19 days to the end of my Traineeship in the States.

Just gave Kaeson a farewell party on Saturday since he will be leaving for Singapore for good, after 9 long years in the States. Wow… 9 years. That’s a freaking long time to stay in a foreign country! I simply can’t imagine the kind of emotions that he must be feeling right now…

As for me, I have only been here for 1.5 years, which is only 1/6 of Kaeson’s length of stay. However, I am already going through an emotional crisis, since now that I have only 19 days to the end of my traineeship with Kraft Foods International.

I feel as if I am now at a T-junction, where I can either make a right or left turn. Although the left turn now is under repair and thus, blocked. So in a sense, I have no other choice but to make a right turn…

So, is there anyway where I can make a left turn?

Well…. Yes.

1) I can either first make a right or then try to make a left turn further down the road. Hopefully the next left turn will bring me to the same destination, which the first left turn would have led me.

2) Or, I could first make a right turn and once I know that the road is repaired, I will then make a U-turn, and hit the very first left turn again.

What ever the case is, I want to make a left turn eventually, which means that, I want to come back to the States again. With that, I have drawn out a 3-year plan. In 3 years’ time, after gaining sufficient work experiences, I aim to come back to Chicago to do my MBA. Of course, ideally, I would like to stay with Kraft and get transferred to Kraft HQ office in Chicago and hopefully get admitted to University of Chicago and pursue my part time MBA program under the company’s expense. Ahhhh…. That will be my ideal world. ;P

But if that does not work out, I will still hunt for opportunities with other companies to achieve my 3-year goal. Basically, by hook or by crook, I do want to be back. Back to Chicago… the Second City.

And in many ways, Chicago is indeed THE second city. At least, Chicago is MY second city. It is my second city which I have lived and grown to love, it is a second city in every aspect when compared to New York, which is still my first love.

However, New York simply has too many distractions and knowing myself, I will never settle to study or even to pick up a textbook to do any readings since I will be too busy eating out at restaurants, partying at clubs, watching plays and ballets and having a hell of a time!

Chicago, at the other hand, seems to be a great city with a decent, but NOT CRAZY night life, and at the same time, boring enough to allow myself to concentrate on my studies a few hours a week (or so I hope!)

After coming up with this 3-year plan, I must say that I definitely felt better. More focused and definitely much less confused. Although the next question is… how am I going to fit “the love of my life” into this 3-year plan of mine?

Question: If you lost the love of your life, do you still have a life?