Life means different things to everyone.
To some, it's an unending journey, and to others, a transient tour; to some it's a party, to others it's a struggle, to some it's a game, to others, a wild ride, and still some consider it a prison. What do I think, you may ask? Life may be all of those things, but I choose to see life as a race, a search for fulfillment, where what you seek may not always be what you need. But enough of the philosophy.......... Let me tell you a bit about me
Now, where do we start from? I've always wanted to fly high, be the best at what I do and all that, but I've come to discover that life is more than just that. Born in Nigeria, to parents whose lot in life wasn't so good, I'm grateful for how I've turned out. My mum was a teacher - she still is, kind of - and my dad is a businessman. I don't remember much from my toddlerhood, but what I do know is that I've always loved books. My mum and aunt (who used to live with us back then) saw that, and fanned the flames by buying me books. From books on nursery rhymes, to children's fiction by Enid Blyton, to books about toys, then animals, then plants, then dinosaurs, then rocks, then the earth, then the solar system and beyond. My idea of having fun, back then, was fishing for knowledge in between pages of books, and my voracious appetite for the world of books grew until, in primary 4 (that's elementary school; 4th grade, I think), I got my hands on Essential Biology, a textbook to be used in senior secondary school aka high school. I decided then, that I would be a scientist, studying bacteria and viruses. I held this dream until my junior secondary (middle school) days, when I abandoned it for robotic engineering, my new obsession after the loads of sci-fi and action movies - yes, I'm a movie geek, and I love fantasy movies too, and a bit of comedy - i had watched. The only form of entertainment that I loved (and still love) more than movies, is reading books, especially YA fantasy. Once I read the Percy Jackson books, both the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and the Heroes Of Olympus series, I was hooked. I went on to read the trials of Apollo, The Magnus Chase books, and the Kane Chronicles. Yes, I read every single one. I also read the Harry Potter books and I was really disappointed in the movies. Anyway, we've strayed a bit. Let's come back.
Once I entered Senior Secondary school, my mum started trying to convince me that Robotic engineering wasn't it, and that I could set my sights on something else, say, Medicine. Classic Nigerian mum, huh? Well, I eventually did see it from her point of view, majorly because I couldn't really study Robotic engineering in Nigeria, and flying overseas to study really wasn't an option, but what sucked me into the medical field was a Chinese documentary on robot-assisted surgery. From then on, it was settled.
Once I was done with secondary school, I sat for my West African Senior School Certificate Examination, and did pretty well. I didn't ace it, but I did well. Truthfully, I didn't prepare well enough. Well, after that, I enrolled in an A'level program that would usher me into the University to study Medicine and surgery. I pretty much aced the program, but strangely enough - maybe I'll call it a stroke of fate - I didn't get it. I'll say it all worked out, because I'm now a student of the college of medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, in the department of Medical Radiography and Radiological Science, Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology. I'm growing to love the field of Radiography and it's widespread applications, and I can't wait to see what happens next.
All in all, the last 4 years have been the most interesting of my life, and the most meaningful. I have found a path of self-discovery and finding my place in God, and enlightenment through His word. My name is Ositadinma Fortress Chukwuemerie, I love to read, sing, dance, draw, write, cook, I'm learning to play guitar, and I hope to connect with you all on this space.
Thank you.
