Often, the question I get is about getting started. As someone who hires people for overseas projects, one of the key factors I look for is a proven ability to live and work in a foreign country. Having spent your summers in Greece doesn’t count; I need someone that has struggled on a daily basis to work across cultures and deal with all the bad things that come your way living overseas.

This, of course, begs the question – how does one get that experience if nobody will hire them? One way was, is, and probably will be into the future the Peace Corps. I was a volunteer in 1991 in Botswana and it was a fantastic experience.

There are a lot of reasons not to become a volunteer. What other ways are there? My advice, and its scary advice, is to pick a country, get on a plane, find an apartment and look for a job. Easier nowadays in the age of the internet, but still an expensive proposition with considerable risk.

My idea: A website matching recent graduates willing to pay their own way overseas with needy organization capable of paying local wages but not much more.

Since that time we learned that four FBI agents were amongst the injured; we also learned that the Lahore bombing targeted a building that had permanent FBI offices. We are resting easier, but no less cautious.

Today’s Dawn newspaper had an article that the Government in Pakistan was looking at closing some 20 restaurants and guest houses that were operating out of residential areas in Islamabad. Their reasoning is that these restaurants – frequented by foreigners – were now a hazard to other homes in the neighborhood. Reading between the lines, there are a whole bunch of things someone could take from it – excuse for a land grab, etc. etc.

Nonetheless, it makes an interesting point. Most of these restaurants have been operating outside the law for a long time. Pakistan has decided on a look-the-other-way strategy for its fledgling businesses (which is catching up to it on labor codes), but ANY business that works under these circumstances is at risk at any time for someone who gets the notion of taking action.

Actually, I cut a deal with Aaron Svabik of Pentiques to work on a whole lotta pens I’ve been buying unrestored off Ebay. Most importantly (for me) is that I’ll sit with him and pretend that I’m picking up tricks of the trade.

Then I’ll go home and butcher a few pens in the name of “fixing” them.

Pens have become a big deal for me in the past couple of years. Curiosity was always there, but in January 2006, on a trip to Milan my wife bought me what I thought was the most beautiful pen I’ve ever seen – a Limited Edition Mont Blanc Cervantes Writers Series fountain pen.

After I got it back to work in Jordan, I realized that it was too nice (!) to bring to work, and that I really needed another fountain pen for day-day use. There weren’t too many to choose from in Jordan, but I settled on a Waterman Charleston.

Next stop for me was Ebay, where I saw a Monteverde Invincia from a seller in Israel.

“Need another pen” + Ebay = addiction. I believe I have close to 100 fountain pens, although in the past 6 months I’ve switched from new to old vintage pens and many of my pens are old pens in various states of disrepair.

So far Atlanta has cost me $800: Drive to the airport and park, plus airfare, plus shuttle to the hotel, plus hotel expense, plus shuttle back to the airport plus driving home… plus money committed for repairing pens. $800 gone and I don’t have a single “other pen” yet.

That is much more monumental a thing than it ought to be. From March 1999 when I left The Services Group, I’ve been a freelance consultant taking jobs when I want, where I want, how I want. Now, I work for someone. All the time.

The deal is that I’m going to take assignments over the next two years that I probably would have taken anyway; I’m in Pakistan now, and there’s another contract coming up for 4 months there that I’ll (hopefully) lead. After that its off to Iraq for about 18 months.

The difference is that now I have a job to come home to. I’m not only managing my own career, but now I’m looking out for my company too. I no longer am supposed to read the DevelopmentEX job board, I’m no longer supposed to probe people to find out if their projects have short term assignments. Its a weird change for me.

I’m confident I made the right decision. I’m particularly confident that if I had to work for someone, I’ve picked the right company.

It still feels weird.

So for all those people that mistakenly clicked on the Inspiring Discovery link, I am alive.

I am a contract employee. In three months, my regular earnings come to a grinding halt. I am now in the process of identifying another source of earnings. I probably won’t be able to get something going right away – it could take some months before something gets rolling.

And thats not a bad thing

Several years ago, I went through the same thing – without the notice period (I was asked to resign). I was terrified of the unemployment. Eating my savings. Bumming around the house UNEMPLOYED. The shame. Being broke. Not providing for my family.

But I had something of a game plan, so I wasn’t completely terrified (just a little). I was going to network; join associations; write.

I took a few training courses and I joined associations that I knew nothing about. it was fantastic! One of the best times of my life. It was expensive, I spent money and didn’t take much in.

I’ve come to love the contract lifestyle because of this. How many other professionals get to take 3 month mid-career breaks to learn new skills and build a Japanese rock garden in their backyard?

You get home, and you focus on your spouse’s goals. Your children’s goals. You consider your parents’ goals, and help out there. And your friends’ goals.

What kind of life would you lead if you never focused on yourself at all?

I ask this because I know myself – and I know that I am at my personal best when I work and think outward; meaning that I do things based on what other people need. When I let things slide and focus on myself, I become acutely concerned with accumulation. If I can’t afford to buy stuff, I gather free stuff. I download information onto my hard drive that I might never read.

Is it possible to live a life of total service to others around you? This isn’t about serving soup at a kitchen (although its very noble), this is about working a high-end, well paid professional job and simply ignore yourself in the process.

As I begin my literature search on the subject, I haven’t found much at all. The closest thing I’ve found is team building and how to participate in a high-powered team.

I have a lot more thoughts on this. Next post.

For example… right now my browser is pointed to Protopage. On one of my “desktops” I put in complete web pages. So I have my WordPress blog page inside the Protopage. You can’t see it when you go to www.protopage.com/marcshiman, but there is other stuff you can see.

This really isn’t about inspiring discovery (other than the fact I’ve discovered this and I’m inspired), but this can be used to very easily build a very nice web presence.

Kevin has completely messed me up. I really thought I was onto something by working towards this model of the only true way to discover… learn… is to go places and do things you’ve never done before. Now Kevin wrote a whole book about how you learn through the everday moments of our life.

Anyway, despite my animosity towards the guy now, I agreed to promote what is a very good book. I also took some time to ask him some questions (it took more time for him to answer, so I got a tiny bit of revenge).

After the jump…..

Q: When was the first time you realized you could learn from everyday situations? Was it a major “A-Ha” or did it creep up on you slowly? Were you looking for it or did it surprise you?

I think I have always been a curious person and a person interested in learning new things. But about 20 years ago I realized I wanted to be involved in training and development activities full time at Chevron – where I worked at the time. Once I came to that realization, and was able to find a way to get into the corporate training group, I began learning about learning in earnest. I have continued that quest until today (and that is a quest I hope to be on the rest of my life).

Somewhere along that learning path I realized that most of us don’t learn nearly what we could from our everyday situations. I started using what I knew about how to draw learning from people in groups, and began applying it to my life.

Q: Looking back at all of your learning, what is the most important ways your life has changed?

I don’t really know how to answer this one Marc. I think sometimes we get caught up in finding things like the “most important” or “our favorite song, movie or food” – in other words forcing ourselves, or others to pick just one. In many cases this becomes a block to us reflecting – because then we think we have to have “the one right answer” (just like when we were in school). I’ve learned that when I want to learn what people think are really important things to ask it more generally, let them begin to make a list, then let them select it back down to a smaller list.

Sorry for the ramble.

Having said that, I don’t want to use that as a cop out and not answer your question. . .

I think my life, and all of our lives change, when we take action on the important things we learn. Knowledge is a fine thing, but it is skills and experiences that will change our lives – in other words, knowledge put to work.

Taking informed action requires knowledge acquisition, courage, the willingness to take a risk, and discipline. But without it, our lives won’t change.

Q: Does looking for lessons impede your ability to participate in your life’s events? Do you ever find yourself removed from what is happening around you as you draw out learning?

No not very often. We get the most from situations when we remain present, soaking in as much of the experience as we can. The reflection that comes later will then be richer and more valuable.

Q: I’m sure these stories have resulted in a lot of feedback to you from your readers. What have you taken from this feedback?

Well, I’ve taken that I am a pretty good writer, which makes me happy. I’ve also realized that stories, when told from a personal perspective can be very powerful learning tools and can provide people with inspiration as well.

I’ve had many people say very nice things about the words in the book. But more meaningful to me are the things people have said about what they are doing differently because of what they read. (There’s that idea of action again.)

Q: What is single most important thing you would recommend to people who are looking to learn from the ordinary situations in their lives?

Make the time to reflect. We have busy lives and if we aren’t making the time to think about what we can learn from our daily activities, then we are missing the cheapest and most powerful learning opportunities we’ll ever have.

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