Sara starts work today, and so this morning, after being a student for 1 year, she had to dig up her corporate clothes and get dolled up as she reports to duty after 1 year away doing her masters. My baby is so beautiful

Today is my last day working for my current Employer, a company I have worked at for almost 8 years. When I started working here, it was owned by somebody else, and in fact it has changed owner twice since I have been here. I have gone through 9 different business cards, with changes in both company name and title, I have changed office addresses 3 times, and I have changed desks more than anybody else in this office for sure. There was even a time when I didn’t have a desk, just my belongings locked up in a cupboard, as I was traveling for close to 2 years in total, back to back. This is the end.

I’d like to wish all my ex co-workers the best in all their lives, both at work and at home. I thank you for bearing with me over the years, and I hope that you will always be in the best of health and happy in your lives.

God bless and goodbye

For those of you who don’t already know, I am changing jobs soon. My last day is on the 17th of April, and then I am flying to Melbourne for 3 weeks before I start my new job. Over the last few weeks, I have been clearing the work assigned to me, handing over tasks, and today I sent emails to my clients informing them of my departure and thanking them for their support and kindness over the past few years. I have been in this company since January 2nd, 2001, and I must say, it has taken me to places I never would have gone myself. My first overseas assignment was in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam way back in 2003. And then I traveled to Jakarta, Hanoi, Phnom Penh, Dhaka, Colombo, Lahore, Karachi, Beijing, Shanghai, Ulaanbaatar and Seoul.

Some trips were short, a few days, and others in total was almost 2 years. When I wrote the farewell email to some of the clients I was filled with such fond memories of their warm hospitality. If I had to rank the best place I was ever sent to, I would say it was Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The winters were bitterly cold, yes, but it was a place where I made many good friends, and did some amazing things like rode a camel and spent the whole day horseback ridding tending sheep! I met so many people, Malaysian Auditors, Russians businessmen, Irish Social workers, Mongolian Bankers, friends all.

My second favorite place? It would be Vietnam for sure. Both Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi are nice, but I enjoyed HCM better. The awesome food, the nice people, the time spent with Sara there. The adventures! The 3 hour motorbike ride to Vung Tao. Something I will never forget!

Saying good bye is never easy. I have invested so many years of my life into this company, and though it may seem that I am excited to go, I do leave with a heavy heart. 7 years 4 months of my life. I can remember my first day here, I can remember the good times, the though times, all memories I will bring with me.

I am at work now. Arriving yesterday, leaving tonight and I have to come into the office to do my claims and meet with my boss for a while. I forgot to pack my laptop power supply in my bag today, and my old laptop only lasts 20 minutes without power, had already turned itself off. I am using the PC attached to the scanner in my office for a while. Hehe. Feel so tired and sleepy even though I slept allot yesterday. Its the timezone differences thats hard to take, being in different timezones for a few hours doesn’t give you a whole lot of time to addapt. Anyhoo, back to work.

I am almost done here for Trip 1 to Bangladesh. I am leaving tomorrow night and leaving for Pakistan a few hours after that. I have a very tight schedule as you can see. I think I am getting too old for traveling as much as I do now. I feel tired, irritated, and all I can think of is home. I know I am weeks away till I can enjoy the true comfort of my bed, but its ok. Thus is the life I lead now. I worked everyday for the last 7 days, including Saturday and Sunday, earning me 2 replacement days off. What a life eh?