When I was 15

This piece is to celebrate LinkedIn's 15th birthday as I was prompted to share what I wanted to be when I was 15.

When I was 15, I wanted to be a chess champion. I was very good in theory and strategy; my mind was so crystal clear that I could easily play 6 - 8 games simultaneously. Playing blind was a bit challenging but I could handle moderate players. I won several prizes - never had a chance to compete in a national tournament.

When I was 15, I wanted to play better table tennis, well I did improve but not much. I mostly blame inadequate training and lack of equipment; my racket was mediocre, shoes were not at par - never had good sneakers during my secondary education, wasn't affordable for middle-class kids like me. Are those days back - checking on Nike and Adidas at stores - bitterly priced, aren't they!

When I was 15, I wanted to travel around the world, I was fascinated with maps - and that I did, first as a tour guide, later as a conference interpreter and recently as an entrepreneur. From Antarctica to the Arctic Zone, and from New York to Sydney my travels taught me we are all human in so many colors but yet with so similar wants and needs.

When I was 15, I wanted to know anything and everything, and I assumed I could do that by becoming a scientist. I later realized that I did not have the patience and discipline to do science and my being a traveller and a translator helped me collect information about almost everything and anything. In that regard, I am an achiever.

When I was 15, I had so many dreams; to have a light saber, move objects or people with mind tricks, beam myself to remote locations or speak a pure language of existence which could talk to anything in this universe.

When I was 15, I enjoyed catarsis; one night I was a young priest in a Stendhal novel, next a medieval Turkish rider fighting enemies, later Marco Polo in China, a technician for Wright Brothers or a gardener in A Thousand and One Nights. I had thousand of friends from my readings and they were all so playfull. My dreams knew no limits and I guess that was the beauty of being only 15 years old.

When I was 15, I was stuggling to communicate with my peers. I had the false assumpiton that being clever and knowledgeable made me superior; instead I was argumentative, judgemental and dissmissive. It took me up to my mid twenties to learn how to play low profile and be more open to listen what others may think or feel rather than what I obviosly assumed the better and higher.

Looking back, I feel fortunate to be a good reader and surrouned by so many amazing friends, great teachers and a caring family.

My message to parents: love books, become a habitual reader and so be a role model for your kids. Because good reads make good people.