into the future

i've known for about a week now what my final year of school will look like. it's a good feeling to know exactly where i'll be. it's also a really strange feeling to be close enough to the end to know it. for years, it has felt like school was all i could see lying ahead of me. but i'm finally at the point where i can see past the school, and see what is beyond. the end is SO near - and it feels great. it is a fantastic feeling to stand where i am now - to see where i've come from and what i've accomplished so far, and at the same time, to know where i'm going.

here's what things look like for me:

• September 2007 - April 2008 --> third year classes and clinic in waterloo
• May 2008 - August 2008 --> this is my PC term. as mentioned before, this 4 months is split into 2 two month blocks. one of these blocks has to be with an optometrist in canada. for this, i'm hoping to go to victoria. the other two months we are free to do whatever (stay in canada, or travel overseas). i'm REALLY hoping to be able to go to malawi. some current 4th years spent two months of their PC term there - and i've heard that some people at the school are hoping to get this program established for more terms in the future. i'm hopeful about this opportunity - but if it doesn't happen, i'll probably try and go to australia.
• September 2008 - December 2008 --> i'll be back at UW for my rotation through all the clinics at the school.
• January 2009 - April 2009 --> and for my final term of school, i'll be in brandon. this is my OD term, where i'll be working with an ophthalmologist, focusing primarily on ocular disease and therapeutics. i'm thrilled to be close to home, and to be able to save some money by staying in canada (which means i can do cool things like go to africa or australia on my PC term)

at the end of these, I will return to waterloo to write my board exams, after which i will be a full-fledged optometrist! kind of scary, i know!

as for what comes after all this is over, i have no idea (and truthfully i'm sick of being asked). my ideas change pretty much weekly - but i have a pretty good general idea of where i would like to be and what i would like to be doing. unfortunately, most people don't really understand when i try to tell them what i'd like to do after graduation. so, i usually end up telling them what most optometry students would reply with when asked - "i'll probably end up somewhere around home, opening up my own practice, or becoming a partner (or associate) in an existing practice". not exactly what i see in my future though. at the moment, i see myself in two different situations after graduation:

1. Joining some sort of organization or NGO to head overseas, and using what i've learned to better the lives of the people there. this has been my passion for years now (and it continues to become strengthened with each time that i travel). i don't see myself working in a nice office - it's just not me. i'm not sure if this will be possible immediately after graduation or not - but if i can, i would love to jump on this opportunity immediately.
2. Working as an associate at an office somewhere in canada for a couple years to pay off my student loans. i'm also interested in taking some more classes (for personal interest) in international development. this area is close to my heart too - but i've just never had the opportunity to pursue it, as i was always so driven for optometry. once loans are paid off, then i'd like to do #1.

i don't know what will happen - but i trust that whatever does happen is the way that it is supposed to be.

okay, enough blabbing from me.