Thursday, January 14, 2010
Adventure Comes to an End...
It has been almost two years since I blogged. I can't believe how quickly that time has gone. The reason being is that Edyn's African Adventure came to an end on March 3, 2008. I was on a work assignment and due to the politics and changing priorities of the team I was on, my assignment was cut short. So much I could say about that, but there is really no point. Suffice to say, I enjoyed my time in South Africa VERY MUCH and was VERY sad to leave. I thought very seriously about staying and if I could have found a job, on par with my current job or not, I would have stayed. It didn't turn out though, and there is a lot of water under the bridge in the past two years.
Below, they are loading my house stuff to ship back to Canada. Very sad day and left me feeling a little adrift.
And of course, being March in Canada when I arrived back, I experienced the joys of late Winter weather...
After many challenges trying to find a job that was well suited to me at my current employer, I ended up taking a job that was offered but that wasn't well suited to my skills or interests. It is still really disappointing that the company I work for, which is fantastic in many many ways, is too short sighted on the HR front to appreciate the talent and investment costs spent on people. After spending a lot of money to have me on an international assignment, the company really didn't care if I left due to lack of opportunity they could offer - when it is a seriously growing company with tons of opportunity. I guess maybe it's okay that I know I bring value, even if they don't.
Things worked out okay though. My sister and her daughter moved back to Canada 3 months after after I did, they live with me, and we have had a great time the last couple of years. Here is Sahara on her first Canada Day...she'd been in Canada a couple of weeks and is 15 months old.
So now, work is work, life is life. South Africa sometimes seems like someone else's life and in less than stellar positive moments, I think about that Jack Nicholson movie and think, "What if that was as good as it gets?" I have a lot of life left if it was. I guess it's up to me to make sure it was a great part of my life but that I continue to have great stuff if life.
After a year in the wrong job, and resigning myself to tolerating work for the next several years because it pays well and I had a lot of time freedom (opportunity to leave early to golf a lot was a big win), a work friend was promoted to start a new team and asked me to come work for her. So, I still get to stay at the company I've been at for 9 years, and the work is much more well suited to me. What's more...I like it and I'm good at it.
By the way...I went back to South Africa a few weeks ago. It was changed but the same. There is a lot of contruction and energy due to World Cup preprations, but the weather is good, food is good, and the people are friendly. For me, it is still the ideal. I look forward to trying to find a way to spend part of my year there every year. I can always dream...stay tuned for an update and pictures on the latest trip.
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