Well, here's the story. A couple months ago, I was on my way to work when I heard a story on NPR about working conditions in Iraq. I was vaguely interested because it would be good money and I thought it would be a real life-changing experience to work in the middle east.....especially with a war going on. Many of us in the construction industry are freelancers. It makes it easy to leave one job to join another which is pretty much the criteria if you want to work overseas.
I applied for several different jobs, made contacts on the ground in Iraq, and researched the country and the war on a nightly basis. My excitement grew as I saw just how many people were working there and all of the stories they told and the pictures they sent back were fantastic! I finally got the call 2 weeks ago but here's the catch. They told me to be ready in a couple of days to leave for Baghdad!!! 2 days!? I ran around like an idiot packing, saying goodbyes. I quit my current job, sold my work truck, sold my motorcycle, had a will made up, got my finances in order, had a long talk with both of my children about leaving, and planned a 2 week vacation that was going to happen in 3 months and then.............nothing......waiting......1 week.....then 2.....now I'm into my 3rd week and I feel like I'm going insane!!!!! Emotionally, I'm drained. I went from running like an idiot to sitting like an idiot. They tell me to "be patient" but I have no idea when this thing is going to happen now..... My wife is ready for me to leave now....I just get in her way wandering around the house in the same clothes for days...... The company assures me that I am going soon and to be patient but there are no updates as to my situation, no calls, no nothing. Sorry for the grammer but that's how it feels. So I wait. I will post again either when I've gone completely off the edge from waiting or when I leave.
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