Now What? Update

It has been almost a month since I finished working at TICH and I've been working hard (well, kind of) at trying to extend this mid-life crisis and avoid returning to the "real world." While there are still plenty of uncertainties there are a few things that are now known:

1) Another VSO placement
Much to my surprise, even before I had left Kisumu VSO Canada had presented me with a possibility of a 9-month placement in Uganda as a financial systems advisor for a regional government. It would have started in mid-September. It looked like a great fit and I said that I was interested. Situated in the town of Masindi, 3-hours north of the capital Kampala, it was remote enough to be interesting but close enough to civilization to be tolerable. I figured that for 9 months I could live just about anywhere. The only catch was that the placement was still tentative and awaiting confirmation of funding. Unfortunately, I learned a few days ago that the placement has been deferred indefinitely.

VSO Uganda then offered me a different 9-month posting in Kibaale as an Organizational Development Officer. This would have involved trying to coordinate spending priorities with numerous small organizations and a volunteer board of directors. It would have also meant riding a motorcycle. Hhmm, I can still hear my Mother telling me that I'm not allowed to be on a motorcycle. I wasn't totally certain that this job would be a great match for my patience level and I suspected that it would be as challenging and about as much fun as herding cats. I decided to decline this position.

There are no other VSO possibilities in the works at this time. Most of their placements are for 2-years which is beyond my availability range. However, I was surprised to receive the Uganda opportunities so I'm not totally counting them out.

2) Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF; a.k.a. Doctors Without Borders)
I have been in communication with Jeni from the MSF Vancouver office and I'm back on their availability list. Of course, this doesn't mean that I will ever get the call from them or, if I do, when the financial controller position would start (they are normally 1-year placements). They know that I'm available now and I'll see how it looks when I get back to Canada. I may give it a couple of months to see if anything happens.

3) Early return to BC Hydro
I have to be careful what I write here just incase someone from work is reading this (hello there, everybody). I would just like to say that nothing would make me happier than to rejoin my outstanding co-workers. All seriousness aside, I suspect that if I want to go back early that something could be found for me to count. I wasn't expecting to return to the same job which is good because since the latest reorganization I don't think my job still exists. I'll be sure to touch base with the greatest boss ever (whomever that may be) upon my return.

4) Bum Around
Its great having flexibility and options. I have some Danish friends living in Hong Kong (Hi Stine & Kristian) who have just bought a houseboat. Maybe after getting back to Vancouver, picking my hockey pool team and doing my laundry I might be able to fit in a road-trip to China. Being in holding pattern with MSF may not make this workable. Alternatively, perhaps this is the winter I buy a ski pass.

Conclusion
I'm quite enjoying not knowing what the next year will bring. However, what I do know is that this chapter of my adventure is soon to come to an end. Now that I know that I won't be working with VSO in Uganda in September there is no need for me to stay in Africa in holding pattern. Its been great travelling around the continent a bit, but I recognize that my endurance for being on the road isn't what it used to be. Therefore, I'll be contacting the VSO Kenya office shortly to arrange my flight back to Canada. I expect to be back in Vancouver by mid-to-late September, seven months since my initial departure.