A Journey of Learning Possibilities_

This is a blog written by Celmas trainee Marian Villar-Bäckman:

Who Am I?
Basically, we all start with a question…
Who is this person whose blog I am reading to? Does it really matter to take my time in reading a piece of content and could it be worth of my time?
I know you must be spending your precious time reading this now and surely, if we are still in the same level of thinking you can continue. If you choose so in continuing to read my write up I think you are making the right choice.
I will not only be talking about myself here but rather how these processes of learnings and experiences take me to where I am today and or where would I be in the future. (You never know we might be in the same boat or on some part of it so as you might relate as well.)
Okay, I will continue without further ado by introducing myself and telling some of my important experiences and journeys of learning possibilities.
I am Marian and (I am in my mid 30’s). I originally grew up and raised from one of 7,101 islands of the Philippines. I had wonderful time living in my home country with my family, friends and relatives (and I got some good memories living with my parents in small hometown).
After high school, I decided to study a business course at one of the university in the Philippines and I took up Bachelor of Science and Information Management. After 4 years of studying I eventually graduated.
I was still 20 years old so I was thinking that it might be hard to find stable job in a business field that time and the “in” thing to do is to study in the field of healthcare and be a healthcare professional like for example to be a nurse.
So, I did! I go get some vocational training to become a practical nurse at first and then I proceeded to take up Bachelor of Science in Nursing and eventually graduated. To have a healthcare profession on that time in my country was very popular because many wants to work abroad and globally. Working in the USA, UK, New Zealand, Australia and other English-speaking countries was a popular working destination for many Philippine nurses.
And… I was one of them.

An Unexpected Opportunity
It was in the start of the year 2009 when Finland especially a vocational school from Vaasa (Yrkesakademin i Österbotten) was looking and accepting Philippine nurses to apply to their school and study a special education program to become a practical nurse in shorter amount of time to enable us to practice in healthcare field and they did the recruitment thru my previous practical nursing school. So, I applied and unexpectedly got accepted.
What!? Will I go to Finland! Where is that!? The country I barely have known and not often heard. Only what comes to my mind when I hear someone saying he/she has new Nokia phone and it is Made in Finland. And I heard about Helsinki in one of commercial advertisement of our national television broadcasting company.
So, after all the visa application and all the paperwork. I and about 10 other Filipino nurses who were also accepted to study in same school in Vaasa got a chance to go together and fly in a same airplane to Finland (it was nice and wonderful memory).
Eventually, after almost two years of going thru the program I was able finish the course. After studies I got job in different hospitals and nursing homes. Imagine how times flies for me that I realized it I was almost 6 years doing this noble job. I enjoyed my job for that time being but at the same time already contemplating for my own professional growth and path. I was thinking what could be other things or interest that could inspire me and move toward personal growth and improvement.
I am probably a person that evaluates myself occasionally to see how am I doing exactly in my current situation. It made me think that moving forward in the same career might not be a good personal option for me since I do really appreciate new learnings and experiences.

Process of creating the flow and finding my path

Not to mention the struggles I had when thinking that I want something new, something interesting that I could think of. During those times I remembered that I had the fear at the same time. Fear of what could those changes brings me.
But the thought of contemplating and occasionally asking myself questions like: this is where I am, this is what I was doing, where am I going and what opportunities exists. These questions maybe a bit tricky at times but it paved a way for me to reflect and think.
And gladly for now, I am currently here at Celma’s Marketing as a trainee, having fun at the same time learning and seeing possibilities.

Marian Villar-Bäckman