Lost in Transition

Not an original title - in fact I stole it from a triathlon t-shirt website I was browsing yesterday. But it aptly describes me at the moment... and I'd prefer to be lost in a tri transition than a life transition, although they are very similar. End of metaphor.

It's been 4 weeks back in Atlanta now. I'm finding it tough to get going at work, and tough to find a connection somewhere. My initial momentum carried me through to now and I sense I'm stalling. While it's been great to see old friends, they all have lives that have existed sans Katie for a while now, so I don't actually just slip back into those lives. It'll take some effort.

It doesn't matter what I did before, who I knew before... I am here and now, so I need to focus on that. Be open to different atlanta experiences. Which sort of means I need to be pro-active. Which takes effort.

I'm focusing on just relaxing and going with the flow, trying to be gentle (there's a concept) in my expectations of myself. It's to be expected that there is culture shock and I can definitely see that. Work culture is so different, more isolating here. It is only the first month, but in a cubicle world there are no morning teas, no morning or afternoon coffees. I'm finding it hard to focus on work when that's all there is from 9-6.

I'm feeling a bit whiny. More whiny than I probably actually feel...but it's what I feel like expressing right now.

Ack.

NEVER USE SPRINT

Holy crap. When I came back to the States I signed up for a Sprint phone and mobile internet card, with a 2 year contract. After a few days, I decided I was paying too much for the service and I really didn't want to be in a 2 year contract. So I returned the products and cencelled my service, 5 days after I started. According to my contract, I have 30 days to make this decision.

I have now spent more time ont he phone with stupid Sprint customer service, account services, and finance department, than I actually used the damn phone! I've been charged $500+ for the services and now my account is being sent to a collection agency. I have 2 claims in to dispute the charges and to correct my account back to 5 days worth of service, with no termination fee and no activation fee. On each call I've had with them I've been transferred at least 3 times, have had to tell my story at least that many times and keep getting promises that it will be fixed. I'll believe that when I see it. ANd apparently there's nothing I can do about it going to collection because the adjustments have to be approved before it can be called back from collections. Could we all just not talk to each other?

SPRINT SUCKS.

So, I'm in my temporary office, listening to the CD I had on heavy repeat my last couple of months alone in Canberra - Bushfire Aid. Hearing "Holy Grail", "One Country", "True Blue", and "Great Southern Land" while in a cubicle in Atlanta is totally different to hearing them while driving around Canberra or on safari in Kakadu or on my way to the coast.

What a strange trip it's been.

Was it a dream?

So, I'm back in Atlanta. I"m back with FoodNet. I'm back in my house, and back with all my stuff. And I gotta tell you, I'm happy. It's nice to be welcomed back warmly to work and the neighborhood, and so many of my friends are in Atlanta now, it's awesome. My local YMCA (a 10 minute walk) has a pool, so I can swim after work; there's a new sidewalk on the main road near me, so I can run without fighting the Escalades roaring past. The grocery store is so big and it has all my favourite (can't get rid of the u!) cereals and sandwiches and fruit and crackers and cookies; and it's a 5 minute walk from me (not so different from Canberra in that respect, but still a plus). My family is close(er). I can call my sister at most hours f my day and check in on my niece (who's flipping perfect, in case you wanted to know!)

Which all makes Canberra feel like a distant, underwater dream. Sort of. It's an odd feeling for sure. I see a red subey impreza here and it sort of makes me skip a beat, and then I try to get in my car (the good old beast of an explorer, still kicking!) on the right hand side to drive!! Luckily I haven't driven on the left hand side of he road. Yet.

The hardest right now is right before I go to sleep, when it's quiet and I can take a breath and realise how much I do miss my peeps in Canberra. And the fact that I have no ticket in hand to go back anytime soon definitely makes me freak a little. Tears are certainly shed for missing my close relationships there. But I'm here. And you all are there. Which is sort of just how it goes.

I do know that the Katie that left Canberra is different from the Katie that arrived there 3 years ago. And thank you for that. I like me now and am excited to be back here as me now. (ok - a bit existential... but you get the idea, yeah?)

And thank god for facebook and iternational texting- makes the distance a little shorter.