Travelling is not always easy

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Travelling is not always easy

Packing up and moving to another country is no picnic in the park. At first you only have stars in your eyes, partly with the excitement of doing something that few of your friends have done, and part because of the flattering remarks of your new employer, who just can’t wait to have you join their exciting new team. The contract arrives via e-mail, as is the practice in today’s business world. “Wow”, you remark; “they will be paying for our flight-tickets, give us 2 weeks’ free accommodation and look after our visas!” You are completely oblivious to the fact that it’s a one way ticket. How could anyone refuse such a great opportunity to travel around the world, and earn a little something while doing so?

We seem to be living in a world that places great value on the ability (and desire) to travel. I can count the number of friends on my one hand who have decided to make their birth place their home without seeing at least 2 other continents.

I take full responsibility for my decision to relocate. I will not blame this on my husband, who was pretty happy in his job, and quite content on following me wherever I wanted to go. No wait, maybe I do blame him a bit for not putting his foot down and making me think about this life altering decision before just jumping on the first ship that sailed by; off to another country that I’ve only read about. But it’s a bit late to play the blame-game anyway, so let’s just park that thought for now.

In a moment of boredom and uncertainty at my current job, I decided to look on their global careers website. I posted my resume for a position in Sunny Australia, without really thinking that I would get a response. A week later, a response came through: “we would really like to talk to you about the wonderful career opportunities in this wonderful country of Australia!” My husband (indifferently) says I should have a chat to them and see what they say. One chat turned into 4 chats and a signed contract in about 3 weeks. Before I knew it, I was applying for a passport in my new married name and having meetings with shipping companies on the cost of packing up my house and waving bon voyage to my newly acquired belongings.

Within a month of signing the now dreaded contract, I had made appointments for moving the contents of my house; made arrangements for temporary accommodation for the month that I will be “homeless” and was patiently waiting for my passport to being the visa-process.

All in all, the arrangements took less than 3 months - half the time and effort that was put in to my wedding a year before the move. Looking back at this, I realise what a huge mistake it was. Spending 6 months in preparing for one day saying ‘I do” in front of 80 people on a wonderful summers-day in a beautiful garden setting versus 3 months preparation for a 2 year commitment away from family and friends in a new country. Yes, I now spot the error in my calculations.

The month before departure was an emotional one saying goodbye to friends, family and work-colleagues. Why is it that we also only say how much we appreciate each other when we know that they will no longer be there? I only found out that I was a valued worker once my resignation was on the desk and signed off. I only found out how much my sister really cared for me once I was on the plane and reading the “good luck and good bye” card. I only realised what a true friend I had standing at the airport crying on his shoulder.

All of this was numbed a bit by the excitement of landing in sunny Australia and having a 2 week holiday before settling in at work.

A really stressful 2 week “holiday” consisting of applying for bank accounts and credit cards, finding a place to stay, buying a car and trying to figure out which way is North in this upside down country.
It’s been 4 months since that 2 week holiday, and I’m in desperate need of another one. I started to research possible locations for this holiday, looking at each location with my little criteria checklist: 1) need to be able to relax; 2) need to have a wide variety of activities nearby; 3) need to be someplace warm. Just looking at all the options exhausted me, then it suddenly dawned on me - I just need to stay home for once!

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