Where they are now….by Guyan Weerasinghe

Source:Brisbane 4EB Sri Lankan Newsletter – Dæhæna – July 2021

In his own words, “Guy is the husband to Celestine, father to Elliott, has another bub on the way, and is the personal slave to two cats. When that unicorn known as spare time comes along, he likes to take photos of birds and go camping. He currently lives in Darwin, NT, but will be returning to QLD in the very near future.”

Just to address the elephant in the
room – “My particular professional interests are in Public Health (think bird flu and SARS), epidemiology and Veterinary teaching” So, I wrote that sentence over a decade ago in Dæhæna – and hoo boy haven’t some of those themes become relevant recently?
In those 11 years since I wrote that little article, I’ve completed my degree in Veterinary Science (ticking that box of getting that honorarium of “Dr” before my name), completed a Masters in veterinary public health, became a US-recognised specialist in Veterinary Preventive Medicine, worked in a range of locations as a veterinarian, got married, had a kid, and now work for the Government in the field of Biosecurity and exotic animal disease surveillance across northern Australia. To quote Farmer Hogget from Babe – “That’ll do pig”
Which is pretty much the theme of what I’m keen to write on – when is it enough?

I don’t ever remember anyone having that chat about what the end goal was – job security? A decent salary? A family? Unlimited smashed avo on toast?
I just find it funny that I’ve spent the better part of my life forever chasing career goals to suddenly be on the other side to go “wait up, is this what makes me sleep well at night?” Cause in the end, it’s not the number of degrees I have nor the number of committees I have chaired. It’s those little moments of day-care drop offs/pickups, the secret hope that I’ll finally cook a meal that will be eaten in its entirety by a toddler, or the sweet joy of walking in the outback and appreciating the wonder of our unique wildlife. To paraphrase comedian
Hamish Blake, at some point in my life, I’ll be 80 and would likely pay

Just to address the elephant in the room – “My particular professional interests are in Public Health (think bird
flu and SARS), epidemiology and Veterinary teaching” So, I wrote that sentence over a decade ago in Dæhæna – and hoo boy haven’t some of those themes become relevant recently? In those 11 years since I wrote that little article, I’ve completed my degree in Veterinary Science (ticking that box of getting that honorarium of “Dr” before my name), completed a Masters in veterinary public health, became a US-recognised specialist in Veterinary Preventive Medicine, worked in a range of locations as a veterinarian, got married, had a kid, and now work for the Government in the field of Biosecurity and exotic animal disease surveillance across northern Australia.
To quote Farmer Hogget from Babe – “That’ll do pig” Which is pretty much the theme of what I’m keen to write on – whenis it enough? I don’t ever remember anyone having that chat about what the end goal was – job security? A decent salary? A family? Unlimited smashed avo on toast?
I just find it funny that I’ve spent the better part of my life forever chasing career goals to suddenly be on the other side to go “wait up, is this what makes me sleep well at night?” Cause in the end, it’s not the number of degrees I have nor the number of committees I have chaired. It’s those little moments of day-care drop offs/pickups, the secret hope that I’ll finally cook a meal that will be eaten in its entirety by a toddler, or the sweet joy of walking in the outback and appreciating the wonder of our unique wildlife. To paraphrase comedian Hamish Blake, at some point in my life, I’ll be 80 and would likely pay

an infinite amount of money to relive these enriching moments than the academic/career/financial pursuits we usually raise on a pedestal as the end goal.
I fully acknowledge that I’m Guy-splaining what most Millennials and Gen Z kids already know, but to the parents of those generations – let them smell those roses.