It’s been a while since I wrote something and it’s not because of the lack of inspiration, it’s just that I haven’t found the words, but I’ve found numbers.
I consider myself very lucky and blessed but to some that doesn’t seem to be a good ‘term’ to describe it and I get their point. I mean, I’ve worked hard and paved my way, but I also think that faith is a force that goes beyond explanation that’s pushed me to keep going and for that, I’m grateful.
I’ve also been on the other side of this situation, when no physical force would get me out of bed. I once was clinically depressed and then George came along and he had a mission with me, he accomplished that mission and then he moved to a new mission with someone else but I’ll always remember the magic Georgie brought to my life and brought me back to life… well, him and antidepressants.
It’s been almost three years since I stopped taking them and it’s been also three years that I’ve been in Ireland, you know the story, came to do my masters, found a job and haven’t left but that’s the short version. In reality, it is way more complicated than that but I’ve never regretted the decision to turn my life around.
In numbers, this is what’s happened so far and what I am looking forward to happen:
1 Masters degree achieved.
4 Irish visas, 3 British visas, 1 Kenyan visa, 1 Schengen visa and a lot of flights and hours at airports and well, a lot of money invested in those visas.
3 years in Ireland and I’ve got a Stamp 4 in my passport. That means I have 2 more years to remain in Ireland and work on any field I’d like. I can then renew it as long as I keep working and well, that’s no brainer… I am committed to do so.
2 amazing dogs, Blue and Harley, that I’ve had the honour to take for walks 3 times a week for the last 2 years.
1 pandemic, 2 hard lockdowns and 4kg gained in muscle (at least that’s what I keep saying to myself :D) thanks Squat Squad and yoga!
2 years and 3 months working in my happy place, UCC. I’m finishing on the 31st of October and then I’ll have 10 days of a break and then a new job on the horizon.
1 last Steerco and 2 more meetings with my current boss and 1 difficult ‘good-bye’. It’s no secret how much I’ve enjoyed working in UCC.
1 relationship of 3 years of friendship (facebook said so) and 2 years and 7 months (to date) of countless laughs, memories and arguments.
1 inspiring sister who’s only 1954 km away from me. She’s now in Madrid, 3 hours by bus to Dublin and then 2 hours by flight. 2nd of November in my calendar. Can’t freaking wait!
1 hard-working mum in the US. Every time I think of her I can’t believe how blessed I am and have been (Only God could be so generous to give me that woman as a mother). Hoping to see her for Christmas, 77 days to go, but who’s counting!
1 guardian angel that will be forever missed.
1 new job, starting the 11/11 with a few new colleagues that I got to meet last night. Must say, I’ve never felt luckier.
I left this last part to the end for a few reasons that I want to elaborate.
I’m moving to a start-up. I’m excited and scared which was the exact same feeling when I made the decision that I wanted to pursue a career/life in Ireland. A start-up is obviously a company, numbers inspired, ‘show me the money’ kind of thing (as the famous Jerry Maguire film said), and last night I got to meet the big boss, the man who owns the company and he delivered a speech that still resonates in my brain because it was like bombs dropping. I mean, I’ve never heard any, but I suppose that’s the feeling. Every time he said something my eyes opened in astonishment but to be honest, what I liked the most was actually how he did it: BULLET POINTS stuff.
"We have… Boom! We are… Boom! We will be getting… Boom!"
You see? I’m a bullet points person. Can’t stand information or ideas that come as paragraphs. TO THE POINT!!!
I’ve got to say that I learned to be like this with my first hardcore boss, Mr. Governor. Three years and four positions, achieving the Direction of the Department that I had started as an assistant... well done me.
So, I hope that’s a good sign to work with this new big boss. I’ll be also working with a familiar face, my dear Cat. She was my supervisor during my work placement that was part of my masters. She believed in me and still does and I could go all ‘impostor syndrome’ here but no, why shouldn’t she believe in me? Why should I doubt myself? We worked together and we were good. And then there is Dirk, my current boss who just a few days ago said to me: “Vanessa, I hope the new company knows what they’re taking from us, from UCC”… Yup, I bawled obviously. Leaving UCC wasn’t an easy decision at all but as I said, I believe in myself (if not me, who?). I believe in chances (if not today, when?) and I believe in numbers... so 11/11, here I come!
You have to be ODD, to be number ONE.
- Dr. Seuss
Photo: Ballycotton cliff (where my new big boss is from) *wink wink*
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