About six months ago when the new year had just kicked off, I began feeling like my brain and my “knowledge” bank was depleted, so I was on the look-out for online diploma courses or just something to open my eyes again to the world of the 21st century. I knew that my work load would not allow me the luxury of pursuing a Master’s degree, even if I did it online or long-distance, but my soul was urging me from within to learn something new.
As much as my friends and acquaintances tell me that they are envious of my job, where we seem to meet new and interesting people endlessly, I have to say that, at some point, it all seems to end up streaming back to one ultimate reality – the same ball game. I still love what I’m doing every day and I get excited with each new project, but I know that deep inside, I’m looking to be inspired by new ideas, information, insights and perspectives.
I think the universe acknowledged this urge of mine and one day in March, a work friend recommended me to join the 2024 class of Fu Lun Youth International Affairs Training Program – a three-month course designed to elevate young local women through classes that cover various fields and contexts. The Program, established by the Youth Association of the Women’s General Association of Macau, is in its eleventh edition and has just begun welcoming university students for the first time. I had an interview and was delighted that I was accepted into the Program. The best part though, was learning that a very good old friend of mine, Akina, and my colleague Tina from a different department with whom I had shared a two-week business trip to Las Vegas, had also been accepted!
The course outline was what excited me the most: it covered topics from legal affairs, AI and technology (a new subject starting this year) to dining etiquette, speech delivery techniques, foreign affairs and international relations. The part that intrigued me the most though, was the sharing from past students on this program who had actually taken part in United Nations meetings representing Macau, China, to speak on issues relating to NGOs and humanitarian efforts dedicated to helping women. It was all so new and it just matched the new interest I had in world politics, which was sparked during Covid.
Some of the classes reaffirmed the practices and skills that I have acquired throughout my career, but it was the sessions that taught me where I was behind and could improve that made this such an invaluable experience.
What came as a surprise to me, though, is that I actually competed this program; I was a little skeptical about staying committed to spending my Saturdays in a lecture hall, some 16 plus years after graduating from college. This experience has actually shown me that I can definitely do it, and now I’m inspired to try and go after an actual degree (before I’m 20 years late in getting my Master’s)! I was also elated to have the opportunity to participate in a mock U.N. meeting, in which we had to write a professional proposition statement based on sound research and sit in a full-day session, taking turns to speak and advocate on our assigned topic. That was really eye-opening.
I’ve met strong, intelligent ladies who come from different walks of life. There were 10 of us in our group (we were divided into 10 groups because there were 102 of us altogether!) Now, I have new friends whom I can ask questions about financial investments, legal advice, tips on the current education system and much more. The friendships and sisterhood that we developed over the 12 weeks was the jewel of this whole experience.
This all goes to show that women do have the power to create greatness for women, and that is the essence of the “She Power” and #EmpowHerment. The icing on the cake: we all LOVE to eat and I can’t wait for the many meals and gatherings that we have already planned!
This journey has taught me that investing in and reinventing myself is a pure form of love for myself. Seeing how much I enjoyed each class and committing myself to completing a milestone which (for once) was not a work deadline, was beyond satisfying and uplifting.
