Hi everyone. Jony here.
The old folks here might remember me - used to hang around these parts almost 4 years ago, giving advice to people on the application process. And the grit of it all. I still get a few messages here and there from folks thanking me for helping them through a TC interview and securing a TC, or someone passing an AC and getting into a vac scheme
and maybe that is all worth while.
Just wanted to encourage you reading this. Your journey could be completely different, and could take you on a HUGE roundabout. But even in this job market - you will be OK. Your journey might look different from the person to your left and right but so long you keep walking you're OK.
I think I made my last post about 3 or 4 years ago. I'm ex-army, law degree. Applied for a SC after applying to 40 firms. After a firm kindly took me on, the war in Ukraine broke out.
I was moved. I was humbled. I jumped on a one way ticket to Ukraine from where I was working, in the townships of SA. I stayed in Ukraine for a long time ... saw the horrors of war. Helped hundreds of refugees make their way to safer areas in the West. Brought food to families. Sourced clothes. Hugged a ton of mothers who had clutched knives until they reached the border (and then finally dropped them at our aid station because they were no longer threatened by traffickers). We identified traffickers and reported them to police. We distributed aid ... the days never stopped and the list of things we could do never shrank.
My perspective changed. My life changed - I later moved to Kenya/Ghana and spent the remainder of my time there, working with local churches and communities to grow local talent and to help young people develop.
Now I'm back in the City. Just passed SQE 1. After 4 years in what I would consider the reality of human suffering (war, famine, drought areas), coming back into law is eye opening for me and I'm still learning ... every day. There's good you can do and good you can achieve with the folks around you.
I just want to encourage you that like many of you I'm an international student who never thought he could do too much until the world came and showed me that if I put my hands to something meaningful, someone can have a bit of a better life. And for me, that was, and is, enough.
About to head into the City in September proper to begin work, and I really, sincerely wish ALL of you all the best. my DMs are open for you if you need advice, thoughts, or even a prayer.
Lots of love
Jony
The old folks here might remember me - used to hang around these parts almost 4 years ago, giving advice to people on the application process. And the grit of it all. I still get a few messages here and there from folks thanking me for helping them through a TC interview and securing a TC, or someone passing an AC and getting into a vac scheme
and maybe that is all worth while. Just wanted to encourage you reading this. Your journey could be completely different, and could take you on a HUGE roundabout. But even in this job market - you will be OK. Your journey might look different from the person to your left and right but so long you keep walking you're OK.
I think I made my last post about 3 or 4 years ago. I'm ex-army, law degree. Applied for a SC after applying to 40 firms. After a firm kindly took me on, the war in Ukraine broke out.
I was moved. I was humbled. I jumped on a one way ticket to Ukraine from where I was working, in the townships of SA. I stayed in Ukraine for a long time ... saw the horrors of war. Helped hundreds of refugees make their way to safer areas in the West. Brought food to families. Sourced clothes. Hugged a ton of mothers who had clutched knives until they reached the border (and then finally dropped them at our aid station because they were no longer threatened by traffickers). We identified traffickers and reported them to police. We distributed aid ... the days never stopped and the list of things we could do never shrank.
My perspective changed. My life changed - I later moved to Kenya/Ghana and spent the remainder of my time there, working with local churches and communities to grow local talent and to help young people develop.
Now I'm back in the City. Just passed SQE 1. After 4 years in what I would consider the reality of human suffering (war, famine, drought areas), coming back into law is eye opening for me and I'm still learning ... every day. There's good you can do and good you can achieve with the folks around you.
I just want to encourage you that like many of you I'm an international student who never thought he could do too much until the world came and showed me that if I put my hands to something meaningful, someone can have a bit of a better life. And for me, that was, and is, enough.
About to head into the City in September proper to begin work, and I really, sincerely wish ALL of you all the best. my DMs are open for you if you need advice, thoughts, or even a prayer.
Lots of love
Jony
