www.faursby.dk

My story

Early Experiences and Challenges

Struggles with Reading and Writing: From a young age, I faced challenges with reading and writing. In elementary school, I found it difficult to connect letters to sounds, and I often had to read each sentence multiple times to grasp its meaning. Reading out loud in class was particularly nerve-wracking; I would guess words and rarely remembered what I had just read. Despite the school's efforts to provide special teaching classes, my progress was slow. It wasn't until much later that I found motivation to read books on subjects of interest. Writing was even more challenging, and I often copied texts from newspapers or books when required to submit papers. These early struggles shaped my resilience and determination to overcome obstacles.

Passion for Golf: My passion for golf began to develop when I was about 11 years old. Although I had been a member of golf clubs for five years, it wasn't until then that I started taking the game seriously. Golf became a refuge where I could be by myself and build my confidence. I participated in beginners' tournaments every Monday, and the golf club's proximity to my elementary school made it convenient for me to spend time there instead of going home. Winning the season tournament, likely due to my consistent participation, was a significant achievement for me. It proved to myself and my family that I was good at something. Golf played a crucial role in my life, providing not only satisfaction but also valuable life lessons. The principles of fair play and sportsmanship became my first set of core values. On the golf course, it didn't matter what one's business or societal position was; it was all about being a proper golfer.

Impact of Parents' Separation: My parents' separation had a significant impact on my daily life. At the age of seven, my mother and I moved to an apartment in a new town, leaving behind my father and older brother. Initially, I would come home from school and wait for my mother to return from work in the evening. Later, some people would look after me between school and my mother's return. Eventually, I suggested taking the bus to my father's house after school to play in the garden. I managed to convince both my parents that it would be better for me to change schools and return to my pre-elementary school. My mother would pick me up from my father's house after work, and eventually, I moved back to live with my father for two to three years. During this time, I was more or less left to do my schoolwork independently, without much supervision. Golf became a significant part of my life, and I spent countless days playing and practicing until it was too dark. The freedom I had during these years taught me to take care of myself and find my own way of living.

Professional Growth and Ethical Dilemmas

Conflict Between Core Values and Company's Goals: At the age of 34, I was working in a distribution company, focusing on optimizing the distribution and supply chain of newspapers to subscribers. During this time, the interest in physical newspapers was declining, leading the company to prioritize cost reduction. The company's process of decentralizing distribution involved annual negotiations with sub-distributors, encompassing quality, costs, administration, salaries, abnormal situations, contingency plans, and IT systems. As someone deeply involved in the process, I contributed my insights and opinions. However, one day I realized that the company's decisions were increasingly devoid of consideration for human consequences. The business felt cold and less collaborative, which conflicted with my core values. This realization marked a turning point, prompting me to seek a new profession.

Coping with Stress and Pressure: During this period, I struggled to cope with the stress and pressure of my job. I was pushing for my views while feeling obligated to assist the company in its direction. Signs of stress emerged intermittently over the years, resulting in poor sleep, inner conflicts, and daily alcohol consumption. Although I didn't consider myself dependent on alcohol, my drinking habits were unhealthy both mentally and physically. Recognizing the unsustainable nature of my lifestyle, I knew I needed a change.

Key Lessons Learned: Navigating these ethical dilemmas taught me crucial lessons. I reached a point where I needed to choose a path: to accept the business game with all its elements or embark on an uncertain journey to unfamiliar places. While the first option could have provided a comfortable life, I chose to pursue my true core values. This decision was driven by a desire to live a life aligned with my beliefs and sense of purpose.

Turning Point and New Beginnings

Leave of Absence and Volunteering in the USA: In the midst of a stressful time, while on sick leave, I was motivated to take a leave of absence and volunteer in national parks in the USA. I hoped that a primitive life would renew my energy and bring new perspective. Sleeping in a tent in nature and working on maintaining trails in some of the greatest natural sites in the USA, such as the Grand Canyon and Canyonlands, provided a much-needed break from the pressures of my previous job.

Rediscovering Myself: This experience helped me rediscover myself. It was all new to me, and I needed time to understand and feel my emotions. Returning from the leave, I found myself back at a desk in the distribution company. Within a week, I wrote my resignation, realizing that I needed a new path. Although I considered continuing to work in nature and even moving back to the USA to become a team leader in the organization I had volunteered with, I eventually chose to take courses in greenkeeping at a golf club. Golf courses had always been a mental safe place for me, and this transition felt aligned with my experiences.

Challenges and Successes in the USA: During my time volunteering in national parks, I faced several challenges, including adapting to a primitive lifestyle and the physical demands of trail maintenance. However, these challenges also brought successes, such as developing a deeper connection with nature and gaining a renewed sense of purpose. The experience allowed me to reflect on my life and career, ultimately leading me to pursue a path that resonated with my core values.

Humanitarian Work and Personal Growth

Impactful Moments: At the age of 40, after years of training with the Danish Red Cross, I volunteered for an organization in Cambodia for three months. This experience provided me with invaluable insights into the lives and struggles of rural Cambodians, working on climate change adaptation in areas affected by both droughts and floods. The following year, I was deployed to the Philippines in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda. My first encounters with disaster relief left a lasting impression on me. In Cambodia, I researched and wrote concept papers for projects, while in the Philippines, I managed a warehouse with relief supplies and coordinated distribution to beneficiaries. Witnessing the suffering and struggles of others put my own issues into perspective, making them seem small and insignificant.

In addition to these deployments, I was also deployed to Sierra Leone during the Ebola outbreak as a Logistics Team Leader. This role further solidified my confidence and demonstrated the Danish Red Cross's recognition of my potential. During this deployment, I coordinated logistics operations at the Ebola treatment centre and worked closely with medical teams and local staff to ensure the efficient delivery of supplies.

A few months later, an earthquake shocked Kathmandu and other parts of Nepal. On this deployment, I took on the task of transportation management of supplies and equipment. Later that year, a deployment took me to a camp for migrants and refugees in Germany for assistance with logistics tasks.

I had a break from humanitarian deployments for about three years until medical logistics support was needed at a field hospital in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Six months later, flooding in Malawi prompted a new deployment to provide logistics assistance. Four months after that, my longest deployment was on the way. It became a 1.5-year mission with a focus on the development of medical logistics capacity and procurement support, with a home base in Damascus, Syria.

Shaping Perspective: These experiences profoundly shaped my perspective on life and the world. Understanding the challenges faced by people in disaster and conflict areas made me realize the privileges many people in Denmark enjoy. No food shortages, no issues accessing clean water, and no barriers to good healthcare. This awareness reinforced my belief in the importance of humanitarian work and advocating for a more just and equitable world.

Key Skills and Values: Throughout my humanitarian work, I developed key skills and values. While I already had a basic understanding of logistics and supply chain management, I needed to adapt these skills to the humanitarian sector. Emergency response operations are dynamic, requiring constant assessment and reassessment, coordination, and adaptability. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) provide guidance, but flexibility is key. The ability to gather information, share insights, make decisions, and adapt to changing circumstances became essential. These experiences also instilled in me a deep sense of empathy, resilience, and the importance of collaboration.

Reflections and Future Aspirations

Influence of Past Experiences: My past experiences have a daily influence on my current values and perspectives. Listening to the news with a humanitarian mindset, I constantly make scenarios and try to predict events. When people talk about peace agreements, I think about access and transportation of supplies. When conflict is mentioned, I consider the plight of refugees. Discussions about the consequences of climate change bring thoughts of food shortages. These experiences have given me a unique perspective and a deep appreciation for the privileges many people in Denmark enjoy.

Advocacy for a Better World: In recent years, I have become more active on social media, sharing my views, analyses, and insights without taking sides in conflicts. As a passive member of the Logistics Emergency Response Unit at the Danish Red Cross, I do my utmost to communicate with empathy and actively listen to others. I truly believe that active listening and empathetic communication are crucial in advocating for a better and more just world.

Future Aspirations: Currently, I plan to continue learning about security procedures and threat prevention. Over the past three years, I have integrated security into my core knowledge. This foundation allows people to live their daily lives without much fear of their existence being disrupted. I remain interested in geopolitical developments and the humanitarian sector, and I am open to applying my security knowledge in future humanitarian deployments. The war in Ukraine and the increasing need for logistics assistance in conflict areas remind me of the importance of this work.