I’m in a weird place this Ramadan. Not just spiritually but geographically as well. Almost exactly a year ago I finished my MA thesis and moved back home: home being wherever so my parents were living, regardless of roots and attachments. A few months before my less-than-triumphant return to the moist womb, my parents had made the move to Northern Alberta for business.

This is home. Every day. But more majestic.

While I have always been one for living and experiencing a new city, town, state, province – whatever – the shock of the sight of the prairie was, well, enough to leave me in a near-crippling abyss of self-woe. I had arrived into a town of 1200 people (although no more than 30 were ever visible), not even with an MA in hand- just a final copy of my thesis – thinking that within a month, maybe two, I’d be working at some kick arse, welcome-to-the-gunz-show kinda job. That’s right. I wholeheartedly believed that I wouldn’t be a victim of statistics and have to wait seven months, at minimum, after graduation before I would get any hint of a slightly disposable income.

Here I am now: 10 months, 80 applications, one acceptance-turned-into-a-rejection and one full-out-rejection later. Everything that should have worked, didn’t. Everyone who should have helped, didn’t. I’m 25, with a Masters degree from a great university in a hot field, having focused on a hot subject, and with an illustrious writing career – WHY THE HELL IS MY SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT NOT RESULTING IN ANYTHING? I thought privilege was supposed to get you something.

Instead – I’m 25, with a Masters degree from a great university in a hot field, having focused on a hot subject, and with an illustrious writing career and …I’m working for my parents, in a convenience store.

I couldn’t be more blessed. [Read more...]