What happens next?

So then the question is: what the hell am I going to do with myself after this adventure? I have 6 more months left of my contract; I’ve hit the half-way mark.

I could see my contract out til August, and then return home. But the WatSan project is projected to finish at the end of 2008, and there’s still a lot of work to do considering the hold-ups to the project at the moment. I like the idea of seeing the project out until the end, to get a sense of closure, and to do the final wrap-up reports etc. Plus, once my project is over, the Simeulue office will close down and we will hand over everything to Indonesian Red Cross. It would be nice to be part of the hand-over ceremony and all the jazz that goes with this sort of closure. It would suit ARC for me to stay as well, instead of having to find a new recruit for a short-ish mission. I’m banking on them asking me to extend til the end of the project.

But by the middle of the year, many of the other expats on the island will have already departed, their projects finished. There will be some here, but they are the older, less sociable and less active of the bunch. All my ‘favourite’ people will have left, so it might become quite boring by then! My boss Paul has already said he might stay til the end; he’s been here since the beginning, plus he has an Indonesian wife and new baby, so it’s probably easier and better for him to stay. If he does, it will also make me more inclined to.

Ange will be coming home in August, as will Matt. Ange has already flagged her intention to travel enroute to home, possibly in India and Bangladesh. I’d love to do that with her and then come home, or I could even do it in between the end and the extension of my contract. A nice month off in southern Asia could be just what the doctor ordered! And I miss Ange a whole bunch, so it would be fun. She could even come and visit me in Simeulue before going home. I’d love that. So many people had said they’re coming to visit, but none have made it yet and I don’t expect any of them to do so. Boo! I’d love to show people what it’s like living here. Photos and weblogs only go so far.

I’ve already decided that I don’t want to go back to my old job in the SA Govt department of DWLBC; it’s time for a change. But they have kept it open for me to return to in August, which is a nice little option to have, should I get home and want to earn some $$ straight up while I decide what to do. But I found it strange enough returning there last time and I just think it’s time to do something different. I should just bite the bullet and officially tell them I’m not coming back. Leave it to chance, see where the wind takes me.

Maybe I’ll do another stint overseas; I’m sure there will be plenty of other opportunities. Maybe I’ll stay in Oz, find a new job in Adelaide and buy a house (heaven forbid, the idea of it makes me feel sick). God it all sounds too permanent for my liking. But maybe I could move interstate, try something different that gets me out and about. Or maybe I’ll just chuck it all in and take a year off to travel around the world. Don’t mind that idea so much! :) Only time will tell I guess. What a f*$#ing cliché.