Good-bye Pakistan

When expats fly-out at the end of their Pakistan mission it usually involves an early departure time. Leaving the house for the airport at 5:30 a.m., they slip-out quietly (usually) and there is no final farewell. Although meeting in the future is unlikely, instead of heartfelt good-byes the theme is a more casual “good luck, and maybe see you at another mission.” This low-key departure suits me just fine.

My time in Pakistan has provided me with a truly epic adventure. As my stay comes to a close the way I’m feeling is comparable to how I have felt at the conclusion of my other big endurance events, like racing in an Ironman triathlon are going through the Chartered Accountancy program. In all these situations I’ve been glad that I did it, pleased with the result, and very, very relieved when it ended. In this situation, I had to undertake some dramatic life changes to make this adventure happen and it’s nice to reach the end knowing without a doubt that it was worth it.

Working with Medecins Sans Frontieres has been a major part of my positive experience. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I got involved with MSF, but it has certainly exceeded my expectations in terms of its professionalism and effectiveness in working in challenging situations. No organization is perfect, but MSF certainly does a lot of things right. I’ve considered it a privilege to have been part of the MSF team.

Now my MSF mission in Pakistan has finally coming to and end. Over the past year I’ve seen close to a hundred expats come and go and for a while it felt like I would never leave. However, I have finally reached the end of an incredible year. Tomorrow morning it will be my turn to arise early and quietly depart. I’m on my way home.