The Path of Self-Discovery: Navigating Life's Complexities

Part 9 : Breaking the Cycle of Poverty Through Education

I believed that even after I graduated, it would not improve my station, but out of fear of unemployment, depression, looming poverty, and staring into back-to-back shifts of degrading, casual employment with little money and no opportunities for upward mobility, I felt compelled to do it anyway. I worked hard and graduated and made my parents happy. But after graduation, the satisfaction diminished more than the value of the piece of paper I had earned. I was back to where I started. There are a few ways you can escape the cycle of poverty and hardship in the third world: you can migrate to a developed country where you have human rights and are allowed access to opportunities, or you can invest even more time studying in fields that may prepare you for a job but that will more than likely not get you pay for that even mandates a living wage—like doctors and engineers. I knew that this was not without risk!, but in my situation it was the only option! With relentless drive and many plans for what's next, I was always looking for ways to better my life and continued to see it as a good move for me. I put a lot of time and energy into my education trying to take advantage of my opportunity to make a move. I was very much eager to pursue a career in computer science, despite the worst-case job climate. Always thinking that after I, as a person from a third-world country, establish my career, I would be like one step away from really accomplishing my dreams and escaping poverty was motivating. Earning my degree was visceral and fulfilling, and now I wanted to find a job that would allow me to demonstrate my abilities and knowledge.

With limited options available to me, I chose to follow the second pathway referenced above. I was very driven, with a clear purpose for what I wanted to do in the future. I ran through possibilities for increasing my chances of success subconsciously, and I was adamant that this was the best pathway for me. I put in a significant quantity of time and effort in the form of studies and intended to maximize what could have been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I may not have known what sort of work I would find after graduation, but I was enjoying the prospect of working in the field of computer science. To me, as someone that was born in a developing country and lived there for the majority of my life, it felt like I was getting close to escaping third-world like conditions, the life I had always envisioned. I had worked so hard to achieve all the accomplishments in my degree program; I was excited about the possibility of being employed somewhere that I could show what I could do and what I was capable of.

However, my dreams were soon deterred as I became aware of the highly competitive and biased job market in my home country.

Nonetheless, I did not want to give up on my dreams; instead, I decided to improve my skills and gain experiences by working on personal projects in my spare time and I still held hope that one day there would be a position that allowed me to move forward with my career. I also wanted to build a professional network and connected with leaders in the industry and attended many conferences events to learn about new technology and trends.

In an unfortunate development, it was still difficult to find an entry-level position in my field. I began to realize I may needed to expand my search to find opportunities for work outside my country. I began applying for jobs in other countries and considered doing further education in a more developed country. However, these options presented complications such as language barriers and finances.

With barriers and challenges in my way, I continue to foster my commitment to achieve my ambitions. With effort, steadiness, and a little luck along the way, I believe I can make a living and create a better future for my family.