an instructor. Proudly announced, that from 2nd October, 2016 I’m officially part of the OB family, member of the Outward Bound staff! :)

Our programs are based on adventure therapy: our participants are facing physical, mental and emotional challenges, they are stepping out of their comfort zones and learning about themselves throughout the process. I truly believe in this philosophy, so I strive to be authentic - I’m practicing it myself. Challenging myself with my whole current lifestyle basically :)

This year OB Romania and the Hungarian Élményakadémia organizations got the opportunity within an Erasmus+ project to subsidy their staff members with a certain amount of money, spent on a training which supports the further development of the instructors. I deadly wanted to go to Philadelphia (US). To America since a long time ago, I don’t exactly know what attracts me there, but my soul is drawn to it. To specifically Philadelphia I wanted to go since September, when Viki told me about her last year journey to there.

Since Outward Bound is a world wide organization, it has representatives in 34 countries all over the world, I had the chance to go there for free taking part in their staff training, and even the flight ticket would be partly covered by the subsidy. I applied, but didn’t get it. I remember I was in the Netherlands the time I received the news. I couldn’t help but cry, I wanted it so much. A very dear girl (I could say by now friend), Justina gave me a special support by being there for me, listening to my story, and giving me the strength not to give up. I didn’t. When I’ve heard there is an opportunity in Boston (US) as well, I applied immediately.

And here came the struggle. They answered positively, welcoming 2 members of our staff. But their invitation was at the same time I was already engaged for a personal development training as a co-trainer, in the Netherlands. I was clueless what to do. In one hand, America could be a once in a lifetime opportunity, would be a big mistake to miss it. On the other hand, I was engaged to Olde Vechte Foundation, where I spent almost half of my previous year, I got opportunities there, and I didn’t want to gave them up. My main struggle was a new training, named Choice in Life, what I took as a participant in November, and I really really wanted to be in the team this time. I felt (I’m still feeling) I want to work with constellations, and where else could I learn it from a professional, basically for a few days of work? My question was: should I give up a personal dream, more like an adventure for a professional cause? Or should I withdraw my professional development with not taking part in this training for a lifetime experience? I couldn’t decide.

Than life decided for me. Adam (my boss in OBRomania) came up with the idea of me going to OBSingapore, where they also invite OBR staff members, although not for free, but for reduced price. Even if it’s a huge reduce (original course price is very very expensive), I would not be able to pay it ever. So Adam kept going further – what if I can go there as a co-trainer? I have enough experience on water sports, I have an outdoor background, and I was trained at an other Outward Bound – not to mention my European point of view on things, which he thought could give a lot to OBS. So I quickly wrote my CV (still being in NL), which was not an easy quest, since my previous CV contained all my Life 1.0 woek experiences (finance, auditing, controlling), and this time I needed one emphasizing my trainer skills, studies and experiences. I created and sent it, waiting for approval. On the 1^st of March I got the news, I’m approved!

I travelled back to Hungary that day, continuously in contact with Adam about my flight tickets. We decided to buy it for 8^th so I can be there few days earlier of the training, to get align with the other staff members. But in the meantime their boss decided to take me anyway as a participant, with the same conditions (for free!!), so I could book my flight from 10^th March till 7^th April.

And now sitting on the plane, towards Asia…

Ironically Few days after it turned out I can go to Singapore, so the whole April is free again and I can go to both Choice and Choice in Life, I got the news, that I cannot be team member of Choice in Life this time.

Take a deep breath, and letting it go…

What is this training about?

I cannot really tell. Not because it’s confidential, but because I don’t know. All I know is what I googled with the name of the training: 21-day classic challenge course. Kayaking, sailing, expeditions, team activities, high ropes course, and a 3 day solo in the forest, completely alone, with only a few equipment I can carry. (scary, isn’t it?)

Here I post a video, quite informative, on what kind of challenges we’re going to take.

Vhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27Q5hboI0pc

Besides the mental and physical challenges everyone may face, I probably will face a huge cultural, climate and gastronomic difference, which could have as much impact on me as all the others together.

And still, I think my biggest challenge will be something else… To let go again, an other very important part of my life, and not being busy with my broken heart during the training, rather concentrate on here and now, and go fully for it.