Stories...
Lovely Gala from icing in one of her recent posts asks:
When was the last time that an unfortunate turn of events was actually something fabulous in disguise?
I didn't really have to thinkmuch about which one big event had changed my life. But I am still trying to figure out whether it was something fabulous that came out of it, or not...
During my childhood, I had always said I wanted to be a doctor. A surgeon, to be more detailed. I went to high school with the intention of getting high scores and get into the medical school. So, after my last year high school, I applied to two universities, both in Rome. I had to pass a test to get into both.
First, I had the test in the private university. Then, I had to take the test at the public university, which was the place I really wanted to get into. It was scheduled on Sep 14th 1993. I remember that day as if it was yesterday.
I took the bus, got to the subway station, only to find the subway closed because it was flooded with rain. Such event hasn't happened any other time, as I can remember.
I called my dad, he picked me up and took me to the examination building, but by the time we got there it was too late. It was done. No more hopes of getting into the medicine faculty at that university.
I had good grades, and a very high chance to be admitted, even only with my high school curriculum. And in fact, I got admitted to the private university.
But...
I had lost my drive. It was too much of a financial stretch for my parents, and the scholarships wouldn't have covered for living and the whole tuition. And there was no chance of getting a loan.
Now I know that I could have spent my first year at the private school, then tranferred to the public one. But I was just sick of the whole ordeal.
So, I picked another faculty. I graduated in industrial chemistry, and after 5 years I got to NY for my PhD. I stayed in the US for seven years, and very much loved the experience.
Not everything has been easy, both there and here after I came back. But I had a wonderful experience, and the feeling of doing everything by one's self in another country is really empowering. I know I can pretty much do anything.
After the subway flooding, I accept life turns thinking that something better can come out of every bad situation. Not easy, now always comforting, but it is undeniably true!
When was the last time that an unfortunate turn of events was actually something fabulous in disguise?
I didn't really have to thinkmuch about which one big event had changed my life. But I am still trying to figure out whether it was something fabulous that came out of it, or not...
During my childhood, I had always said I wanted to be a doctor. A surgeon, to be more detailed. I went to high school with the intention of getting high scores and get into the medical school. So, after my last year high school, I applied to two universities, both in Rome. I had to pass a test to get into both.
First, I had the test in the private university. Then, I had to take the test at the public university, which was the place I really wanted to get into. It was scheduled on Sep 14th 1993. I remember that day as if it was yesterday.
I took the bus, got to the subway station, only to find the subway closed because it was flooded with rain. Such event hasn't happened any other time, as I can remember.
I called my dad, he picked me up and took me to the examination building, but by the time we got there it was too late. It was done. No more hopes of getting into the medicine faculty at that university.
I had good grades, and a very high chance to be admitted, even only with my high school curriculum. And in fact, I got admitted to the private university.
But...
I had lost my drive. It was too much of a financial stretch for my parents, and the scholarships wouldn't have covered for living and the whole tuition. And there was no chance of getting a loan.
Now I know that I could have spent my first year at the private school, then tranferred to the public one. But I was just sick of the whole ordeal.
So, I picked another faculty. I graduated in industrial chemistry, and after 5 years I got to NY for my PhD. I stayed in the US for seven years, and very much loved the experience.
Not everything has been easy, both there and here after I came back. But I had a wonderful experience, and the feeling of doing everything by one's self in another country is really empowering. I know I can pretty much do anything.
After the subway flooding, I accept life turns thinking that something better can come out of every bad situation. Not easy, now always comforting, but it is undeniably true!
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