Yogi is busy cutting down a tree. It’s taking him lots of time to cut the trunk and
the branches, and he doesn’t know why. Stepping back to figure it out, he realizes
that the chainsaw has gone blunt because of overuse. An old man who passing by
stops and tells the young worker to take some time out to sharpen the chainsaw.
“I don’t have time to take a break old man!” says Yogi. Can’t
you see that I’m busy cutting this tree?” The old man just smiles. “If you take
few minutes to sharpen your tool, you will
be able to cut down that tree a lot faster.”
We all have a little Yogi inside us. I would be the first to
admit that when it comes to studying, hobbies and my organizational activities,
I often get so engrossed that I run on instinct and not intelligence. Like
Yogi, I often lose perspective when it comes to doing stuff that I enjoy.
But then there are
the holidays! For me, the June-July holiday is the best. The weather is dry,
sunny and lovely – just perfect for relaxing at home or for outdoor recreation.
The fact that you can just lie on the floor watching YouTube videos for hours
with no thoughts of homework or exams is the icing on the cake. I personally
like to think of holidays as a time to recharge and reboot.
Research show that
holiday are an ideal time for us to step back from our normal activities and
rest our body and mind. It is believed that talking a sufficient holiday, like
getting a good night’s sleep, has a positive impact on performance both at
school in the workplace. So if you want to bring your a game next semester,
then you had better make sure that you enjoy this long holiday.
More and more young
people are looking for new, creative and meaningful ways to spend their
holidays. One of the more popular choices is travel. Traveling overseas can put
quite in your piggy bang, but there are certainly ways to keep your spending to
a minimum.
For me, backpacking is
the way to go. Opt for budget airlines and budget hotels – this will save you a
lot of money. And I usually visit the free tourist sites, but avoid eating near
them (restaurant in tourist areas tend to be much more expensive than those in
local areas).
Another way to
experience a memorable and affordable holiday abroad is by volunteering on an overseas
project.
Some organizations
will even pay for accommodation and plan tickets for international volunteers.
Most of these organizations do require a proper time commitment, as well as specialized
skill and experience, so make sure you’re ready to take on the responsibility.
Sounds tough, huh? But it’s worth it. Not only will you be helping a notable
cause, you will also get to spend the holidays making new friends and learning
new things trough a global network.
Remember: no matter
where you spend the holiday – be it on a special trip to Switzerland or
lounging around at home – the most important thing is to explore new
opportunities. Happy holidays everyone!
Linked in: Here are
some of my favorite links for finding volunteer opportunities abroad:
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