[I wrote this blog in office as I was packing. So I have attached the latest picture - taken at 8:45 p.m just as I left office]
Transitions are not always an easy time. A few pictures to show how I feel as I leave my office of two years to the other location. Though I used to spend more time in the location I will be based at, it is still strange to leave this home base, people I am used to seeing quite often and some whom I will hardly get to see again unless we make an effort to keep in touch. Strangely, my neighbour also shifted to her new position today and so it is completely empty here.
As I packed my things, I found back files and papers which depicted my first interactions with people and found back some documents which triggered some fond memories. So I carry these fond memories in two bags back home. Like about 100 files from IMD who are all there for fond memories and still need to be sorted out, I add a couple of more bags from 2 years.
It is also funny to see your space which you had given your own stamp (mine was cluttered and dirty and had papers spread all over), suddenly taking an anonymous look. I kept the Calimero there for very very long - almost as if I did not want to take it away from here.
My frequent Friday call came just as I was feeling down and arranging papers. He put the things in perspective - "When you were in this job you hated everything about this place in the last few months and the people were tough and now that you are leaving this place, you say you are going to miss the people and are sad". I think this is just an indication of how things changed in the last few weeks compared to 2008.
We also talked about how it took me time to get over leaving IMD and Lausanne - talking to him reminded me of the number of times I visited Lausanne back in 2007 and it made me think about the speed with which I used to book the tickets back then and wondered why I still have not done it though we have been talking about it for a couple of weeks now.
The Calimero is one that is going travelling. So I packed all alone in the whole building, as is fitting since I used to stay long after some people at times of the year. When I left Lausanne I had a few friends to share the sorrow with. Here, as I packed alone, doubts about the new job and my ability to handle the new job stood as I slowly packed away my secure base - forlorn, anxious and alone.
So here I say GoodBye to a seat that I doubt I will see ever again - yet, friendships will remain and relationships will remain. These are things that are forged forever - whatever transitions might have taken place over the last 2 years even in these relationships, I think the fundamental feeling and foundation that were forged will remain and perhaps develop into something that even stands the test of times and challenges.
and just as I left...