I decided not to have a family and gave up my unfulfilling 15-year career in finance to travel the world with Doctors Without Borders

• Rodney Miller quit a career in finance after 15 years. He wanted to find something more fulfilling.
• He joined Doctors Without Borders and has lived in regions most other people never travel to.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Rodney Miller. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I worked in banking and finance for 15 years.

Over time, I became bored with the corporate world and decided I wanted to do a job that made a more positive contribution to society and had some meaning. I realized I'd always enjoyed traveling and meeting people from different cultures, so I started looking at roles with nongovernmental and humanitarian organizations.

I thought it might be a good path for me and a good way to make a difference. I was also in my late 30s and had settled down with a long-term partner, though I never wanted to take the traditional path of getting married and starting a family. I applied to join Médecins Sans Frontières, or Doctors Without Borders.

I was lucky enough to be accepted and flew to the head office in Paris to be trained in project administration and management. I had no idea where my first assignment would be, but during my training, I was told I would be sent to Pakistan and was due to start in two weeks.

Since joining MSF, I have worked in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Syria, South Sudan, and Yemen

When I moved, adjusting could be tough; most of my postings were in places with security concerns, so we often lived in compounds and had limited movement.

At times, I have experienced a bit of cabin fever. But I've learned that if you take things in stride, make an effort with those around you, and focus on why you're there, it's an incredibly rewarding experience.

Each project has a truly international group coming together with locals to assist people in need, so even when we've been confined to compounds, we always had a good time.

My family was worried about me being sent to regions in conflict

Because I worked in financial services for 15 years, my parents never expected me to quit and take up a role like this.

At first, they were concerned for my financial future, as these assignments don't pay much. But when they discovered the places I'd be going, they seemed to quickly forget about the finances and were worried about me having a future at all.

However, things can often seem far more dangerous from afar, based on their portrayal in the media. That's not to say there aren't awful events happening globally, but MSF works incredibly hard to reduce the risk as much as possible for its staff.

Some assignments are more challenging than others

While stationed in Ethiopia, we were living in tents inside a refugee camp, running temporary primary-healthcare facilities while trying to set up a more permanent base and shelter for ourselves. The conditions were very basic, and it was extremely challenging to get by.

But being so close and connected to the projects' beneficiaries was a fantastic experience and highlighted one of MSF's core ideals, "proximity." It gives you great insight into what happens daily and increases your acceptance by the community you want to help, rather than being seen as people who just come in and out, do a job, and then go home.

One of the more interesting things I've had to do on assignment is negotiate with the general of a rebel group

I was tasked with negotiating access for MSF to rebel-held areas in a volatile region. Depending on which side you were on and your perspective, the general was either a tough negotiator bringing order to a lawless place or a war criminal responsible for torture and murder.

We met at an army compound in the evening, and my team and I were incredibly nervous. However, the meeting went well and concluded with an invitation from the general to stay the night. Given that he had survived multiple assassination attempts against him, we declined the invitation and returned to our compound.

As it turned out, within a year, an assassination attempt succeeded.

There have been some other close shaves that can make locals think we are reckless

Once, when heading to our base from an airport, we passed through an area just hours before an explosion. My manager called several times to make sure we had arrived safely. There have been several times I've heard bombs go off nearby.

Locals often think we are out of our minds to voluntarily live in places they're actively trying to flee. A local staff member in Yemen was lamenting that he would give anything to be able to leave the country. Then he looked at me and said, "Only you crazy ex-pats run towards these places while the rest of us are trying to run away, but that's why we love MSF so much and why the people of Yemen will never forget you."

It's comments like those that make this so rewarding.

I have learned so much from this experience

No matter where you go, people are people. There are no inherently bad groups of people based on any nationality, tribe, race, or religion. Yes, there are always bad people in every society.

Still, as in the Western world, most people just want a safe and secure place to live with enough opportunities and resources to raise a family, be happy, and lead a dignified life.

After working for so long on several projects, I am finally returning to live in my hometown of Melbourne, Australia, in July. Of course, my parents are excited and ask whether this is a sign that I might finally get married and give them grandchildren.

I just laugh — but hey, never say never.