First, failure is neither a gift, nor does it suck. It just is, there is no good or bad. If something doesn’t work, change it, try it again. You would think IDers would understand that fact.
Next, as a potential employer, I really don’t give two rat craps on why you are a better person or why your trip wherever was awesome. All I care about is, What’s in it for me? You need to explain to me how that stuff will improve my life as your employer. How will you improve my bottom or top line in my business. Again, improving lives is the purpose of design and your job as a designer. Apply that to your employer.
Also as a potential employer, I won’t blame you for not landing a design job in the last two years. Shit happens. I understand that. Anyone who doesn’t is a prick and you probably won’t want to work for them. But as with everything in life, the more you do it, the better you get, the less you do it, the worse you get. I certainly expect you to show me fresh stuff in you portfolio, real client or not (and actually, the reality of the client need never come up). It shows me at least two things, you are committed to the idea of design and your continuous work in design will improve your skill in design.