Tuesday 17 February 2009

Consultancy can be addictive




For me, helping with research and eye work in other countries had very little to do with money from the start; all I knew is that the trips gave me opportunity to see places I had never been before .I didn’t care how much per diem or consultancy fees I got, as long as I had a good sleep and good food. In return all i needed was to be dedicated to the work I was engaged to do and I needed to compile a comprehensive report at the end of the assignment. So I was asked for my availability for consultancy services in Mozambique, Zanzibar, Tanzania, South Africa ,Malawi and Rwanda I knew I would have good fun in these countries .But the outputs of such travel and work were interesting; big documents detailing the findings of the visits and several training and research curriculums were developed .It was a lot of hard work but in almost all the cases I did perform well. Little did I know that after travelling this much and doing this type of work , one gets addicted and wants to do more .But consultancies are seasonal –sometimes they are there -very wet all the time and sometimes it becomes very dry .So when I did not get asked for any assignment for a period lasting many months ,I noted that I was having a lot of withdrawal symptoms –constant jet lag , sleepless night , fatigue, boredom ,was irritable and had many other things . It took a colleague to diagnose that my being in one place for a long time (not travelling) was resulting in these symptoms and that the only therapy I needed was to get more of these trips .The result is that I embarked on a long term journey of internet searching but to my disappointment there was not much success coming with the searches .I have hence ceased active searching for consultancies (even though I still have the withdrawal symptoms) ; and my only solace is in the communities and villages I am currently visiting in Zomba and Mangochi in Malawi .

But I can do consultancy in any health and education related works-and not only in “eyes” but as long as it involves working with rural disadvantaged communities.

Any ideas of where I can go from here?

Email me!

1 comment:

M said...

good luck friend, you seem like a good human being and i wish you best of luck in helping all the people!