The Starbucks at the end of the tunnel

Two months in and we still reside within society's marginalised minority, one of the many strata against which the majority defines itself. The unemployed.

That is not to say that we are unemployable. It's just a matter of time until we swing back into the view of the tax system. But it is certainly a rare opportunity to reevaluate life from a different standpoint.

For example, about four months ago I could quite happily take the Bentley into town and purchase a two-shot-latte, thinking absolutely nothing of it, but now I find myself on the non-metaphorical downward escalator staring longingly at people with their free trade cappuccinos and cloned chocolate gateaus, wishing I too could once again warm myself beside the fiery furnace of capitalism. And, without 40 weekly hours of contractually-defined responsibilities, there is a lot of time to fill. A lot of time to think about Starbucks.

The temptation is to just get a job. Any job. Materialism feeds my desperation. Last week I was offered an interview for a high-paying position in a community service organisation. It sounded interesting and somewhat connected with my past work, but the more I thought about it, the more I became uncomfortable with the nature of the role which, Without going into detail, would have involved compromising on my beliefs. My (ironic?) pining for Starbucks blinded me to the compromise as I filled in the application, but with the actual possibility of getting the job looming closer, I reluctantly concluded I could not prioritise financial stability to the detriment of my conscience. So, I opted out.

How many chances do you get at life? Unlike those lucky, lucky Buddhists (lucky, that is, except the ones reborn as bugs), Christians only get one shot, and this experience has boosted my motivation to aim high. And if I aim high and miss, then at least I gave it a shot.

So, last week I was fortunate enough to begin actively volunteering for a local refugee organisation as a support person for refugees and asylum seekers, before the completion of my training. My first day on the job came with the same feeling of elation I experienced working as a counsellor in Okinawa. Surely this is what I am meant to be doing.

It is going to be a hard road though because, although I have transferable skills from Japan, I have no refugee-specific experience or working knowledge of the U.K., which makes it tough to break into the highly competitive field of refugee work. However, my siege tactic is to prioritise volunteering while working part time (ideally at Starbucks), thereby preparing for an opening while building up my refugee support skills, and not becoming homeless.

I currently grasp one small ember of hope, however, in that I have applied for a job at the nation's major refugee agency. I should hear back this week as to whether or not I get an interview. Until then, I sit back and wonder if God's will is the same as mine.

Ian