A Metamorphic Odyssey: A memoir of humanity, compassion and empathy

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A Metamorphic Odyssey: A memoir of humanity, compassion and empathy

Monday, 26 October 2020

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In 2003, Nepalese born Ms Moheindu Chemjong fled the armed conflict in her native Nepal to study a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at ECU.

Despite the difficult circumstances in her home country, the MBA helped hone her skills as a researcher, make friends from all over the world and has led to opportunities she never envisaged.

Now, living in the United States with her husband, the School of Business and Law graduate has written a memoir, a story of “humanity, compassion and empathy".

Continued from Alumni News...

After finishing her MBA, Ms Chemjong returned to Nepal where she worked with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) before later working with German development agency Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit. She also worked as a project manager of the UN Joint Migration and Development Initiative.

“Doing my MBA helped me build up my research skills and honed my business communication, which was key when I started working with the International Red Cross.

When people say I have good communication skills I think back to those days at ECU, which really trained me to write and speak well,” explains Ms Chemjong.

In addition to the academic skills, ECU also gave her the opportunity to make friends with people from all over the world.

“I loved socialising with friends from across the world and learning about their cultures and traditions. It was really fun; I still treasure those days,” says Ms Chemjong.

In 2014, Ms Chemjong published her first book Wisdom Pearls, which she describes as a “mini coffee table book” with illustrations and positive affirmations.

A Metamorphic Odyssey is an in-depth exploration of her native Nepal and follows much of her personal journey touching on issues including armed conflict, natural disasters, diversity and inclusion, disability, universal love for mankind and family life.

Ms Chemjong describes the title of the book as a “mouthful”, but one that has personal significance.

“I would say it’s an odyssey because right from when I started my school life until when I finished the book a metamorphosis had taken place.

It was really a journey that I didn’t know I had taken, when I looked back it looked like a journey to me, hence the title,” she says.

While, she never aspired to be a writer growing up, she says reading often and widely as well as practicing your writing has been essential to her success.

She also credits the experienced lecturers and classmates at ECU with what she and many of her former colleagues have been able to achieve.

“I would love to tell the teachers what a wonderful job they’ve done in training us and teaching us, because many of us have gone on to do pretty well in life and in our chosen fields of study. I would really like to say thank you, and hopefully one day I can come back and say thank you in person,” she says. She considers herself fortunate to have graduated from ECU.

A Metamorphic Odyssey is available for purchase online in both paperback and Ebook formats (free with Kindle membership).

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