An inner glance at work and academic progress upon completion of your fellowship.
Thinking ahead is a necessity yet an unappealing component of adult living, and so we do ourselves an injustice if we avoid it. There is no guarantee of concrete answers when you think ahead, and neither is there a clear path; however, your clarity on what you want and what you don’t wish to will manifest itself. Part of successfully transitioning back to your country after fellowship depends on your ability to envision and make those life’s big decisions.
There are limited resources available on the internet and a perfect way for you to prepare for what next after the fellowship in your profession or academic journey. Why the internet? This is where we all go to search for solutions to our situations before exploring other options don’t we?
Moving away from your country, family, work, and friends, and any other thing you know for up to eighteen months in a new and foreign land is exciting and scary. It is merry and also stressful when you take the offer board the flight and eventually start working; it could be otherwise most important is it’s a positive move.
However, the question that lingers on your mind after the honeymoon and settling in when you have no guarantee of what you will go back to precisely professionally or academically is tormenting and leaves you unsettled for many days and nights. We don’t have a warrant for anything, do we? But we get through. so yes the spirit of soldiering on never leaves.
1.Apply for jobs and scholarships
| Do not get comfortable and imagine you have accomplished everything you dreamt of, stay hungry and thirst, reach out for more continuously and go after your goals. |
Some of the reasons why you will need that job after the fellowship is; the culture and work environment of the company you are looking to work with, the reputation of leaders in your dream company, work with products/services you admire, meet other initiatives in the field, career growth, financial motivation, etc. Check those websites for jobs and scholarships every day when you can and dedicate some time to send your well-thought applications as well as don’t forget to check your emails for responses. Some common job sites are Job sites. You should apply for scholarships because you get awarded Academic Benefits, Professional Benefits, Financial Benefits, Finding Scholarship Opportunities as well as travel more and experience new things. Some scholarships are international scholarships, AfterSchoolAfrica, OFA, scholars4dev etc |
2.Talk to family and friends about your fears
| They are your support system and may come in handy in these challenging situations. It is essential to surround ourselves with family and friends for support and comfort in both times of joy and distress to increase our mental well-being |
| So Important is in our human nature to need relationships because other people are vital to our mental and emotional well-being and our survival. A positive relationship is between any two people who love, support, encourage, and help each other practically and emotionally. Your family and friends have useful experiences to support you as well as emotional support, do not feel alone. |
3.Spiritual guidance -pray
| Spiritual guidance comes in handy because it recognizes that your life role has a greater value than what you do every day. You may need to detach from material dependence such as money, friends, and other luxuries and help you to understand your life’s greater purpose. It is a reliable way of coping with change or uncertainty after fellowship. In my experience, I’ve had situations where spiritual guidance made real severe conditions bearable and left me more assertive and guided. There is strength more remarkable than what is around us. |
4.Take a break, trust your efforts
| Stay patient and trust your journey; it is important you understand that it is different for everyone and that the loud doesn’t always have a silver lining. Take a break, rest reenergize as you wait for for the next thing Also, limit your expectations at this stage alot will change in between those months or years you were away on your fellowship. |
5.Keep your networks active
| Network with your current colleagues ask them to refer you when you work on your applications . Essentially, along with your supervisor and program contact, your fellow fellows are more than just people in the same program. They are there to help you learn from one another hence important to establish a professional relationship. They will share challenges and how to overcome them, ideas, and mental and emotional support in and outside the fellowship. While on fellowship, create time to be with them, share an activity, listen, pay compliments, ask questions, and laugh. Most important, do not ignore or underestimate anyone and what they can do or add to your next.. |
6.Social media
| Keep your linkedin, Github, blogs, websites active and upto date for potential employers , let them get you your next move Invest time in editing them to look the job or education you are seeking . Have a social media plan.A good profile and content will drive people to your site account. Engage with your prospective employers or service providers. Express your interest in being part of the team. |
7.Save some money
| You never know when you will get a rainy day, the stipend is limited but financial discipline and gaols can help you save a penny for your next move, don’t spend everything . and leave nothing for emergencies Automate your Bank of America account savings, save monthly or weekly, or do a suitable plan that works for you. Start small and set goals to keep you in the loop |
8.Become an entrepreneur
| The element I have not broadly discussed here is entrepreneurship; by working, I do not entirely get employed. You can become self-employed and hire other people to start that company or dream you had years ago. This is the best time; fewer commitments from other things make it manageable. With your skills and ideas still fresh and a new network, your raw mangoes might just ripe at this stage. |
9.Be patient
| The acquired transferable skills in your host organizations are exceptional; they will make you think you will find a job within weeks of application. While this can happen, the reverse is possible, and the journey will be stressful and difficult. GOOD NEWS!!! YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Take time to think and reflect on the job or school you are looking for when the good feeling of returning home still burns in you. While I have just about four months to complete my fellowship, I am doing my best to prepare ahead of time and then share my experience. |
Que sera, sera(what will be, will be)
Just as the song Que sera, sera says do not worry so much about this whole situation, after the fellowship is actually going to be better than you anticipated. Everything will fall into place just when it should. All your pieces will come together to show you your new path!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!All the best in your next adventure, please don’t forget to share what you did after the fellowship.
