How did I get here?

My life has taken a turn where I get much more joy from helping others than material things.  Since I left high school, I have had a complete change of career paths: I began studying in September 2007 in a double degree program in mathematics and business at the University of Waterloo, but quickly decided that was not for me.  Only a few months into my university career, I decided to transfer into an International Development Honours program, through the Faculty of Environment at the University of Waterloo. Here is my story.

Since childhood, I have loved travelling, and decided that I always wanted that to be a part of my life. I loved many subjects in school, notably mathematics, biology, and history. Around grade 6 I remember wanting to be a civil engineer (probably because I loved playing Roller Coaster Tycoon). After that I was convinced I wanted to be an orthopaedic surgeon. In grade 11, my math teacher told me she thought I would make a great diplomat: I am already fluent in French and English, I can easily converse in Spanish, and I have well-developed negotiation skills.

When I was 'university shopping' in grade 12, I attended the fall open house day at the University of Waterloo. That day, Mark Kielburger gave the keynote address. His speech was incredibly motivational, talking about child labour and the inequalities that exist in this world, and empowering youth to stand up and make a change. I felt as though I was almost too old to start helping out (I was 17 at the time). The following summer, after graduating high school, I spent 2 weeks on the Arizona/Mexico border volunteering and learning about border issues that exist between the two countries. This sparked another passion of mine, humanitarian work.

In the fall of 2007, I began studying at the University of Waterloo (UW) in a combined Mathematics and Business program (jointly run with Wilfrid Laurier University). I love math, and figured that combining it with business would be quite useful. I thought that I might specialize in finance, to one day work with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) on my way to becoming a diplomat. I quickly decided business was not the right fit though. I transferred into International Development, a new program at UW that started in the fall of 2008. I am also completing a minor in Geography and Environmental Management as well as a Diploma in Environmental Assessment.

In February of 2008, I travelled to Guatemala to build a house with Habitat for Humanity, which was an incredible learning experience. A few months later, I decided that I wanted to lead my own trip. In February 2009, as a trip leader for Habitat for Humanity, I selected and led a team of 10 individuals to go to El Salvador during reading week to build two houses. Over 9 months, I spent an average of 15 hours/week organizing the details of the trip such as flights, accommodation, insurance and fundraising.

During the 2009-2010 school year, I completed a 9-month study term abroad in Lyon, France. Already fluent in French, I embraced the French culture and learned as much as I could about local customs and events, while improving my communication skills in a foreign environment.

I am currently back in Waterloo completing required courses and preparing for my internship. For my last year of university (2011-2012), I will be travelling to Huacho, Peru to complete an 8-month field placement with the local water and sanitation services provider, EMAPA Huacho. This will be an amazing opportunity to work in Spanish and experience the realities of a small water utility trying to expand and improve services to meet the needs of all while confronting watershed degradation and water source pollution. I will be working to improve corporate governance and educate users to reduce water consumption and waste. More information about the organization can be found under the 'EMAPA Huacho' tab.

I'd love to hear your feedback! Feel free to follow my blog and leave any comments you have. I'll be posting every Thursday afternoon, so tune in next week to find out a bit more about what my plans are after graduation!

Until next week,

Sheila