Bonus Blog: Separating My Interests From My Passions

Separating My Interests From My Passions

Throughout this semester, I have taken into account multiple positions in the world of food systems planning. Whenever I came across an interesting job in this field, I would instantly scope out the position to see if it was something I could see myself pursuing in the near future. After doing a lot of researching I instantly became overwhelmed with all the different opportunities. I struggled to find a career in the food systems planning field that matched my passions. It wasn’t until the end of my internship at the Frenchtown Heritage market that I realized my curiosity for food systems planning was just an interest and not a passion of mine. To me, an interest is being so intrigued in a topic where you are inspired to learn more about it. However, I define a passion as having more than just an academic attachment to a topic but also having a strong emotion and connection to the topic. I want my passion to be something that I could see myself joyfully committing my time and dedication to for the next 30 to 40 years of my life. I will definitely incorporate all of my knowledge of food systems planning into my passion of helping to sustain traditional medicine and cultural history of indigenous and minority communities in both the Caribbean and Latin America. Being still very interested in food systems planning, I could see myself playing an interactive part time role and not a full-time role in the field. Therefore, I do not see myself working in food policy, food planning, nor a community organizer in the field of food systems planning. Instead, I see myself playing an indirect role as a naturopathic physician serving to sustain traditional medicine and cultural history of indigenous and minority communities in both the Caribbean and Latin America.