01/02/2022
Happy Chinese New Year! Xin Nian Kuai Le! (Mandarin)
My career took me to Beijing in late 2008 for what was three amazing, for all the right and wrong reasons, years. As a single mum to a then 11 year old it was a big step, yet also a very easy, and right one to make.
I still remember our first Chinese New Year/Spring Festival, two months after we arrived, so different to our western new year celebrations where thirty minutes of fireworks that we wait all night for was an enticing reason to see in midnight.
Firework stands were set up on every corner with what seemed like never ending supplies of crackers of all sorts of sizes and potency.
Once the firework display started, it didn’t stop for 15 days, all hours of the day and night, with no restrictions as to when and where the noise makers could be discharged.
Firecrackers aren’t just to display festivity, they represent an invitation for good luck, and from ancient times it was believed the noise scared away evil spirits.
This is the main time of the year for Chinese to celebrate – families come together, often travelling far across the country to re-unite. Airports, train stations, everywhere there is movement.
I am so grateful to have experienced three Spring Festivals during my time in China, even if it was an opportunity to slip out of Beijing or China over the extended break, it was still a special experience, and an incredible insight to the history of an ancient culture.
Once I would never have dreamed that my career would take me to the places it has, to the people and experiences. It did though, as this is all due to taking a step to understand what mattered to me, what my drivers were, daring to dream and step completely out of my comfort zone.
No matter what your career dreams are, whether they are to travel the world representing your country, or just to consistently leave work at 5pm each day, own those dreams, understand why they are important to you and be prepared to make a scary but motion driven step.
Where have your career dreams taken you?