thatcrazycajun: Image of Matt with a rainbow facemask on (drawing)
[personal profile] thatcrazycajun
Some of you longtime readers know my Songbird, [livejournal.com profile] singing_phoenix, works in global public health administration. You may also know she spent 2.5 years doing this work in Nairobi, Kenya from 2007-09, while Your Humble kept the home fires burning in the city that, at present, is once again demonstrating why its nickname is "HOT-lanta."

Well, guess what? She's taken another overseas job in the same field, this time in the capital of Africa's last absolute monarchy, Mbabane, Swaziland. And this time, I'm going with her. We leave on the 24th of June, less than two weeks away. The commitment is for two years (though we can leave after one without having to repay the moving costs, which are considerable). This means our many friends and family Stateside will likely not see much of either of us during that time; our flying back to visit as often as she did from Kenya is unlikely.

My plan is to stay busy by keeping my freelance business active, remotely providing freelance graphics services, to clients in the US and elsewhere; keeping house...and trying to keep my poor beloved 'Bird from working herself to death in her high-stress job (with next to no staff, unlike in Nairobi - it's a much smaller office). This has actually been in the works for 10 months or so now, but not entirely certain that I would be going until fairly recently. So after a decade and change of Peach State residency, we are finally saying goodbye (and good riddance!) to Jaw-jah. (And goodbye to the oppressive summer heat, as well; east Africa's seasons are diametrically opposite to those in the US, so it's winter there now.)

i will keep you all posted as to progress when I can; the next two weeks are going to be to "busy" as the Costa Concordia is to a toy sailboat... hopefully without such a dire fate. And this journal will still be maintained while I am abroad, as much as time, Swaziland's developing-nation comms infrastructure and the cost of home broadband allow. Wish us both luck; we're liable to need great heaping gobs of it.

Date: 2013-06-12 08:45 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lemmozine.livejournal.com
You will be missed at cons. Hope you both enjoy the new adventure.

Date: 2013-06-12 09:33 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] autographedcat.livejournal.com
Glad to hear this is finally happening for you -- I hope that it's a wonderful experience and that we will still see you sometimes!

Date: 2013-06-12 09:33 pm (UTC)
From: [personal profile] hms42
Good luck with the move. You will be missed at the cons that I normally get to see you at.

Date: 2013-06-12 09:47 pm (UTC)

Date: 2013-06-12 10:49 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] barondave.livejournal.com
Good luck! Sounds like it could be fun and certainly will be a learning experience for you both.

As long as you have an internet connection, we can keep in touch.

Date: 2013-06-12 11:30 pm (UTC)

Date: 2013-06-13 12:27 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] crystalgee.livejournal.com
Safe travels on this adventure my friend!

Date: 2013-06-13 12:29 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kitanzi.livejournal.com
Best luck to you both, and I hope you are as happy with your new home as we are with ours! (If you ever do get out here, let us know, ok? We miss you!)

Date: 2013-06-13 01:20 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] beki.livejournal.com
Congratulations! It sounds like the two of you are going to have a grand adventure, even if you both will be working for part of it :)

Date: 2013-06-13 02:29 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hitchhiker.livejournal.com
good luck and happy adventuring!

Date: 2013-06-13 02:31 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] starmalachite.livejournal.com
All the best to both of you & may you return enriched by the experience.

OTOH, you're leaving on my birthday. :( More distance between me & 2 of my favorite people. Great present, universe.

Date: 2013-06-13 02:56 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hillarysherwood.livejournal.com
Good luck and safe travels! I hope you both try to make the time to enjoy yourselves in Africa. Keep us posted when you can.

Date: 2013-06-13 04:13 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] filkerdave.livejournal.com
Wow, how exciting! Good luck to you both!

Date: 2013-06-13 10:35 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] katrinb.livejournal.com
We'll miss you, but that sounds like the adventure of a lifetime! Have a great time!

Date: 2013-06-13 01:33 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sodyera.livejournal.com
Safe journey, space pals, wherever you may go. I shall miss you're.

Date: 2013-06-13 01:33 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] not-the-pope.livejournal.com
Congrats, good luck and enjoy! Sounds like quite an adventure!

Date: 2013-06-13 02:32 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sexybass.livejournal.com
Sorry to see you leave but it sounds like a once in a lifetime chance for adventure!

Date: 2013-06-13 06:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] msminlr.livejournal.com
And it's not like you'll be moving to a complete wasteland, fannishly. According to the Membership breakdown page in the new LoneStarCon progress report, there are two folks from nearby South Africa registered for the convention.

You already know how I feel

Date: 2013-06-14 01:39 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sffilk.livejournal.com
You'll be missed. Anything else need not be said.

Date: 2013-06-14 02:48 am (UTC)
poltr1: (puss_in_boots)
From: [personal profile] poltr1
Do you still plan to keep an online presence? If not, I'll miss your words.

Date: 2013-06-14 01:13 pm (UTC)
ext_18496: Me at work circa 2007 (Default)
From: [identity profile] thatcrazycajun.livejournal.com
Don't worry; as mentioned above, we will have home broadband (even if we do have to pay a pretty penny for sometimes-dodgy service). Indeed, for my work it will be necessary to do so - I expect to be toiling regularly for at least one US client.

Thank you for the compliment, though I can't imagine all my words are deathless prose for the ages. :-)
Edited Date: 2013-06-14 01:22 pm (UTC)

Date: 2013-06-14 03:24 am (UTC)
cellio: (Default)
From: [personal profile] cellio
Wow, how exciting!

Date: 2013-06-14 01:46 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] guruwench.livejournal.com
Wow, what an adventure! I hope you have good travels, and do drop a line now and again when you can. :) Congratulations!

Date: 2013-06-19 02:37 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] janeg.livejournal.com
Sounds like a wonderful opportunity to finally spend more time together, and for you to have a complete change. Best wishes for a wonderful two years. Wonder what you'll do after that, if it's good riddance to your current state ...

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