#liveanotherlife

What got me to go overseas was a friend who knew me very well. They suggested this change which, frankly, was the scariest thing with which I've ever been proposed.  Something in me said I needed to do this.  At 25, I wouldn't have known many people who would have listened to that little voice that said, 'Go!'.  But I did.  I changed my coding.

The thing I've learned about going overseas and living the life that's been my misfortune since returning home (once it's all fixed I'll blog about it then), is that people in developed countries need to start poking their security bubbles a wee bit.  Get curious about what happens when it bursts and what you do to survive that new world.  Even in my absolute worst moments of being home, I still have the ability to compare with an alternate reality and have a certainty that life could still be far worse if I weren't a Canadian citizen.

Going overseas and experiencing different cultures makes you a far more intriguing person. You add something different to a conversation than just sharing pictures of your cats and dogs, taking pictures of your meals and sharing them for the whole world to see on some social medium. You will develop humility in knowing that your life is far richer than you ever thought before.  You will be able to challenge someone in a way that will help them grow, you will be able to open people's eyes to an entirely different reality and make them want to contribute to the world more positively, all because you have walked a mile in someone else's shoes.

The western world is in such a state of flux socially and needs, in my rather honest opinion, an immediate dose of kindness and eye-opening; the best way I can think for this to happen is for people to shake up the contents of their bubbles and live another life. Not in a comfy resort either.

So go on. Extend your middle finger and start poking your bubble, and use your index finger to plot a map for social betterment.

     We don't always get it right so start the change.