Life is an interesting journey, because no matter how well we plan out our destinations something along the way detours us down a different road. This alternative route is often a bumpy ride filled with pot holes of uncertainty and ruts of despair. However, as we navigate our way through this rough terrain we discover a new world that is filled with even more possibilities. Surprisingly, it is only the risk takers and adventurers who are willing to bypass the main thoroughfares of life to venture into this new land of hopes and dreams. For those who are willing to set out on such a quest they find that it was well worth it in the end.

My journey has detoured me from maintaining my blog. It is not that I lack the stories or ideas, it is just taking the time to sit down and write. The main detour of writing posts has been seeking permanent paid employment since my return from Liberia in January. During my first two months of job searching it felt like I was stuck in the mud and the prospects of getting out seemed unlikely. Then I was able to land a temporary job and for the next two months I was able to earn an income while rethinking the job search.

This two-month temp job was very much needed, because when it ended I had a re-surge of energy to strategically focus on the steps I needed to find employment. The first step was joining a job transition networking group, so I could get the vital tools and resources plus the weekly support. The next step was determining what credentials I was lacking and how I could change that. Fortunately, I was awarded a scholarship that covered 63% of the tuition for a two-week fast-track project management certificate program starting July 26. The last was signing up with a program that will give me one-on-one support and additional resources and tools in defining what I am seeking. These three steps may have not happened if I was not willing to take a different route.

It is nearly five months since I have returned from Liberia, and yet not a day goes by that I do not think about my experiences and the many adventures (or misadventures) I had while living there. After dedicating a great deal of heart, energy, time and money working with and serving the people of Liberia it is my intention that I continue my work in West Africa. I hope I can find an organization that can best utilize my skills, experience, and knowledge; one that provides the resources (micro-credit), the opportunity (business development training), and respect (cultural revitalization) that will empower marginalized people to regain dignity and obtain independence from charitable hand-outs.

This is just the beginning of my journey that I hope will continue down a different path, because there is so much more I want to explore. So it is my hope as I venture along this unpaved road that I can restart my blog to share my experiences since who knows where this quest will take me.