Tag: boston

August 31st, 2017

Ralph

I took this photo on the night of August 31st, 2017, just before I moved out of my apartment in Boston, MA.

Two relationships, two jobs, and two roommates passed in this apartment. I shaved my hair on my own in the bathroom of this apartment for the first time. I went back to my religion on my own for the first time. I had a white Turkish Angora cat for the first time in this apartment.

2017 was the year I would have graduated with a degree that I did not want had I chosen to stay safe. This is where I faced the consequences as a result of deciding not to stay safe. I laughed. I cried.

This photo is a reminder that I chose my life.

Trip to Iceland – the Land of Vikings

RalphLeave a comment

Trapped.

 

What would an animal in a cage feel like? You see world outside, yet you can’t go there. The world is not an illusion. It’s real. And it prevents you to go out and explore.

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That’s how I felt living in Boston.

 

Once, it had been a wonderful place. I was in a relationship, I was slowly building experience towards high education, and slowly, yet steadily earning money.

Then, I crashed my entrance exam, broke up with girlfriend, and lost my job. Now, I did not know where I was headed with my pre-health degree.

I’ve worked in cafe as a barista for a year, receiving minimum wage. I spent months wrestling with exam prep questions day and night while others went on hiking, partying, and sharing joyous moments together. It felt like a burning hell, but I wasn’t going to stop. I kept on walking.

 

Then, I got fired from a health clinic, where I’ve poured in all of my energy to support its mission to help those who are both poor and sick. Everything seemed meaningless. I’ve worked so hard to become a physician to help those in need of help, yet I questioned whether the effort was worth the cause.

Then, I happened to talk to one of my good friends.

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Straight away, he told me to go to Iceland.

 

I’ve been always wanting to go to Iceland. Just because it is Iceland. Also, I’ve watched The Secret Life of Walter Mitty before (if you have watched it, you’ll see what I mean). A post-doc researcher from a lab I worked in recommended to me strongly “when you have money, you don’t have time to travel. When you time, you don’t have money. Just go, it’s a great place”.

 

I’ve long forgotten about it, but thanks to my friend, I decided to go.

That night, I purchased ticket to go to Iceland two days later.

That’s how I went to Iceland, my first oversea trip on my own.

 

I illustrate my experience in Iceland day by day.

 

I can tell you this for now:

it’s been truly magical.

 

KRK 2.3.2018