Leaving London – bye bye old life
Feb 7, 09
4,675 views

bon voyage leaving cards

Last week at work in London and lots of goodbyes. All v exciting getting so much attention – am going to miss all these hugs and easy contact … it’s just so easy to pick up the phone and talk to friends and family whenever I want to, am really going to be relying on this blog to keep in contact with you all! And please email me, I want to know how you all are as well.

Lots of fun in meeting room 11 (aka the Stage Door pub) followed by obligatory trip to the Stag (late night gay bar in Victoria!) – it all went a bit hazy after that … but I did find a pastie wrapper in my handbag the next morning so I guess I did have dinner after all!

Woke up late (with my skirt on!) Friday morning. God I haven’t felt that chronic for years. Could not face the Tube. So last day at work, decided to take a minicab – only for driver to choose route over all the speed bumps … ! Nearly left my stomach behind more than once…

Really enjoyed my leaving presentation – mine, Anja’s and Peter’s. Had been dreading mine for months, until VSO training last week when I just had to get on with it and talk in front of groups of people a few times. “It’s now or never” and I decided it was stupid to worry about everyone gathering round my desk and staring at me (!), it was my moment after all.

Forgot to tell everyone about my first project in Uganda – collecting elephant dung – no shit! Really, UCF are collecting it, running a DNA analysis and mapping it on a database. Then when ivory is confiscated in China for ex, its origin can be traced and poachers tracked down. Cool eh? But talk about getting your hands dirty from the off!

I was really touched by Anja’s words. I really enjoyed working with her, Sam, Steve and Ana, I learned so much and we had lots of fun. I was with the Bid Proposals Team for exactly one year and absolutely loved the bubble wrap fanfare!!! They’ve designed me a fab card and my very own ‘dooberyflip’ too (explanation to follow …!)

Laing Roads team 2009. Charlotte's leaving photo

I treasure this photo. Julie got our old team – Laing Roads – together for this surprise photo

Peter (Couldery) didn’t embarrass me nearly as much as he could have done! I hear Monika supplied him with plenty of ammunition tho!! It was a bit of a This is Your Life moment but I enjoyed remembering all the projects I’ve been involved in and I felt quite humbled by what he said about my involvement in CSR and ‘living my values.’ When I look back on it, I’ve learned so much at Laing and had some great opportunities (travelling to Norway and Finland, all the CSR projects, my Chartered Institute of Marketing qualification, running my first 5 km!) I like Peter, he interviewed me five years ago and I’ve worked closely with him, hence I asked him to do my presentation. Thanks Peter!

Haven’t had a chance to read all the messages in my leaving card yet, want to take a quiet moment to do that this w/end.

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3 thoughts on “Leaving London – bye bye old life”

  1. lizziema says:

    All sounds fun and did you wonder why you were leaving them all?!
    And of your first UCF task just think of Sarah’s philosophy “Make the most of it” whilst on the shit runs.

  2. Charlie says:

    I’m quite blown away with all the messages in my leaving card. And Monika organised a photo of our old Roads/International team, that nearly had me in tears, we’ve had all some great times together. But it’s not the end of our friendship, just a change of direction;)
    As for ‘my first UCF task’, well frankly it stinks!! lol

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