[Closing scene from 'Criminal Minds'; this dialogue struck a nerve for me]
'I'm thankful for my years spent with this family, for everything we shared, every chance we had to grow. I'll take the best of them with me and lead by their example wherever I go. A friend told me to be honest with you, so here it goes:
This isn't what I want, but I'll take the high road. Maybe it's because I look at everything as a lesson, or because I don't want to walk around angry, or maybe it's because I finally understand. There are things we don't want to happen, but have to accept. Things we don't want to know, but have to learn. And people we can't live without, but have to let go.'
29 January 2011
I'm Back!
Well, it's been nearly a year since my last post and I decided to pick this up again as I see my life taking on another transition. I have used this space to post my rant and learnings for my 'immersion' into the UK culture. Now I will use it as my space for my repatriation into the US.
So, my company [whom shall remain nameless] has decided that the UK market is not one that we intend to continue to invest. As such, we are in a 'wind-down' mode of our operations where we transfer our contracts, release our staff, and send the remaining two expats home. All if this will likely require me to be in the UK until the summer [as you would expect, the most frequently asked question is, 'When will you be home?' I've only got one answer: I don't have the foggiest idea.].
I have been here for 3 years and 2 months. Much of my experience is documented in this blog and then also on FB [where you get immediate responses]. I have used this blog as my diary, of sorts. In the last year, I have been consumed with one major client, and therefore, had less time for adventures ... and when I did manage to squeeze them in, less time to document them. Perhaps I'll post them now [I had some really fun times in 2010, despite the obnoxiously long hours and insane client; I'll make a note].
So my thoughts now about living here in London have turned to: I'm leaving soon ... what haven't I done?
Last weekend, I went to the [movie] theatre to see 'The King's Speech" w/Colin Firth. What a fantastic movie! If I would have posted my accolades last weekend, I would have looked 'smart' as the Oscar nominations hadn't come out yet. Nonetheless, make time to see this movie! Anyway, I had never been to a movie in the UK. I am good at watching DVDs, my Sky channels, and something on-line, but I hadn't gone to the theatre. It is a very different experience.
First of all, you are not talking about a locations that is in the middles of acres of land with flashing lights and huge parking lot. There are two theatres in Wimbledon [that I have recognized]. The entrances are on the ground floor of the high street, so you can't see the expanse of the theatres as they are upstairs [on the first floor]. Secondly, there is just a lighted board about 1 metre by 1 metre that lists all of the shows and their times for the week. Hello-? It's a poster. You have to go INTO the theatre to find the posters. So not a whole lot of fan-fare going on outside. AND you have an assigned seat, like you would be going to see a play or ballet or the opera.
Tomorrow: taking the Euro rail to Paris for the day.
So, my company [whom shall remain nameless] has decided that the UK market is not one that we intend to continue to invest. As such, we are in a 'wind-down' mode of our operations where we transfer our contracts, release our staff, and send the remaining two expats home. All if this will likely require me to be in the UK until the summer [as you would expect, the most frequently asked question is, 'When will you be home?' I've only got one answer: I don't have the foggiest idea.].
I have been here for 3 years and 2 months. Much of my experience is documented in this blog and then also on FB [where you get immediate responses]. I have used this blog as my diary, of sorts. In the last year, I have been consumed with one major client, and therefore, had less time for adventures ... and when I did manage to squeeze them in, less time to document them. Perhaps I'll post them now [I had some really fun times in 2010, despite the obnoxiously long hours and insane client; I'll make a note].
So my thoughts now about living here in London have turned to: I'm leaving soon ... what haven't I done?
Last weekend, I went to the [movie] theatre to see 'The King's Speech" w/Colin Firth. What a fantastic movie! If I would have posted my accolades last weekend, I would have looked 'smart' as the Oscar nominations hadn't come out yet. Nonetheless, make time to see this movie! Anyway, I had never been to a movie in the UK. I am good at watching DVDs, my Sky channels, and something on-line, but I hadn't gone to the theatre. It is a very different experience.
First of all, you are not talking about a locations that is in the middles of acres of land with flashing lights and huge parking lot. There are two theatres in Wimbledon [that I have recognized]. The entrances are on the ground floor of the high street, so you can't see the expanse of the theatres as they are upstairs [on the first floor]. Secondly, there is just a lighted board about 1 metre by 1 metre that lists all of the shows and their times for the week. Hello-? It's a poster. You have to go INTO the theatre to find the posters. So not a whole lot of fan-fare going on outside. AND you have an assigned seat, like you would be going to see a play or ballet or the opera.
Tomorrow: taking the Euro rail to Paris for the day.
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