From PhD to Poop Shovelling

In 2010, I landed in Canada for the first time—just me, an Iranian girl with a full scholarship for a PhD in biomedical engineering. I had a Master’s in mathematical physics, ready to dive into a multidisciplinary team as a statistician. Sounds impressive, right? Well, hold on—it gets messy.

Growing up, I had a lot of “titles”: Smart girl, Iranian, Math nerd, Adventurer, Human rights Advocate, Journalist, women’s empowerment enthusiast… oh, and the black sheep of my family! My dad dreamed I’d become the “Mother of Physics” in Iran. No pressure.

But I didn’t stick to academia and instead jumped into leadership and management roles. I worked as a business and data analyst, gave insights to managers, and eventually found my groove communicating and leading teams. I loved helping people and making things happen.

Fast forward to 2024: I was working at lightning speed in the corporate world when—bam—I got laid off. It wasn’t personal, just budget cuts. Still, here I was, alone in Canada, no family around, and a ton of expectations hanging over me. If I wasn’t going to be a famous physicist, at least I should have a big title/income, right?!

Well… I was adventurous, so I made a bold decision. I signed up for "Workaway.info", packed my bags, and went wild!

For weeks, I crisscrossed western Canada, going from land to land. I gardened, fed animals, shoveled (lots of) poop, and lived with local families. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was real. I learned how to slow down, how to live without constant notifications, and how to make friends with chickens/non-friendly cats/dogs and very diverse people!

And now? I’m back in the city. But sometimes, when I close my eyes, I’m still out there in the wild, reflecting on the lessons I learned from those farms, those people, and yes—even the surprisingly wise chickens.

This experience might not be something I can put on my resume, but the skills I gained and the accomplishments I’ve had along the way are life lessons. I feel much more confident in controlling my own life, even in this fast-paced world. I’ve learned to embrace compassion through my journey, and I’ve become more adaptable than ever.

I have a treasure trove of stories from those people and their lives—and I can’t wait to go back and continue making new ones with them, and with others in my ever-expanding, borderless world.