September 7th 2015 was my very first day at Fleming College. Embarking on a new Quest for Knowledge. My son had just turned 1, it was my 3rd round of post secondary education, and it was orientation day; hundreds of students were stuffed into the gym at the Wellness Centre. I was wondering who I was going to meet, if I was going to like my teachers, where this new path would take me. I was on a mission, I had goals and dreams and I was determined to make a life for myself and my son.

 

A few professors spoke, one had mentioned something called a F.I.L.E. Program, the course took the students in the class on a trip to the other side of the world to learn how business works in different countries. It sounded like an experience of a lifetime. Right then I knew I wanted to take the trip, I began putting money away and counting down the days. The course is offered during the semesters but I knew I wanted to take it at the end of my 3 years. A kind of celebratory trip.

 

[The F.I.L.E. course is no longer offered, however it was replaced by the Travel Based Learning course, so when it came time to choose my courses in my 6th semester, it was my first choice.]

 

Back to the auditorium at the Wellness Centre...

 

One of my soon to be professors, Les Smith, a man I will never forget, was standing in front of hundreds of nervous students. He said said something that I will never forget.

 

"If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you." - Zig Ziglar

 

This stuck with me. 2 years later I ended up back in the same auditorium volunteering for Orientation Day to welcome a few more hundred students into their programs. Who knew I would be there again, welcoming new student starting a new quest for knowledge. This quote came up again, and I stopped for a moment. Reflecting on how far I had come. I was still determined, I was so content with everything in my life.

 

Now I am in my final semester of a 3 year Human Resource Program, I am tired, I am ready for the real world, and I am ready to embark on a new Quest For Knowledge, including getting on a plane and having an experience of a lifetime.

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 The purpose of this course was to learn about sustainability and innovation in 3 countries - Denmark, Holland, and Sweden. This blog is being created to document my daily adventures. 

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The next time I stand in that auditorium, it will be my graduation, I will have experienced high and lows I never thought possible.

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At the beginning of my travels I decided I was going to do a blog. Every night, after the day was done, I planned on writing about my day. Sounds easy enough. Unfortunately, it was very difficult. I found that by the end of the day, I was exhausted and I needed to relax. So I got as far as blog #3, and decided to enjoy every moment I had and I write at the end of my journey. 

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I have struggled on how I would like to document my trip. I have gone back and forth between a blog, a report, a presentation, a scrapbook.. etc. I still haven't fully decided so, for the first time in 4 years, I'm winging it. 

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On the last day of our adventure, half of us sat on the patio at our IBIS hotel and we talked. We discussed what our favourite parts of the trip was, what city we liked most, what would we do differently, would we travel again, etc. 

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I couldn't say what my favourite part of the trip was. Because the entirety of the trip was a once in a lifetime experience. Every part of the trip (including the months leading up to it, the excitement, the aggravation, the planning etc.) all came down on the last day, and it was everything. I loved every good and bad moment that there was. 

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I hope you enjoy reading about my adventure, I know you won't enjoy it as much as I did but I hope it inspires you to take a trip, to step outside of your comfort zone and travel, and maybe learn a few things about sustainability and innovation a long the way. 

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