seems like I'm back with another one of these unbearable blogs. Doh! The last time I had to stop at some point in time, because it took just too much time and effort. I was basically not getting enough sleep. I have to warn you now though. This time it's gonna last...
What's it about anyway?
I have been with the same multinational company for nearly half my life (you're right, that's exaggerated). I joined these guys some 16 years ago (to be exact, on January 5, 1998) as a student trainee. I have been with them ever since. I am a fully employed IT consultant as part of their services line of business since April 2001. To be exact again, I started as a software developer specialized in Java/JEE, Web Content Management, Portals. I became an IT Architect in 2004 and have been working in lots of projects in this regard since then. In July 2013 I did not only finish my Project Management Certification just for fun (and to annoy my consulting colleagues). As part of an international leadership development program my company sent me to Argentina to work there for four weeks in a completely unknown environment with an unknown client on an unknown mission. Challenging, stimulating, mind-blowing...
I've been living a consulting lifestyle for my whole working life. This means, that I was basically a professional traveler. I did not stay in any place for more than 4 days for the last 13 years. My weekly routine includes leaving on early Monday mornings to catch a plane or train to some project location somewhere in my home country or elsewhere in Europe. I stay there in a hotel (and yes, I damn well make sure, that it is at least a 4 star one and that I get there first class, because it's my temporary home and everyone wants their home to be nice). I come back to my apartment on Thursdays (viz. usually on Thursdays; sometimes it was a Monday to Friday job). While being away I usually work like there is no tomorrow (because what else would you want to do being away from home?). On average I worked 9 to 8 through all these years. I did my 'administrative work' on weekends in my spare time. I did further work-related things after I came back to the hotel from my project work (learning, mentoring, certifications). I had between 260 and 360 hours overtime every year (i.e. I worked 14 months in a 12 months period). I developed a routine of doing my laundry on Fridays, ironing and packing my suitcase in 1.5hrs on Sundays to leave again on Monday. There was never enough time for my friends. There was never enough time for my family. There was never enough time for a relationship. In short: I was obsessed with work. I actually still am.
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| My TripIt travel statistics since Dec 14, 2009 |
Why did I do this? To be quite frankly, I don't have the slightest clue.
It is not about the money. Yes, I am earning above average, but it is not in the least enough to compensate me for the disadvantages of this lifestyle. I didn't have the time to make any use of the money I earned anyway. I had to have portable (i.e. inexpensive) hobbies. There is no use for a car in my life (because when would I use it?). There were times, where I didn't even have my own apartment (i.e. one that wasn't paid by my company). I was basically a well paid migratory worker, sort of a 'rich' hobo.
I worked this much, because it was fun, because I liked it, because I wanted to learn, I wanted to try out things, I wanted to be challenged, I wanted to lead, I wanted to know, I wanted to share the knowledge, I wanted to give advice to the unknowing and mentor them, I wanted to give back. It all contributed to some kind of inner gaming score, that I got when my manager gave me a 'Service Excellence Award' or sent me to a nice event or when colleagues said 'thank you'. I was very passionate about my work.
So while I was earning high scores over the years, my friends went out with other friends (not with me of course) to go for a beer and to party. They met the women of their lives. They married and had babies. Right now all of my friends and part of my siblings have families with one or two kids.
I am 38 going on 39 and I didn't do anything the like. What did I do, while people were living? I worked! What is the actual achievement? I contributed to an increase of my company's share price from 52.50 EUR in January 1998 to a dazzling 133.58 EUR today. I mean: YAY! That is quite something, isn't it? ... No, it's not! It is of no value for me and my personal life.
All of this dawned on me, when I was in Argentina in July and August of 2013. I came back to Europe in late September. I worked through 5 more months of hard project work.
Now I'm leaving it all behind. Things just have to change. I applied for a 6 months sabbatical with an option for extension by 6 more months of unpaid leave of absence. I am very grateful, that my sabbatical was approved.
So that's what this blog is about: my sabbatical... and of course I will spent at least part of the time of my sabbatical in Argentina. I promise, that most of my very rare blog entries will read something along the lines of: "Sitting on the balcony having a nice glas of Malbec... or two... or five..."
