After three consecutive rejections in the beginning of the year, my wish of crossing resolutions off my bucket list was as good as shattered. It's been a pretty tough first months of 2014 and, with every unsuccessful attempt in the following opportunities, I found myself standing on the edge of a downward spiral. I tried to console myself believing what they say about failing: 'Everyone has their own portion of failures. Spend yours while you're young'. And somehow it always works in cheering myself up. These failures, if anything, are merely a sign that I'm getting closer to success, and that resilience will be the only thing that separates me from achieving the ultimate goal. Well, at least this is the faith that always gives me the strength to hold on.
I was beginning to adapt with another-not-so-special year when life showed once again its beautiful quirk of fate. As the vision of having a glorious pre-third year break went away, there came July. Barely noticed, seemingly inconsequential, but undoubtedly deserved a highlight in my life.
July was actually special by default as it coincided with the holy month of Ramadan. I couldn't be more grateful for having been able to experience it again with the whole family, at the very same home, and with the exact same atmosphere like it always is. But a three-letter-word has brought my July to another level. To the extent that I found again the happiness I had not felt for months--of visiting new places, of making new friends, of sharing new things, and of appreciating diversity. Yes, it was none other than IBO. I was not the pride of my then high school to participate in any science-related competition, never mind at international level. But a few years later, my path somehow intertwined with these amazing people's across the world through an unfathomable occasion of being a guide as Indonesia hosted the 25th International Biology Olympiad.
I could jump into a conclusion that people (including me at first) didn't know that there is more to being a guide than meets the eye. But let me tell you one thing: the experience was one I could never forget in my whole life. The kind that left its ambience lingering even after weeks past the day of saying goodbyes.
Of course, my gratitude is especially given to my two lovely Montenegrin kids, Adil and Kemal, and to my awesome Costa Rican single fighter Juan Sebastian. I've got to admit I was scared at first since I didn't have the foggiest idea what these countries were like, or how I could be a good guide to them. But Adil, Kemal, and Juan were the best delegates I could possibly imagine.
I learned not only about new cultures or new phrases or new habits, but even more important than that, I learned how to sincerely give the best of myself. In being responsible of other people, in understanding differences, in welcoming new insights. I learned so much about tolerance and empathy. I learned how these people still embrace each other even in the middle of rivalry. One thing I would miss the most from IBO is the rare sight I got to see everyday--that everywhere I looked, people who speak different languages talked to each other and laughed together, as if seeing the world in harmony and we could forget about the conflicts and wars for a second. It's simply amazing how I could learn so much from these people much younger than me and that the saying 'age is just a number' had never been truer than this.
I am not going to lie though, about how some day I would feel a pang of remorse. How I desperately wished that my introverted self hadn't gotten the better of me on some occassions to mingle, and I would just throw myself out there talking with random people about random things. Hearing stories and gossips from fellow guides, I realise every delegate is interesting in their own way and that I've missed a lot by holding back to start a conversation. All the fun chats, all the jokes thrown, all the new foreign slangs. But hey. Being able to have some deep convos throughout the week, even only with several people (mostly from the same bus), was after all the true blessing. And at the end of the day, every single thing that happened was beyond the expectations I had had when I hit the apply button on IBO volunteer page. It has left me some kind of haunting, similar longing feelings like I had back then in 2011, where going back to inescapable reality the following days felt truly dreadful. But I have to accept the bitter fact that every 'hello' comes in a package with an inevitable 'goodbye', and that life still has to go on.
They said one should not be sad because it's over, but instead be happy because it happened. And I am indeed, a truly happy and grateful girl beyond words.
I was beginning to adapt with another-not-so-special year when life showed once again its beautiful quirk of fate. As the vision of having a glorious pre-third year break went away, there came July. Barely noticed, seemingly inconsequential, but undoubtedly deserved a highlight in my life.
July was actually special by default as it coincided with the holy month of Ramadan. I couldn't be more grateful for having been able to experience it again with the whole family, at the very same home, and with the exact same atmosphere like it always is. But a three-letter-word has brought my July to another level. To the extent that I found again the happiness I had not felt for months--of visiting new places, of making new friends, of sharing new things, and of appreciating diversity. Yes, it was none other than IBO. I was not the pride of my then high school to participate in any science-related competition, never mind at international level. But a few years later, my path somehow intertwined with these amazing people's across the world through an unfathomable occasion of being a guide as Indonesia hosted the 25th International Biology Olympiad.
I could jump into a conclusion that people (including me at first) didn't know that there is more to being a guide than meets the eye. But let me tell you one thing: the experience was one I could never forget in my whole life. The kind that left its ambience lingering even after weeks past the day of saying goodbyes.
Of course, my gratitude is especially given to my two lovely Montenegrin kids, Adil and Kemal, and to my awesome Costa Rican single fighter Juan Sebastian. I've got to admit I was scared at first since I didn't have the foggiest idea what these countries were like, or how I could be a good guide to them. But Adil, Kemal, and Juan were the best delegates I could possibly imagine.
I learned not only about new cultures or new phrases or new habits, but even more important than that, I learned how to sincerely give the best of myself. In being responsible of other people, in understanding differences, in welcoming new insights. I learned so much about tolerance and empathy. I learned how these people still embrace each other even in the middle of rivalry. One thing I would miss the most from IBO is the rare sight I got to see everyday--that everywhere I looked, people who speak different languages talked to each other and laughed together, as if seeing the world in harmony and we could forget about the conflicts and wars for a second. It's simply amazing how I could learn so much from these people much younger than me and that the saying 'age is just a number' had never been truer than this.
I am not going to lie though, about how some day I would feel a pang of remorse. How I desperately wished that my introverted self hadn't gotten the better of me on some occassions to mingle, and I would just throw myself out there talking with random people about random things. Hearing stories and gossips from fellow guides, I realise every delegate is interesting in their own way and that I've missed a lot by holding back to start a conversation. All the fun chats, all the jokes thrown, all the new foreign slangs. But hey. Being able to have some deep convos throughout the week, even only with several people (mostly from the same bus), was after all the true blessing. And at the end of the day, every single thing that happened was beyond the expectations I had had when I hit the apply button on IBO volunteer page. It has left me some kind of haunting, similar longing feelings like I had back then in 2011, where going back to inescapable reality the following days felt truly dreadful. But I have to accept the bitter fact that every 'hello' comes in a package with an inevitable 'goodbye', and that life still has to go on.
They said one should not be sad because it's over, but instead be happy because it happened. And I am indeed, a truly happy and grateful girl beyond words.
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