A Chevening Journey: The Purpose

13:26, 21 October 2016 - I was finishing my ham and cheese toastie and Innocent fruit juice in a Costa cafe in Edinburgh Airport. Yes, this' pretty much lunch for the past 1+ years. I wasn't too ready to leave the lovely people and the quality life as such. On the other hand, I also couldn't wait to see friends and family back home that I have not seen since last year. It was complicated. One thing for sure, I wasn't regret of my Chevening journey. 

This post is dedicated to those who has Googled, applied for, been shortlisted and even obtained the final award letter for the Chevening Scholarship but undecided whether to leave a stable and promising career to pursue a year of postgraduate study in the United Kingdom. I think the right question is: what is the purpose of this extra degree? For me, it was a passport to satisfy my intellectual curiosity (i.e. cultural heritage and the law) without being judged and to learn about positive western qualities that I can implement in my personal/ professional life. I can proudly say that both purposes have been duly achieved. For those who think that taking a year off would change things back home when you are back, this' never the case. You should really ask yourself whether the opportunity of living abroad overrides your other pursuits back home. 

You would also stumble upon this post if you are a 'reserved' candidate, just like me. I know you must be panicking and feeling a little down because you have come soooo close. All I want to tell you is to sit back and ask yourself what if you don't get it. It's not the end of the world and you should not lose hope entirely, again just like me. I was eventually upgraded to be a scholar and the rest are history. Do have faith in yourselves.

Sunset on the North Bridge, Edinburgh

As I am typing this, I have just done with my lunch, this time round was nasi kukus, ayam rempah  and air bandung. I have also just talked to my favourite Scottish in Bathgate and hermana (a fellow Chevening alumni in Chile) some hours ago.  Lastly, I am also about to embark on a career journey that is new and unfamiliar and it sounds like a deja vu? I have the Chevening 2015/2016 journey to remind me that life is a constant gamble and wherever it takes, it will benefit one in one way or another.