The year that was..

So today marks the first anniversary of my transfer to Hassan.. For some reason I felt like celebrating this "milestone" and that's why I distributed sweets in office.. But anyway, instead of being congratulated on completing this milestone my colleagues were bugging me and questioning me about the "real" reason for distributing sweets in office.. 

Well, professionally the year was fabulous! But last year at this time I wasn't exactly in a positive frame of mind.. Like when I got my transfer order posting me to Hassan, I was shocked.. And for a moment I just went blank and didn't really know what I would do.. 

At that point of time, keeping in mind several factors (professional and personal), my husband and I decided that it would be best if I reported at Hassan.. We also decided that only I would relocate and my daughter would stay back with my husband.. So this resulted in my husband being a single parent and me being what my colleagues at work refer to as a 'forced bachelor'..

Well, nobody realises this or gives it much thought, but a transfer order is a huge change in a Banker's life.. something that affects not just the Banker but also his/her whole family.. Like I can vividly recall that day when my husband and daughter came to drop me off at the bus stop.. My daughter was very upset to see me go.. and I was at my wit's end as to how to console my daughter..Tell me, how does a mother explain to her 7 year old child that she needs to move away because now she has to work at a different 'office' situated in a different city? There is no answer to this.. In order to prepare my daughter for this eventuality, I did speak to her several weeks in advance and tried to explain to her that I might have to go away and work at a different place.. To her credit, she has been very mature and understanding about my transfer.. And after a year we have sort of adjusted to this new 'way of life' where my husband is the primary caretaker of my daughter and I'm that indulgent parent who just visits every fortnight and spoils her child rotten!

So just before reporting at Hassan I was totally in a negative state of mind.. and I had come here with zero expectations.. In fact I had come here prepared for the worst! I was expecting a strict boss, unfriendly colleagues and a totally non conducive work environment.. Instead I struck gold! Not only was I blessed with extremely supportive bosses, I also got a bunch of totally chilled out, extremely cool and a crazy set of colleagues who are an absolute delight to work with! Of course at this point a particular friend will remark that since I'm an HR officer my colleagues have no choice but to be nice to me.. Well let's just say I got lucky and so the last year has been a breeze, professionally..

Of course it has also been a very challenging year since this was the first time I would be handling the HR portfolio at a Regional Office.. and having recently been amalgamated with a larger entity, there was a lot of unlearning to do and a lot of relearning also to be done.. The first few months were extremely hectic and I literally didn't have time even to drink water.. But over the months and with the joining of another team member I was somehow able to manage work.. The last year has been extremely grueling but has taught me a lot.. I have learnt a lot on the professional front and also this stint has provided me with the opportunity to connect with a lot of people across the organisation.. 

But there are still a lot of things that I still am not used to.. Like the deafening silence once I reach home.. the lack of company/people to talk to at home.. The inability to fall asleep at night.. The guilt at having 'abandoned' my daughter at such a young age for a career..  But these are just regular side effects of having a transferable job I guess.. When I made the decision to report at Hassan, I kept in mind a few female colleagues who also made a bold decision of relocating to their new places of posting.. I felt if those colleagues could do it, so can I.. Of course I also have the luxury of having an extremely supportive husband and inlaws and extended family because of whom I could take the bold step of relocating to a new place.. Not many women have this luxury and so I'm extremely grateful for my husband and family.. 

So today after a year at Hassan, I bow my head in gratitude to the Almighty.. I'm grateful for a job that has given me so much, for colleagues who make my workplace a pleasant place to work at, for my husband who always supports me in whatever I want to do, for an extremely loving daughter whose love and affection is unmatched, for my parents for making me the independant woman that I am and for all those who made this last year the wonderful experience that it has been..

And just like many Bankers across the organisation and across the industry who hope to be transferred back to their hometown, I too hope to be reunited with my family soon.. 

Until then "All is well" ;-)