Who says adventure is limited to far off islands and invigorating cities? The office jungle has enough adrenaline rush to push us to the edge if we let it. Adjusting to a new group of colleagues, new rules, new procedures are all equally adventurous as discovering a new country.

Wishing this is how all offices look like. {Source}

As soon as the thick new handbook lands flat on my desk on my first day, reading it brings me back to learning a new language in class.  Feeling like an idiot for not knowing as much stuff as I expected myself  to know after a ten year pause from a career in design, I had to read my post The Art of Letting Go to be more kind to myself. I need to let go of worry that would soon drive me to my death bed due to high blood pressure if I don't relax.

Lost in translation while in meetings with all the acronyms people throw at each other as they all spoke in codes, I had to scratch my head, wondering, what PDS, HYG, HMN, and all the jumbled letters of the alphabet meant.

Like a small cub, joining the animal kingdom, trying to blend in and getting to know everyone, I daresay, I'm blessed to have great colleagues and bosses that are approachable enough to be my mentors. However, there's no such thing as a perfect place so we are bound to meet someone who will test our tolerance and patience, especially  those who think they're in the higher food chain ready to devour anyone who gets in their way.

I've learned so much in my first week and the more days go by, I'm having longer sleep. I can see spending longer hours  in the office is inevitable as piled up responsibilities and weeks ensue. We all try to avoid working late, but we have to accept that this is a big part of Interior Design and Architectural lifestyle, especially here in the Middle East. We have a popular saying here when someone asks, "when's the deadline?" The answer is always "Yesterday."  A client gave me this answer once and I was crazy enough to jokingly reply, "Too bad for you, I don't have a time machine. "

San Vicente's 14 kilometer long white sand beach is best explored on a motorbike.  We rented one from the kind owner of Peace and Love Resort. Riding behind my husband, enjoying the tropical breeze, it was a perfect morning to visit the countryside. {Read about the prequel here} Every now and then we got a glimpse of the above sea view as we drove along the main road parallel to the beach. 

This is an image I intend to put on my screen wallpaper to remind myself to enjoy the present. If there's one regret that I have made during my one-year adventure, it was to allow worry to seep through those moments. What was I thinking? I was worrying about the obscure future in a place like this.

Looking back at the photos now, if I could travel back in time to re-live this place again, I would enjoy it even more. I am not saying I didn't. I did. I think, I should have been more than 100% present at that time. Future will take care of itself. Despite the different scenes everyday, from this day forward, I would love to enjoy each moment more. Time is something that I can never buy back. 

I'll have to quote Steve Jobs. For today was my first day at a new job. I recently joined an Interior Design firm  to work as a designer.  Hopefully, this is it, the career I've been searching for for a very long time. A path I've always wanted for the last ten years, but also very scared of actually doing. 

One of those things I wanted very badly, but had been very elusive. Until one day, at a time when I completely let go of the whole idea, it just takes me by surprise.  I will not know until I try, right? It was so funny because I had no idea my future  present bosses actually read some of my posts on the design blog. I knew them for years before this blog was born. It was just hilarious when they saw my quiche recipe during my last interview, because I have stopped writing design posts on my other blog for months now. Haha..so I suppose they might read this too. Eek! 

Please bear with me during my adjustment in the corporate world after a really long career break. I usually spend the first week hyperventilating in the bathroom in between tasks. Are you like that too? Or is it just me?  Wish me luck. :)

I wish you all a beautiful weekend.

Love and light,

Arni