I don't know whether to be flattered or scared, when people comment "you haven't posted anything in a while!" ... either people actually want to know what's going on, or they're excited to see me leave the continent ...
My money is on the latter (kidding).
Earlier this past week I intended to post in frustration. I even had a bunch of really great titles for posts to choose from: "The Trouble with Traveling," "IAEA: Incompetent And Extremely Annoying," "You Can't Always Get What You Want," or quite simply "F.M.L."
None of those titles is appropriate now.
To summarize a long and convoluted story: I e-mailed my employer to-be, to communicate that things at my employer were finally moving and that I had confidence they would be resolved shortly. As such, I was eager to join them in Vienna later that week. To my surprise, they called me shortly thereafter, saying that there was no job for me because they had stopped working on my contract. Why, you ask? Because at the beginning of the month, I had sent them an e-mail saying that the process at my work to go overseas and come back to a job here was taking longer than expected, but no final decision had been made, and that I would keep them posted on my status. Which I did once per week for the next two weeks, eventually culminating in my e-mail saying "I'm ready!"
So very nice of them to contact me by phone or e-mail exactly never, over that three-to-four week period.
The Vienna job felt like the right job, at the right location, for the right personal and professional reasons, at the right time. Too much seemed to "fall into place" for it to be coincidence, I felt. So, for one of the first times in my life, I genuinely contemplated whether or not there was a higher influence at work. Not because I'm somehow favored or special or anything arrogant like that, but the sheer number of things that came together for the application I submitted and the opportunity and the short term offer happened too fast and lined up too well to feel like sheer coincidence. When my work first threw up some roadblocks to my departure with a guaranteed job at the end, I viewed it as a kind of challenge: how strongly did I feel about this? Was I ready to risk not having a job in six months? What would I do?
Ultimately I decided that I was willing to take that chance, bet on myself, and jump into this feet first. It wasn't long after coming to that decision that my work came around and threw their support behind me. Surprise, or influence? I don't know ... and I'm not spending too much brain matter on trying to figure it out.
So, in light of all this reflection and belief, I was rocked back on my heels when the IAEA said there was no contract for me, and that they were looking at other options. I couldn't understand it! It didn't fit with everything above. What was the reason? Was their a reason? What was I missing? I was freaking out, angry, pissed at my work and the UN and the world...
... and I'm not upset anymore. In fact, I stopped being upset that evening. Because I knew I wasn't getting on a plane two days later, so I looked into the amazing apartment I was going to rent.
And figured out that it was a scam. And I would have probably arrived in Vienna with no money in my checking account.
If I was rocked by the UN decision, then that realization positively floored me. I knew that I was rushing with the apartment decision, but I had extensive e-mail contact with this individual and had researched the financial service company that he claimed we'd work through, and it was legitimate. "He" wasn't legitimate, and disguised it well. My anger and frustrations were gone.
And then the next day, the UN got back to me and said that they were targeting a new start date for me in mid-May. That gave me a few weeks to get legitimate housing lined up. It also allowed me to see great friends who were just returning to this country; one of whom was repatriating and had a lot of great advice that I now have time to act on. It also gave me even more time to spend with new friends, socializing and enjoying the nice spring weather.
In short (I know, too late), the delay was the best thing that could have happened. I don't know how, and I don't know why, but things like that just continue to happen. I'm a smart guy, with pretty good common sense, and I just can't describe the questions and the feelings that these occurrences have raised. Hence, the feeling stronger than ever that there are other factors in play besides pure happenstance.
