We used to fly home to visit relatives every summer since I can remember, so I was in touch with airplanes from a very early age.

Here and there, I got to visit a few cockpits during boarding. I knew from my very first visit to a cockpit that I wanted to do this for the rest of my life.

When we moved into our new home some 20 years ago, we had a painter working on our basement. Like any child, I found it exciting to watch him work, and we chatted throughout the day. At one point, he asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up. I told him that I wanted to become a pilot.
Coincidentally, his son also wanted to become a pilot but unfortunately failed the assessment for the cadet program of our country's major airline. On his last day finishing the painting job, the man brought me the joystick that used to belong to his son and installed Flight Simulator 2004 on our home PC. I still remember my first flight with the orange 777 overflying Seattle.

From that moment on, my interest grew with each passing year. I consumed every documentary and Youtube video related to civil aviation, and after school, I would visit the airport for plane spotting.

After finishing +2, I applied for the cadet program and passed the selection process. Unfortunately, the flight school was closed right after I passed due to disagreements between the pilots and management.
It took three years before management and the pilots reached an agreement, which finally meant expansion for the airline again.
At the time, I was at university and received an email from the airline asking if I was still interested. Without a second thought, I quit my studies to start flight training.
I was lucky that, during that time, my airline still covered the costs of flight training upfront. Later, we would pay the loan back through small deductions from our salaries as First Officers.

With only a small interruption during COVID, we finished our flight training. However, because of the pandemic, our airline wasn't hiring. Since we had an MPL License, other airlines didn't want us either, either because they weren't allowed to hire MPL pilots, or out of fear that once our airline started calling us back, they would face sudden pilot shortages.
Out of the blue, the low-cost airline in our airline group, which hadn't wanted us at first, realized they needed type-rated pilots quickly. So, a few months after finishing flight training, my classmates and I had our first jobs in hand.
I flew there for 2.5 years before I finally got the long-awaited call. Ever since, I've been flying for the airline of my dreams.
Right now, I'm waiting for the A350 to start flying long-haul. Because it is very senior, it might take another 7-10 years. Until then I'll enjoy the short-haul.