Destiny and Weeks

Being a waitress or hostess is probably not my destiny, I sighed when the university’s HR department rejected my CV for the fifth (!) time – yes, I can be quite bull-headed. Oh well, then at least I will keep coming to my favorite café, albeit with a new bunch of people who, just like me, have succeeded in embarking on an “ethical internship”, meaning an up to six-week job experience at any of the UK’s non-profit organizations, capped by many meetings and professional training sessions with the Student Hubs national student association. Or, as my mom likes to say, “You’re never going to work for money”.

If you happen to get your hands on the latest issue of the aforesaid student organization’s quarterly that focuses on migration, you will find my article on teaching English at the local refugee center under the sly title of “While I was busy teaching them, I found they were teaching me”. Yes, I still prepare for my hour and half of “teaching” every week, which can be quite exhausting sometimes, yet always useful – hopefully for both parties involved.

When I am not attending “succeeding at interviews” and “finding an internship” workshops, I pursue another of my passions - TEDxWarwick, a conference with star participants that is just two days ahead. I hope I have played my part, which is organizing the Home Grown Ideas Taster Session, successfully: 5 speakers, 5 innovative Warwick ideas, 1 room, 2 hours and 60 people in the audience. One of my lecturers told me that even lectures don’t attract as many people. And I am really grateful to them for coming, because to manage to attend all the interesting events here at Warwick, you would have to quadruple yourself. For example, this week is the big Go Green Week, the Mental Health Week, the Israeli Occupation Week and the Student Theater Week. Again, I take it as a cruel twist of fate because all the interesting week projects come at the time when I have decided to finally sit down and write all three of my important essays (ahem, two months ahead of the deadline, I KNOW).

But still, if there was an award for attending every optional lecture and debate, nobody could contest my victory. And yes, the opulent banquets by the infamous Warwick Conferences catering firm are just one of the reasons why I indulge in them so much during my student life. One example for all – Dame Julia Clevedon, the inspiring matador of corporate social responsibility who is friends with everyone, from the last four Britain’s Prime Ministers to the execs at Heineken and KPMG.

But for now, please excuse me as I have to fly to a meeting for Warwick STAR, a refugee organization, because next week is – what a surprise – the Refugee Week. Then I may go and have a swim, or see a student theater show, or have a veggie dinner now since we’re having eco week, or go to the cinema to see the Academy Award-winning Artist, and then we’ll see. I will also finally read the last article that I need to read to complete my Research essay.