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"Where are you based now?", they ask. "Euh, what is the time", I ask?

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petercasier

About 15 years (already?!?!?) ago, I decided that a career in my home country (Belgium) was not for me. What let me to that, and what followed:
http://theroadtothehorizon.blogspot.com … ction.html

Since then, I have lived, worked or travelled through many, many, many, many countries. So many, I decided i needed a break of at leat a year to catch my breath. This is where i am now. Giving me time to look back and reflect. And write.

Up to last year, I worked as the head of the UN humanitarian technical intervention team, based in Dubai. We flew out to the world's most remote places right after natural disasters, during wars, or political turbulence.
Each time I came home on holiday, my family wanted to travel (as during the time *I* was travelling, they were 'sitting home.') So I was never 'really' at home.
And in between all of it, with some friends, we organised some expeditions or did some exotic sailing trips...

All of that travelling provided interesting stories about people, places, situations.. Be
it about our ambush in Burundi, landing on a deserted Antarctic Island,
entering Kosovo right after NATO did, or flying into Afghanistan
two days after the Taliban was driven from power. Or just sitting,
drinking a coffee looking at daily life on a Carribean island. Or crossing the Atlantic, like right now.
All the stories have one thing in common: realizing the road is more interesting than reaching the destination.

I reflected these stories in my travel blog:

http://theroadtothehorizon.blogspot.com

A work in progress.

Have a look. I would really appreciate comments and suggestions to make this blog better so it can be an inspiration for others... Comments to:
peter.casier@pandora.be

Have fun, travel safely!

Peter

See also

Living abroad: the expat guideanyone tried deepseek?How Is This Possible?How did you decide to be expat?Where can I migrate as a nurse ?
cilla205

Hi Peter!

Welcome to the lovely Expat.com :)

I am now where you were 15 years ago- I am not interested in a career in the US. I would love to know how you connected with the right company.

Enjoy your year holiday!

Priscilla

loloieg

Hello Peter,

what such a huge experience of expatriation !!!
I have just a small question... 15 years ago, did you know that it would be an expatriation of 15 years ??

have fun !

Hello Cilla,

Cilla wrote:

how you connected with the right company.


that is THE big question !! I think everybody needs to find his or her way, and so his or her "right" company.
That is not helpfull at all, I know... but any expatriation is unique and in the same time you will find some similarities with stories of others

have fun

Laurent

petercasier

Cilla wrote:
I would love to know how you connected with the right company.


Hi Cilla...

I did not really look for a company (or 'organisation' in my case). I just looked for something which was fun to do by connecting to people that did the stuff i wanted to do... One came up with a small job, the other came up with a small job, and after a while i became an 'insider', in the job area I wanted to work... From there on, it was just a search through connections and internet to find the contact people in the different organisations for a longer time job...
I really did not find it difficult to find the right job/employer... My practical tips for you would be: look on the internet for people that are doing what you would like to do, and start connecting, as you do now... Take some leave without pay from your current job and try it out...
If you send me an email with what your professional experience, education and expectations are, i can point you to the right points in the organisation I work in (or in other relief organisations - if that is the area you are interested in. [peter.casier@pandora.be]

Wishing you as much luck as i had.. I never regretted one minute the decision i took 15 years ago.


Laurent wrote:
15 years ago, did you know that it would be an expatriation of 15 years ??


Nope, I did not know. I live life 'as it comes to me', picking up the signs of where to go to as I go along... As I wrote, I started off with odd-onetime jobs of a few months here and there, saw I liked it, and my family was ok with it (important!! it might be great for you, but your spouse or kids might have real problems with the distance), so i continued.. And will continue for quite a while, i hope... :)

Peter

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