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This is the boy who taught me the meaning of wonder. Who put it in my eyes, formed the expressions in my features and draped it over my skin in a cascade of rose petals. An image he tells me, which is seared in his mind.
This is the boy who embodies the leap of faith. Who takes a chance, or two, or twelve. In moving to a new city or flying to live in a new continent for six months, for the sake of a prize that may or may not be worth it. His actions speak louder than words, and those loved by him never have to doubt it.
This is the boy whose very soul must be filled with magic, the kind that most people eventually grow out of after too many disappointments. He is adventure, excitement, joy, and the next horizon.
This is the boy who told me “let me show you how you’re meant to be treated” and kept his word. Who said “You were meant for greatness” who not only meant it, but made me believe it.
This is the kind of boy you spend a lifetime hoping you meet, who you save your kisses, your hopes, and the last cookie for. And this is precisely the boy I am afraid I will never quite get over.
For the past several days, I have been in the Middle Kingdom. Hangzhou, specifically. Why, you ask? For my very first business trip with the Firm. While I was in college, I was incredibly fortunate to have had some great work experiences, including international travel for business purposes. But I have never been on a trip quite like this one. It was the New Consultant Orientation, (NCO) for short and they flew in 50 new recruits from seven countries and four regions for 3 days of boot camp. Suffice to say, it was utter madness. Try to imagine college, but on crack. Replace dorm rooms and cafeteria food with 5-star hotels and buffets almost at every meal. And an expense account. As nervous as I was about the trip, it turned out to be an incredible few days. Meeting counterparts from different countries, hearing about their projects and the incredible scope of what our firm actually does. Sixty years ago we designed the strategic plan for post-war restoration for a major European country, which today is a powerhouse in the EU. I met the head of our Financial Services practice who, for the last 10 years, has been redesigning central banks for South East Asia. That.Just.Blows.My.Mind. I think one of the most gratifying parts of my job is that I really feel like I add value to the world. Standing on this side of the job hunt, I’m so glad I didn’t go into Finance. It’s just not the right place for me. As my friends in the industry say, it really is a circular business. Money begets money. But in our line of work, our products are literally our ideas.. and that is just so cool to me.
So clearly, I’m bubbling with that kind of bright-eyed, bushy-tailed enthusiasm of freshmen. But I really don’t care. A few months ago, I had very little ideas on where I might wind up, and the job hunt seemed endless. I’m incredibly thankful not only because I have a means of supporting myself, but I’m part of an overall team whose leadership I believe in and am eager to follow. The partners are men and women if great integrity, vision and a sense of humor. There is such a culture of mentorship and down-to-earth-ness. I could not have created or imagined a better starting point for my career.
Suffice to say, NCO was a great success. I got a chance to get to know some of the senior management and leave a positive impression (I hope.) Our team performed incredibly well, which was so awesome to see, considering we’d only met 72 hours ago. I really believe that the managers used our performance as a benchmark for the other teams. And may I just say, that when the first word a partner says about your presentation is “wow,” it makes all the sleep deprivation worth it. Ten times over.
In short, I am unbelievably, deliriously, deliciously happy and content with how life has turned out, especially after such a difficult summer. All that remains is for Christmas to be on its way, for my brother and all the ones I love to come home.
BBC News informs me that the Writers Guild of America has been on strike. Evidently those authoring the life of one, Verity are not part of this guild. Every acne-ridden, angsty, self-obsessed teenager thinks their life is one unique drama. And far be it from me to fall back upon those days, but there are times that I have shook my head at events unfolding in my tiny cosmos and asked, “huh!?”
Those familiar with my very short and rather turbulent romance with V tend to agree that it’s something out of a valentine’s day special on HBO. Honestly, who actually meets their significant other standing under a clock tower at Grand Central? If that’s not the missing scene from Serendipity or when Harry met Sally, I don’t know what is. In a generation (myself included) that is growing increasingly cynical, true romance seems like a fairy tale. When was the last time you actually met someone who lived “happily ever after?” And then once in a blue moon, you meet someone who turns your whole world upside down, and things are never the same again.
It was entirely by accident that we met at all. And at most it was only ever going to be a passing relationship; one destined to be some story at a cocktail party or dinner down the road. But it’s been four years and that cocktail party’s never come. Four years and he still says I capture his imagination, and I still unconsciously hold my breath on the phone until he picks up. It’s like nothing has changed. We’ve gotten older, wiser, started careers. Instead of living one state over or even across the border, we’re now sixteen timezones apart. Sixteen. And still, nothing’s changed.
He thinks it’s because we’re actually the exact same person, living on different sides of the planet and in different genders. That it’s really a tear in the time-space continuum and the universe has just folded over on itself. And as for me, I don’t say anything at all. Because if I do, I will only be able to speak my greatest fear – that he really might be the closest thing to my other half, and it is impossible for us to be together.
The part that makes this so darkly ironic is the message I received a few days ago. He’s going to be here in a few weeks. Good God, what am I going to do?
On any given day, the life of a analyst for a management consultancy is terribly interesting stuff. Your brain goes on hyper drive, switching from reading about different industries, conducting field interviews, and briefing your boss on multi-billion dollar industries and competitor strategies. I like that kind of stuff. It’s not the money, but the scale of movement that is so exciting. It’s the momentum of watching the world’s most populous country move from an agrarian society to the 21st century. It’s the idea that at 23 and being a mere slip of a girl, I’m somehow part of a bigger process, a little potato in a big sack of highly trained, problem-solving potatoes that tackle problems in economics, strategy and competitiveness.
And there are moments like these, where you’re stuck doing the mundane – calling local vendors for prices and finding that people are less than pleasant, and sometimes, plain moronic. Coming back to Asia is generally a great relief when it comes to dealing with people, compared to a bustling and often brass city such as New York. Customer service is emphasized much greater here, which all in all, makes being the client a far more pleasant experience. You also find that on the whole, people spend a lot less time angry (on both sides), pissed off, or generally grouchy. There isn’t any yelling on the streets (try bumping into a New Yorker during rush hour – you’ll be lucky if your head isn’t bitten off) whereas people just keep walking – no biggie, accidents happen. Shrug. Keep walking.
Perhaps I’ve been spoiled by the standards of service. The last day and a half, I’ve had to resist the urge to reach through the phone line and strangle the vendor. Or at least give them a good, hard, shaking. It also doesn’t help that this current assignment leaves me in tears – it’s so far from what I’m interested in. I’m determined to adopt a positive attitude, especially since I’m new. Take one for the team has virtually become my motto on this project.
Still, I can feel the level of tension and frustration building up. Maybe it’s time for a walk before butting heads with more of these vendors.
