What will I do in the future?

I am a planning type of person. I make plan for everything, from my daily activities to my annual goals. Facebook application “What will you be in the next 5 years” said I’d be just doing the same thing, isn’t it funny? But in fact I already have plan for myself. If according to what I have planned, in the next five year, I will be finishing my graduate study somewhere outside Cambodia, either in the United States, Australia, or somewhere in Europe.

By 2014, I hope to get a scholarship, preferably Fulbright Scholarship, for a graduate school. In fact, there are lots of scholarships available for students in Cambodia. Though competitive it might be, I believe I stand the chance, given to my academic performance and qualifications. I prefer Fulbright Scholarship because it is the most prestigious scholarship in my country, in probably in many other countries. Also, I want it because I want to come back to the United States again. Moreover, I will be graduating with a master degree in International Development. I choose this subject area because I hope to help develop my community, society and country. It is important that my country has human resource in development, so that she can rebuild and bring up herself to the international stage. Definitely, I am aspired to be part of it. Indeed, I was inspired by a professor of mine in my home university. He encouraged me to pursue my pursuit in life, that is to work to help others.

Then come to a question: what will I be after graduate school? What will I do in the next 10 years from now? Indeed, I will be working as a community developer, occasionally trekking somewhere in rural communities in my country. I hope to work in any international agency such as the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP), World Bank or United States Agency for International Development (USAID). I will be involving in large-scale operation across the country. I will have project of my own working in the field of education, to make education accessible to those living far from populated areas. I will be able to apply all the knowledge I learn from schools to my working field. I want to do it because I believe that it fits my personality. I like to travel, see different people and help others. At the same time, I do not want to spend most of my time away from my family. So I just want short-term missions outside my place.

A job in any of these agencies is financially benefited. What I mean is those who work for them cannot expect to be rich or receive huge sum of wages. Nevertheless, they do make a high standard living, at least in Cambodian society. Thus, finance will not be an issue for me if I am able to get a job from any of those organizations. I do not have the ambition to among the high-class people with lots of money and luxurious lifestyle, what I want is just a job that makes me satisfied and proud of myself. Plus, I want to travel to places where people not normally go. Thus, community developer sounds like a good job.

Actually, I have formed my own philosophy of good life. For me, a life that worth living is the one that involves outsiders of our family being happy along way with us. It might sound like a missionary work, trying to help other reach god, but in my case I want to help other reach the standard of living that the majority of people in my society consider as good and healthy. I have been raised in a middle-class family; however, in my country I have witnessed a lot of misfortunes happening to people in my society. I feel that as a patriot I should help them to reach the level I am now as well, to help them live like human as others.

A plan that is not yet active is still a plan. Now that I have a definite plan, I am trying to implement it into action. I am trying to build my qualifications as many as possible. As a result, in the next 5 years, I will be graduating with my desired area of expertise, and in the next 10 years, I will be somewhere in the working world trying to transform theories into fieldwork.