Married, Working, and Living Overseas (My Job Journey Part 4)

While in Texas, I completed a Print Production School with the University of the Nations.  My future wife came from Poland took the course as well.  We became friends during the school, and a year later we got married and moved to Warsaw, Poland to live.  We both worked together for the Polish Baptist Union Publishing House while we were there.  They gave us a monthly salary as well as an unfurnished apartment to live in.

Washing the floor in the living room of our apartment. 

The apartment was new and larger than an average apartment in Warsaw, however it was situated on the outskirts of the city.  Since we didn't own a vehicle, we used public transit which meant walking through a forest 2km's to the first bus stop on route 518 (in Radosc).  We brought some our new IKEA furniture home from the store on that bus, carrying it through the forest to our flat. That was some good exercise!  Be prepared to be pragmatic and use public transit if you end up living overseas as the cost of gas is high.
I enjoyed using public transit in Poland.  Because our stop was the end of the line, I was able to study and read a lot during our commutes.  I studied Polish diligently and made some good progress with my vocabulary and grammar.  Be open to learning the local language as locals appreciate it.  I also discovered a couple of magazines on the bus that I still enjoy reading (The Economist and the European Edition of Time).  They provided me with a European perspective of the news which I found illuminating - particularly since the Polish economy was trying to come to terms with the country's recent independence.  There's nothing like getting paid in 2 million zloty bills to make you think twice about currency exchange!

In the dark room
developing film

We worked at the publishing house in Warsaw from Fall of 1994 to the end of Summer, 1995. Working as an expat things don't always turn out like you think.  I thought being married to a Polish citizen would make it easier for me to legally work in Poland.  It didn't seem to.  I had to renew my work visa every three months which was a real hassle.  Ensure you obtain all the information you can about working and living in a new country before you decide to move - don't assume that you can apply logic or common sense to every situation.

The work itself was challenging as well.  While my wife and I spoke English, everyone else spoke nothing but Polish, so I had to learn fast.  I did typesetting in Polish, using Polish characters, learned to develop all our film by hand, and also learned to print full colour pages on a new, single colour sheetfed press.

In the outside market across the
street from Hala Mirowska

My eyes were opened to history, culture, and architecture in a new way while I lived in Poland. Walking through the forest to work, we could still see the remains of trenches and craters from World War II.  Once the bus got us into downtown, I loved looking at the buildings with their red, tile roofs and green copper domes.  Up to that point I had never lived in a city that large or old.  The church we worked in stood in what was once the Jewish Ghetto made infamous during the war.   Two blocks east from there was Hala Mirowska, a fantastic indoor market where we'd buy our groceries (and sometimes lunch).  Take advantage of the differences you experience abroad.  Savour them.  Read a good book about the country or continent you are on while you are there.  I distinctly remember being sick with the flu in bed for a couple of days and reading The Count of Monte Cristo - much more rich for me with the old world atmosphere!

On the grounds of the Palace in Warsaw

I don't want to make it sound like I'd died and gone to heaven.  There will be challenges and frustrating circumstances.  I definitely felt alone, separate, misunderstood, limited, and out of my element at times.  My wife says it was the first time she saw me cry.  Plan ahead and have something you can do, or someone you can visit with to help you get around those time where negative feelings try to take over.  I remember thinking 'Man, if I ever get back to North America, I'm going to take advantage of my ability as a native English speaker there'.

For the rest of my Job Journey and to read other career profiles, check out my Career Path Profiles page here or follow the links below:

• Considering Careers with Diversity
• Part 1 My Plan After High School Graduation
• Part 2 Work Experience in School
• Part 3 On My Own - The Tradesman
• Part 4 Married, Working, and Living Overseas 
• Part 5 Searching for a Real Career
• Part 6 A Career Change
• Part 7 A Career in IT
• Part 8 Undercurrents in My Career Quest

On My Own - The Tradesman (My Job Journey Part 3)

After one year of college, I had several strong feelings that were leading me away from returning to a formal post-secondary institution:

1. Financial fear of going into debt.  I didn't have enough money to go back to school full time without going into debt.  I really didn't want to borrow money to get an education (my perspective on this has changed since then - knowledge pushes out fear)
2. I couldn't sit in a classroom and learn theory anymore just for the sake of 'jumping through an educational hoop' and getting a certificate.  I needed to do something with my hands and be 'productive'.
3. God was doing something in my life - I needed to figure out what He was trying to tell me...

Texas Highway 16

In the end, I travelled to Texas to go to a Bible school for 10 weeks.  In the mornings there was teaching, in the afternoons we helped around the campus.  I was assigned to work in the cafeteria because of my previous experience in the food industry (read more about that here).
Here I got experience with:

• Daily food prep (in the afternoons) of main meals for 200+ people
• Working as a team to get a lot of work done.  I got to see the division of work - how the responsibility for making a 'meal' or 'dish' was divided up between team members for efficiency sake.  
• Small beginnings.  Most times, there is a reason for 'the way' or a method to how something is done (like food prep).  I learned not to be afraid to question the 'method' and learn from that answer.  It turns out restaurant franchises are build (like all the fast-food restaurants) using tried and true methods that 'work'.  Tricks like using cold water (instead of hot water) to get the suds out of the sink after a huge load of dishes....

Here I am running a job on the 4 unit Didde Conserver press.  You can't tell
from the picture, but this press (with splicer, tinter, 4 print units, gluer,
folder, cutter, and stacker/conveyor) is over 60 feet long

After school was done, I decided to go on staff and volunteer with them.  They offered me a job in their print shop where I gained a wealth of experience over the next 2.5 years.  By the time I left, I had picked up two trades - printing/binding, and pre-press (or film layout).  This was full time, unpaid, non-profit work.  Here I learned:

• Print Shop Operations - operation of forklifts, industrial folders, industrial paper cutters, an envelop stuffer, a Didde Conserver web press, a Ryobi sheetfed press, a Multi 1250 sheetfed press, a Multi 1850 sheetfed press, and be part of a team that ran a Solna King heatset web press
• Patience in problem solving.  Invariably a press or a folder (some piece of machinery) would work properly, so we'd have to trouble-shoot it.  There is a process of logic that is important to follow when troubleshooting anything.  This was where I started to learn that logic.
• Responsibility.  I was essentially responsible for the entire operation of the Didde press - all the job orders were mine to expedite.  I had to prioritize them, manage the quality of the printing and the folding (perforations, tinting, and gluing at times as well)
• Team work  I had a team that worked with me packaging product off the press.  I had to shut the press down if there were issues with packing.  Team management - small teams of 2, and larger teams of 5 - depending on the work.
• Planning - I had to have all the pieces in place before I started a big run (paper rolls, brick ends, twine, pallets, ink, etc)
• Integrity and honesty -  I watched myself tell a lie to try and get ahead.  I subsequently learned that being dishonest isn't the right way to get ahead - even if no one else knew.  I couldn't live with myself like that.



Getting some film ready for the press

• Push my Limits - I tried to learn as much as I could - pre-press/dark room - burning plates, putting film together, stripping film.  Because of that, I essentially picked up another trade - Pre-press/film layout.

During this time I also did 2 overseas trips (one to India and Pakistan, the other to Europe).  This traveling broadened my perspective and changed the direction of my life.  Click the links above to find out how.

For the rest of my Job Journey and to read other career profiles, check out my Career Path Profiles page here or follow the links below:

• Considering Careers with Diversity
• Part 1 My Plan After High School Graduation
• Part 2 Work Experience in School
• Part 3 On My Own - The Tradesman
• Part 4 Married, Working, and Living Overseas 
• Part 5 Searching for a Real Career
• Part 6 A Career Change
• Part 7 A Career in IT
• Part 8 Undercurrents in My Career Quest

Work Experience in School (My Job Journey Part 2)

I got a bunch of work experience while I was still in school (or during years when I was going to school).  I think I really benefitted from the experiences I had during this time.  I was able to see what 'working' was like, it helped me grasp the value of a dollar, I got to earn enough money to pay for my first year of college, and I got exposure to a variety of industries.

Here's a glimpse of what my early 'job journey' looked like, and some of the lessons I learned from that time:

Esso Gas Station, paid by the hour ($3.65/hr)  This was a part time job during my high school years
of 1986, 1987, 1988.
I learned to:

• Manage my schedule - concurrently went to school, skied, was involved in extra curricular activities, and I had other part time jobs in the summer,
• Be dependable - someone depended on me to do that work - I was the only one there.  I received shipments of gas and managed the till and pumps,
• Communicate better - gave directions and tourist information
• Respect value of money - working for minimum wage and seeing how long it took to save up for something special

Saw Mill, paid by the hour (union work $18+/hr) This was a weekend part-time job during and after high school - 1988, 1989, 1990.  My routine job here was as an oiler.  However I also did spark watch with the welders and clean up.
Here I:

• Saw a hierarchy in the workplace in action - unionized mill.
• Learned the value of personal protective equipment and safety procedures - the story of electricity, sparks and smoke at the Electrical Panel by the 22 inch barker, saw a co-worker hit an elevated walkway with the BlueChip forklift boom - gave him the shock of his life.
• Learned how pay cheque deductions and income tax work.  Paid union dues, paid more in taxes, got it all back because I was under the annual basic exception tax.
• Learned more communication and schedule management.  I had to set priorities and manage my schedule - piano lessons, basketball/volleyball tourneys, overtime, getting up early - work started at 5am.  I needed to communicate with my team lead at work, my coaches and teachers at school, my piano teacher, and my parents what was going on with my schedule.
• Learned to drive heavy equipment - several forklifts and use some of the mill machinery.
• Got to see what Millwrights, Welders, and Electricians did for work in a Mill.  Didn't understand or see at that time how lucrative those trades would come to be in the oil industry
• Began to appreciate different work environments.  I worked both inside and outside for hours at a time.  It could be cold (-30 C) or hot (+35 C) outside.

The Old Caboose - Restaurant, paid by the hour (around $5/hr plus tips) This was a summer part time job after high school in 1989 and 1990.  The only job I didn't really do around the restaurant was

cook.  I got a chance to do pretty much everything else.
I continued to discover:

• Time and schedule management as I had several part time jobs during those summers, and I had to ensure that I wasn't expected to be working in two places at the same time.
• The value of money - I was paid fairly low, however there were tips here.
• Teamwork - sharing tips with the rest of the crew - the value of a team.
• New jobs - dishwashing, basic food prep, bus-boy, waiter, etc.
• Planning - strategic thinking before attempting a delicate manevoer - the garbage bag fiasco
• Communication - both heard and spoken.  I learned fast that I needed to get orders right and manage customers' expectations

Tree Planting, paid by the tree - spring and summer after first year of college 1990.  In my journal at that time, I called this 'the ultimate test of human goodwill in work.'  I saw the limits of my patience tested with my friends - this surprised me somewhat.  I started to learn more about myself, and continued to build on lessons I had already started learning....

• The value of money - This was hard manual labour, not paid minimum wage but paid by the tree planted - I averaged around $100-110 per day.
• Exposure to a different work environment - seasonal outside work in the mountains.  On good days it's OK (if the bugs aren't bad).  On cold rainy days it can be miserable.  Most of our crew got varying degrees of hypothermia on one particularly wet and cold day.
• Learned a bit about personal hygiene.  Jock itch.  Enough said.
• Value of Integrity.  Our contract got terminated because others were hiding trees (getting paid for them, but not planting them)  Saw how the actions of others on the job impacted me (devaluing a team)

Salmon Fish Hatchery, paid by the hour ($15/hr) fall 1990.  We wore hip-waders most of the day, caught Spring Salmon (some up to 30 pounds) in drift nets and then collected sperm and roe from them.

• Seasonal outside work harvesting sperm and eggs from spawning salmon.  Beautiful scenery but long days because the spawning season is short
• Scientific work - gathering data about each fish we harvested from.  I felt like I was involved with sustaining our natural resources and helping scientists learn about them at the same time.  It was fulfilling (even though it could be miserable an cold in the mornings)

For the rest of my Job Journey and to read other career profiles, check out my Career Path Profiles page here or follow the links below:

• Considering Careers with Diversity
• Part 1 My Plan After High School Graduation
• Part 2 Work Experience in School
• Part 3 On My Own - The Tradesman
• Part 4 Married, Working, and Living Overseas 
• Part 5 Searching for a Real Career
• Part 6 A Career Change
• Part 7 A Career in IT
• Part 8 Undercurrents in My Career Quest

The Cause Within You by Matthew Barnett

I stumbled upon this book in the library and I found it a welcome diversion.  Matthew shares how he discovered his cause from lessons and tips that he drew from his life experiences.  As a result, the book is an engaging read.  Real stories drawn from his background in building a large ministry in Los Angeles give almost every chapter a captivating foundation into the ideas that Matthew is trying to convey.

The author's enthusiasm for for his material is contagious.  Sometimes its hard to remember that not everyone is cut out to be and do exactly as he has done.  The book has some insightful gems that really hit home with me.

Similar to The Purpose Driven Life, this book is written from a Christian perspective.  While it doesn't tell you what your specific 'cause' is, it offers advice and encouragement on how to find it, and make it bloom into something great.

The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren

The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren has sold millions of copies - it is a very popular book.  It has been recently rebranded What On Earth am I Here For?  It originally had 40 reasonably short chapters.  The new edition has 2 new chapters.  The book is formatted/written as a devotional.  I avoided this book for many years, but eventually bought it and worked through it in 40 days, journaling my thoughts about the chapter I had read that day.

The book essentially answers the question 'What am I here for?' from a Christian perspective.  Having grown up in a Christian home, and wrestled with that question most of my life (it seems), I definitely found myself challenging some of the points made in the book...  or they challenged me.

I found the book very 'matter of fact', 'this is simply the way it is', black and white, and at times (as evidenced in my journal entries) I struggled with that.  I find life much more messy, in your face, and abstract.

Getting that off my chest, this is a great book for grasping the Christian foundations of what we are all here on earth for.  In the book, Rick outlines 5 core purposes that God created us all for.  He says 'Without God, life has no purpose, and without purpose, life has no meaning.  Without meaning, life has no significance or hope.'   If you are looking for mean, significance, and hope, then this book is for you.  It will not give you definitive answers like 'the life purpose for your giftings and personality type is to move to Perth, Australia and start a ministry with the street people.'  It will give you a great foundation to consider who and what your life is about.

Callings by Gregg Levoy

Callings, written by Gregg Levoy is a expansive, well researched tome that, quite frankly, was one of those books that I needed to read right when I found it.  It is so full of good content and anecdotes that I'm taking my time going through it so I can digest it all.  Younger readers might find it a bit academic,  however it will certainly open their minds to a broader world of literature, myth, and scientific study (mainly physiology).

Mr. Levoy includes chapters related to travel, health, dreams, personal history, fear, and much more to weave together an exceptional piece of literature on finding and following an authentic life.

I picked my copy up from the library and discovered about halfway through the book that the last 20 pages or so were not paginated correctly (and as a result, they are out of order).  I thought this was a bit ironic considering the book's title.  I subsequently asked the library if I could buy the book they declined.  I went to a used book store to see if I could get a copy there and apparently they get asked for it quite often.

Callings is a medium 300+ page read (small print).  I'd highly recommend it.  5 out of 5 from me.

The Policeman - A Career Profile in Determination

Have you ever watched CSI?  I know a Crime Scene Investigator personally.  He specializes in retrieving evidence from computers, phones, and video cameras.  The path he took to becoming what I would call a 'Crime Scene Investigator' is pretty interesting.

This guy always struggled with school growing up.  He barely passed Grade 12 and wasn't keen on getting back into school - except he had a dream.  He wanted to be a police officer.  Looking into the admission requirements for the RCMP and several municipal police departments, he was very discouraged to discover that his eyesight automatically disqualified him for admission.

Being a persistent fellow, he didn't let that stop him.  He got a job as a security officer in the hospitality industry and did that for several years hoping it would somehow spring-board him closer to his dream.  During that time he made some friends who had been to college.  They saw his drive and desire to be a cop, and encouraged him to go back to school and study criminology.  He also learned about corrective eye surgery and 'saw' a glimmer of hope (no pun intended)  :-)

Having lived and worked on his own for a while by this time, he had learned to value time and money and realized that going back to school would be an investment in his future.  He did a thorough investigation of schools that offered diplomas in Criminal Justice, found three that he liked and applied to all three.  He was surprised to receive acceptance letters from all three schools despite his high school transcript (Post Secondary institutions tend to be more willing to accept students who've had a bit of life experience - I've seen this across the board, irrespective of school and career type).  Wanting to get the most out of his investment, he decided on a smaller college that had smaller class sizes.  The program at this school focused on Criminal Justice and he didn't have to waste  time and money taking general studies courses.  Also, the program's faculty actually worked in the CJ system - they weren't all academics.

School was still a challenge.  He had to quit the college volleyball team to keep his marks up.  He had to study constantly and had post-it study notes everywhere.  I remember seeing them all over the inside of his car.  All the hard work paid off, though.  In two years he successfully got his diploma, and discovered that he could parlay those course credits into a Criminal Justice degree by taking one more year of school at a partner university.  He took advantage of this (and a scholarship) and graduated with a CJ degree a year later.

A CJ degree didn't solve the eyesight problem, though.  Police departments still wouldn't look at his application.  At a bit of a loss, yet encouraged by his success in school, he decided to continue his education in a different field.  He saw an advert on TV for a local IT school which claimed to have students ready for the industry in 9 months.  The Information Technology sector was booming and IT workers were getting paid a premium at the time.  Curious, he went to the local school, got a tour, submitted an application, and got accepted all in the course of two weeks.

Nine months later, our wanna-be policeman had two significant job offers which completely validated all the time, effort, and money he had been spending on education.  He accepted an opportunity working in Europe and spent a year there working in IT.  While he was there, he travelled - for work and for pleasure - and he loved it.  What he discovered though, was he didn't enjoy all the time spent on a computer in a cubicle.  He is a hands-on, practical type of guy and sitting in front of a computer all day wasn't his dream - even if it paid well.

He moved back to Canada, got work at a local IT firm, and submitted his application to the local police department.  Through a series of administrative blunders, they lost his application.  Fifteen months later after he pestered them for a status update, it was found.  By this time, the local IT firm had been bought, and our prospective policeman had taken his earnings from the buy out, paid off the remainder of his student debt, and got his eyesight corrected with laser surgery.

Accomplishing his dream, a policeman at last, he spent 6 years on the beat in a patrol car, loving every minute of it.  The police force that hired him allows officers to diversify into different fields after 6 years on the beat.  While working the beat was right up his alley, shift work was not and he consequently looked for an opportunity to work regular hours.  Because of his IT experience, he was able to meet and 'talk shop' with guys in the computer crime unit (who worked regular hours).  When a position came up in that department, he applied for it and was accepted.  He loves his job now.  In his current position, he works 4 days week, 10 hour days, and receives state of the art training.  When he retires from the force, he will easily be able to transition to an IT security consultant with his expertise.

This guy didn't give up.  A bunch of things stood in the way of his dream, but he found a way around them.  The challenges, experiences, and opportunities he's had along the way have built his confidence, made him stronger and more diversified, and given him a greater sense of accomplishment.

To read other career profiles check out my Career Path Profiles page here.