Making More than Just a Move!

By Madhur Prashant

By: Madhur Prashant, Humber Student & International Centre Student Ambassador

Most of us have at-least once in our life, made that one big leap.

Some of us may still be waiting.

Having made several small and medium jumps in life, I was ready for yet another, a very big one.

My education and work-experience highlight variety and movement, sometimes by choice and, other times out of compulsion. With this move, I was going to leave behind me a supposedly stable job with a thin paycheck; a novel, challenging but gratifying job-profile; and a not-so-active social life in India, only to learn drawing and painting in Canada.

With little background in art, it was going to be a challenge to start afresh in a new country. I was going back with almost eight years of work-experience, and with the mind of a worker, and the heart of a student.

Reactions to My Ambitious Action

My superiors, colleagues and friends displayed mixed reactions on learning about my ‘far-fetched’ ambition. While a few wanted to tag along so they could sneak out of their disenchanting work-life grind; there were those who wanted me to rethink and revaluate such a dire move!

‘What? But why do you want to leave this settled life now? It is surely one big move!’ one of them lamented.

Yes. I was making a big move.

Until then, I had sought deeply a break from the daily grind, from deadlines and meetings, appraisals and evaluations. I wanted to be a student again. I wanted to experience the pleasure of learning something new and live life as a learner.  

I was going to feel freedom.

I must admit, I wasn’t sure. Why the mixed feelings, I thought. Forsaking everything only to learn something new wasn’t an equation I could balance. Every expression of doubt, of wonder in others’ eyes made me question my decision.

Why This Program?

My interest and my last job! In my last organization, I, as part of a team, created educational solutions, like books and audio books, using stories, rhymes and a lot of images. My job was to research, write, edit and visualize stories and supervise the development of learning resources. While I could word my stories and imagine them play; I couldn’t draw and paint those. That’s when I decided - I want to hold the paint brush along with my pen.

This small ambition steered such a move. I am here, living like an art student, with paint splashed all around, and rightfully so.

There are days when I long to be part of my team and make ideas come to life. There are more days when I long to have a paycheck (thin is also okay) stumble into my humble account. However, there are newer moments now when I am able to create, only in part, fresh stories in colour and in shape!

As I end this, I am reminded of the day when I first set foot into this warm, bustling city - with hopes of blending into a new world, and of getting in touch with myself once again!