Season 1: Life takes a turn around

Chapter 3: Currents and Chronicles: Embracing the Eldorian Experience

By the time I emerged to the new flat in Eldoria, the sun was coming up and shining bright yellow on everything I looked was another day. This was not your normal cup of coffee – which, for some peculiar reason, left me drowsy – so I decided to crisp myself up with some water and a warm mug of hot chocolate to break the monotony of the day. Cocoa smell was a small consolation among some novelties I experienced at work.

He had found work to be such an thrilling experience, rapidly. Apprenticeship is one of the most significant academic experiences I ever have in my whole learning process so it goes without saying that my apprenticeship as an electrician in Eldoria was not only a job but the immersion in the world of difficult challenges and ideas. Every project was a new problem, a new Oriental game, and I was soon to find out that the world of engineering here was as full of variations as it was interesting. My co-workers were friendly and any success was so sweet that the days seemed to go by in a blur of wires and diagrams.

One day, in the middle of the work week, amidst the schedule which went from meeting to meeting, Gallagher, ever the tourist's friend when it comes to all things Eldorian, proposed that I join him to a university class. Gallagher was performing a course on the historical past of Eldoria, and it was a prospect I could not miss an opportunity to enhance my knowledge on this intriguing extraterrestrial world. He assured me that he was going to educate me while having quite some fun in the process.

The following day, which was August 21st, 2023, woke to cool and sunny morning. Leaving our normal work schedule and engaging in a morning of academics created an added buzz to the day. Skyline, a helpful colleague who was also my friend and who also had concern in knowing the culture of Eldoria agreed to accompany me in the class. I never thought there will come a day that I will go ride on a car from Skyline and the model we rode was a luxurious car that glided through the cute streets of Eldoria.

The university campus was still active. People – the students who are predominantly locals with a good number of internationals – moved to the buildings and cafes with energy bringing a vibrant lively feel which was both infectious and warm. Statues and mural paintings displayed scenes of the history of Eldoria, and the atmosphere was full of enthusiasm of the youth and the desire for knowledge.

Gallagher arranged to meet us at the main entrance of the university; he was very energetic. 'Are you ready for a bit course of the Eldorian history?' he smiled in anticipation.

"Definitely" I said, fairly feeling my adrenaline rise. This was not just about attending a class; it was about synthesising myself into the fibre of what it was to be an Eldorian.

It was a lecture hall with a high vertical usable space with central wooden parquet paneling with close to a hundred students and a few causal visitors. The professor was a scholar with a rather impressive beard that would compete for the title of the largest in any self-respecting human population, and he was going to tell us about the dynasties of Eldoria. He was a good speaker and telling about major ancient heroic legends and historical characters, stirred my imagination.

The story that I found really interesting was about the Architect of Shadows, who was believed to built secret doors and secret rooms all over Eldoria. As the story goes the secrets of these structures were not just in its design but surrounded the structures were such powerful artefacts that one could shift reality. The existence of hidden rooms beneath the surface of the city, unseen by the societies' ordinary members, was fascinating but somewhat menacing.

As the lecture went on, Skyline and I took our notes and occasionally looked at each other we clearly both love the subject. Most of the morning I spent in sessions and discussions, which gave me new concepts and, of course, helped to understand the uniqueness of the culture of Eldoria. I realised the city had become part of me in relation to my work, and every day experiences or interactions.

Summers came, which meant that each one of us had to be free from our academic obligations by noon. And so Skyline and I got back to the company, namely gisting about the morning's exposition. From being a student to a professional of the engineering field was quite smooth and eventful. Taking time off from the normal chores was special; such a chance to learn something as mind boggling as Eldorian history.

By noon and back to the office by 12.30 pm, the place was stirring with the midday activity. This was the sound of phones ringing, keyboards typing with people writing emails, or letters or memos, and energetic cheers now and then. And that was all that was needed, after a couple of hours of smoking and drinking, Skyline and I settled back to work with a new energy. Not only has the half day at school not been boring for once it had been inspirational at that!

This suggests that our work that afternoon was energised with new ways of seeing or new ideas. Doing this, I attack one of the most challenging types of wiring problems, remembering the stories about Eldorian invention that we were taught. I also talked to Skyline about the possibility of using some elements of Eldorian culture in our work, how we could improve our engineering assignments while taking inspiration from their culture.

The evening thought reminded me about the quite mixed, definitely an 'on the edge of normal' life I have in Eldoria. It ranged from understanding complex electrical installations to being part of the exotic world of Eldorian history every day was a discovery. With Gallaghers guidance I had had access to the things that I did not expect and each time it somehow gave me a new perspective into this mesmerizing city.

By evening I was back in my flat doing what all good employees do – starring at the television set after a hard day at work. In my opinion, it had to be the warmth, which I received after having a cup of hot chocolate for breakfast after this day of discovering and learning.

I was discovering, gradually, that Eldoria was not a place one went to for a wage; it was a theatre of opportunities for the adventurer, the discoverer, the learner and the happy enjoyer of small joys. Accompanied by Gallagher and Skyline, I was quite ready to turn to the new chapter in the book of my experiences in Eldoria and be sure I was going to paint this picture of my new life every day with the new color.