The Overseas Life...

[Junior]

Well, Ladies and Gents,
I'ts with a heavy heart and a fondness for the time we've shared, that I must regretfully tell you-as I have my Superintendents- that I am leaving the ranks of a major player in the overseas construction world.
I know I haven't been very active on site lately, and apologize for that. Those of you that know me, know me well, and the "pirate" name hasn't masked my identity very well (Thanks, Jester, BTW for the handle).
Let's see, looking back....
March of '04, I'm succesfully working as a team lead electronics tech for a major Defense contractor in VA on their prototypes and continuing contracts for many State, Municipal, and Federal agencies.
Later in March of '04, things go shitty. Junior is back to living with the folks in Florida. Shit. Junior hatches a plan to make some quick cash and pay down his debts... knows there's alot of money to be made rebuilding Iraq. Junior searches the web for "overseas jobs," lands a job as a "fiber optic tech" whilst searching for a job in Iraq. Ends up in southern Africa. Retardedly, he assumes he's going to show up and pull cable, terminate fiber, etc. This is not the case. "Here's your bender for 1" EMT," they say."WTF is EMT, and why am I on a CONSTRUCTION site?!!!" he thinks back.
Fast forward almost five years, 6 projects, and a lot more experience with said bender.
One day, if you're like me, you just might wake up and say, "where the hell did my late 20's go.... and when the hell did I become and ELECTRICIAN!!!"
I got into the business the same reason everyone else did...money. I've succesfully sold nearly five years of my life to companies making money hand over fist. And I don't begrudge them a bit. The company I just left, many of you have expressed some very negative opinions about. For me, well, almost three years running, and the pay has been right, in the bank when promised, and they've taken good care of me and provided continual advancement. I'm turning my back on a lot, and I mean, a LOT, of money here.
So why the sudden change of heart? I'll be honest, I LOVE the fact that I can top anyone, well, almost anyone, at a story telling contest. I love that I can find anything I need, express anything I want, nonverbally, in any city in any part of the world. I love that I've been to more about 25 countries (you start losing count after awhile) , and lived in 7 of them. I love that I haven't had to pay a cable bill, or complain about the cost of gas for half a decade. I loved not having to budget myself...
But... and here's the big switch... to what end?
Everything in this life of overseas work, has just been a buildup to something greater, something better. Slaving away today so tomorrow will be better.
I'm tired of looking forward to tomorrow.
Tomorrow has come.
Now is my time.
I'm off to start the life I've been postponing for so long. I'm gonna get a dog. I'm never gonna complain about the snow again. I'm gonna chuckle inside when people talk about THEIR "experiences"
I'm gonna get back to what Junior had in mind back when he had the whole world in front of him. And I'm going to embrace every moment of it.

Best of luck to all of you, I wish you the best.

[pacificdiver]

Are you leaving???:wtf we're coming down in July to check all you guys out!....You've got to be there!!!

:cheers

[Junior]

Pacificdiver...
Gonna hate to miss you, man. Swing that Harley eastbound, over the bridge, and come on down to Cocoa Beach. I've got a 6'3" swallowtail that'll turn on a dime with your name all over it. Tell the misses I says hi, and name the next Rat "Rob."
Have I told you today?:cheers

[pacificdiver]

I'm gonna miss you bro! Got your contact so we'll keep in touch!!
Your retiring too early...but I guess you deserve it!:2cents
Have I told YOU lately???

:cheers

[Justus]

Junior, good luck with your new life. Things are tough at home right now but I know you'll do ok. When you hear those people start talking about "their experiences", yeah, you're definitely going to laugh to yourself. But make no mistake...one day you WILL wake up and miss what you've been doing for the past 6 years. The friendships you've made will probably outlast most others--because this group of friends has "been there and done that" with you.

I'm glad I got to meet you over Christmas and was looking forward to the next time. Take care and let us know from time to time how the next stage of your life is going.

Justus

[Javabear]

Good luck Junior! I tried that once and I was back at it 6 months later. Not because I needed the money that bad, but I actually missed this shit.

[Pops]

But the story telling, I don't know. WRover is pretty good (how about the atv trip in the Ivory Coast?) and I bet on the Drifter to be up there. You hang in there and tell those stories to the grandkids, if they will listen to you, and when/if you have some. Sometimes it is what you leave out of a story that makes it goood.
Like, "yeah, I did a lot of top secret work for the Department of State. Can't tell you much about it, though. Why one time I was in this little disco in Bulgaria with these Bulgarian Mafia guys and ...I ate monkey meat at a KFC in this little place near the Congo. Sure was tasty stuff.
(you see, I mix up stories told TO me with the stuff I did.)

Hell, I am rambling again and havn't even had my first beer of the day!

Good luck JUSTUS, and thanks for all the fish.

[Pops]

meant good luck JUNIOR, but hell JUSTUS, you have some too.:cheers

[Drewskie]

hey bro never got to meet you but that was a touching little passage you wrote, pretty much sums it up for all us rat bros. take care man live the good life!

[roadhard]

Dont know who you are bro but i can relate with you, Wish you the best..

[studman]

i can't believe i'm saying this but i actually kinda miss ya, and your pal the jester from the past. i have to say the basis for your decision was an inspiration for me and made me think where the hell i'm going with all this. more of the same for a while i hope, but someday it will come to an end. wish you the best of success with your new endeavor. tk & the greek send thier regards. ps you're going to miss it so hold on to you're dream.