Not too sure about the beetle, I'll let others enjoy that delicacy. The story of your friend James is a good lesson for so many. It shows that if you make the sacrifice to obtain your goals or dreams it will work out. It may take you a little longer, but the satisfaction of having done the work to get there yourself and you value your education more.
You were featured in week 46 of @pifc's Pay It Forward Curation Contest by @zorank. @pifc is a Pay It Forward Community which believes in by helping others grow we build a stronger community. We run this contest each week, it is open to everyone. It's a great way to show off people you find that might need some more exposure or meet new people.
Absolutely. And if you are not uneasy or challenged along the way, you will not grow in the pursuit of the goal. To me that growth is more important than the goal itself.