Limbo

In June 2005, I lost my job; the job that I had for over nine years. I would have been a wreck were it not for the fact that I was already unhappy with what I was doing and was dreaming of calling it quits for the last two years before I got retrenched. So, I was actually happy to leave (and the payout wasn't that bad either ;D).

While looking for a new job, I decided to remain in Hong Kong. I have longed dreamt of the chance to have a break from work and go travelling. I went off on small trips to the Philippines to revisit Baguio, took long walks in Hanoi, was awed by the temples of Angkor, caught up with an old friend in Jakarta, and lazed around and flew kites in Bali. (getting jealous? ;-P)

In October of the same year, my former company rehired me as a contractor and sent me on a project in Shanghai. I wasn't really keen to work in the mainland but Shanghai is a cool city and it was apparently one of THE places to be for foreigners at that time. So I went.

By that time, I had already let go of my Hong Kong flat, most of my belongings were in boxes stored in a warehouse in Kwun Tong, and I was crashing at my friend's couch. With 2 suitcases, I went to Shanghai, but as a matter of company policy, I flew back every two weeks to what was theoretically my city of residence, Hong Kong.

It was at this point that I felt my life was in limbo: I didn't really "live" anywhere; I had no flat of my own; I was practically living out of a suitcase; I was shutlling among three cities none of which was home. I liked Shanghai enough and had a great time living there, but it was a temporary arrangement and realistically, I would not have been able to live there longer than I needed to. While I missed being in Hong Kong and my friends, going back to Hong Kong was slightly depressing because I had to crash at my friends' couch/air bed (and for that I am eternally grateful!but I felt I was already too old to be doing that. And while Manila will always be home in my heart, I don't really "live" there anymore having lived away for more than five years. An article in Newsweek would describe all this as being "worldly" and being a "citizen of the world". To me it was just unsettling.

But being the wandering couch "kamote" that I am, I took the time to go on more trips: I used my company-paid "flybacks" to go to Manila instead of Hong Kong; I went to Australia for Chinese New Year; I went on short trips to the old cities around Shanghai and went to see the Great Wall in the outskirts of Beijing.

In mid-May this year, I ended my contract. With no permanent home and no job, I was still in limbo. On the bright side, I was able to go on longer trips: after the requisite trips to the Philippines, I played "tourist" in Hong Kong with my college friends; I flew to New York to tag along with friends who were there on business (not the most practical thing to do, but, hey, New York is fun); and although I didn't know it at the time, my last hurrah was a month-long backpacking trip around Southeast Asia, clocking in six countries along the way.

It was during this backpacking trip that I suprisingly found my current job, which eventually took me to Singapore.

Now, with a full-time permanent job , my own flat with a proper bed, and a new set of friends (who are all lovely people), I am in limbo no more.