* * Mohsin Kazmi follows his heart

The current economy hasn’t been kind for recent college graduates. Mohsin Kazmi just finished a degree at Virginia Tech, but he’s chosen a different path than most to begin his working career.

I met Mohsin through my daughter, while they were attending college together. He’s an exuberant, handsome guy, with a magnetic personality. He and I share the love of motorcycles in particular, but we’re both adventure seekers as well. He came by the house the other week to say goodbye as he was moving back to live with his parents in his hometown in New Jersey.

“I am going to help a friend of mine start a rainforest conservation and expedition company that will take people on tours through the Madre De Dios region of the Peruvian Amazon.”

I asked him how he’d come to his decision when I knew he had “real” job offers in the corporate world.

“I started college at California University of Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. I originally wanted to be a veterinarian because I have always had an interest in animals and ecology. The college wasn’t right for me, but I met a zoology professor who profoundly influenced my life. I transferred to Virginia Tech and changed my major from pre-vet to human development. But I kept in touch with that professor who talked me into traveling to Madagascar where she was doing research. It was the first rain forest I’d ever been to, and I’ve been fascinated by rain forests since.

“In the meantime, I worked for a medical company called PDI Healthcare as a marketing consultant. They helped pay my way through Tech.

“During winter break 1-1/2 years ago, I met a man named Paul who was leading small tours in the Amazon. He had been making trips to the Amazon since he was 18. He had a network of knowledgeable indigenous people who help him escort volunteers through the Amazon. I made my first trip there last summer. As a wildlife photographer, it was an invaluable experience to be able to photograph a world I had never imagined seeing.

“I came back and resumed my studies, but I couldn’t get the Amazon off my mind. I found myself talking with Paul about the possibility of working with him. I got a good corporate job offer. But I decided to follow my dream and start a business with Paul to promote his trips and protect the Amazon.”

I wondered out loud when a person should start following his or her dreams. Mohsin said, “If I was telling an adult, I would say, ‘This is the right time.’ If I was telling a 22 year old like me I would say, ‘Any time is the right time.’

“I have seen so many people around me graduate from college and immerse themselves in careers and in raising families. They get sucked into the grind. I couldn’t see myself doing that. I am motivated by my passions and I had to take the risk.

“I found that whenever I had a conversation with a friend, I was always talking about the Amazon. It is the last frontier. There are tribes of people that have had no contact with the outside world. There are animals that have never been studied or catalogued. Part of me likes the danger; there are few support systems. But it is very appealing to me.

“To survive financially, I had to move back home. It was difficult because I love Blacksburg. My parents are first-generation Americans. They’ve always wanted me to be a doctor, lawyer, engineer, or other professional. They’ve given me one year to make this work. To them, I’m still the unemployed son. But they’ve decided it is best to let me follow my dreams and they support me fully in my endeavor.

“People measure success in many ways. One friend is a successful musician. One friend is a successful economist. I think my measure of success will be the stories I’ll be able to tell someday and the acres of rainforest that will still be standing.

“Blacksburg and Virginia Tech had a huge impact on me. Blacksburg is a special place. The most important thing I’ve taken from my Tech experience is an appreciation for the different walks of life on earth. Blacksburg is full of so many incredible people who are also following their dreams in some way. I love the roads and love motorcycling  and have found others who shared this passion (in Virginia). In New Jersey I can’t find people with the same passions. People in Virginia supported me in my dreams. Although I was raised in New Jersey, I feel like Blacksburg is the place where I grew up. I don’t imagine that I will be staying in New Jersey for long if my motorcycle has an opinion on the matter!”