“I’ve had my share of bouts of sadness that have largely revolved around what I took be academic failings: not doing as well on an exam or a project as I felt I could have etc. But the moment in which I felt the most bereft was probably just after my college graduation, sitting outside of my gate to Bangkok at the Narita airport in Japan.

In my senior year of college, I had decided that I wanted to take some time off before attending medical school. For my whole life, all I had wanted to do was become a doctor and so much of my life had been spent in pursuit of that. In college, I was honors and pre-med, which made for a very strenuous academic schedule.

I knew that once I started medical school, I would likely be left with little time to enjoy other hobbies and passions of mine. We had traveled a lot when I was a child and I still have a good deal of wanderlust gathering dust in my soul over the past few years. As such, I applied for and got a job teaching English in Bangkok and planned to spend a year there before returning for medical school. I was born in Nigeria and had traveled all around Europe, but this was my first foray into Asia.

I remember sitting in the airport that day, feeling so completely overwhelmed by medical school. I felt so alone and so heartbroken that I even considered changing my mind. I’m so thankful. My sudden decision to go to Thailand began to feel completely ridiculous and I was convinced I had made the worst decision of my life to put off l I didn’t.

My time in Bangkok ended up being some of the most life-changing and reaffirming years of my life to date.”