from the horizon

Sunset in Aceh

All good things must come to an end, and after over 2 years living and working there, it was time for me to leave. I had gained as much as I felt I could in my current position, and it was time for me to move on. The decision was made in July and took 5 months to eventuate, I would have probably stayed longer if not for the deadline of being home for Christmas with the family. I still did not feel that I wrapped up my work as well I could have, but would I have if I’d had more time?

Fortunately I was able to hand over my position to an Indonesia programmer, who was hired to replace me a few weeks before I’d left. It was initially difficult to hand over responsibility of the database which I’d put so much effort into over the past 2 years, but I know that a successful project like this should be able to be passed on. I should have focused more on the handover, rather than completing the asset management database module (with integrated barcode printer and scanner!), however I was driven by a desire to leave a complete product. I completed the module, although did not have time to implement it fully. But this was no longer my challenge…

The hardest part was leaving the life I had built in Banda Aceh. I had made a home there, formed good friendship, filled my time with a assortment of activities: yoga and dal, touch rugby, jungle treks, camping, boat trips, biking, surfing, cooking, salsa.. I felt a real sense of community with the other people working for NGOs. It was a life I had become rather settled in, although ultimately one that was only ever going to be temporary. Programs for tsunami recovery had 5 year budgets, and would be closing at the end of 2009, therefore most of my Expat friends would be moving on before that. Also Banda Aceh would never be my home, even if I became fluent in Indonesian and converted to Islam, I would still be an outsider, with a different set of life experiences, white skin and a foot taller than most people. Saying good bye to friends was challenging, although I felt confident, that with our international lifestyles our paths would cross again at some point in the future.