It’s been a challenging year for me. Rather positive, demanding on many fronts and a proof of reborn concepts avoided for many years, as so many things were taken for granted in our pre-COVID19 lives. New working models emerged, new family arrangement have been put in place – and for both my conclusion is rather positive. I start liking it and would want to integrate them also when we start the »new normal«.
New job came more as a surprise. Wishing to step up my career, after a year of figuring out what to do next, I ended up at Air Products. Honestly, I never came across this company before. Now, six months into the job, I wouldn’t want to be any place else. Great on-boarding, super competent people with high level of work ethic and a big desire to help shaping the sustainable world. But it all started with a very bad first interview early April. Confident, I knew all the possible questions, passing several interviews during the last few months, my interviewer (my current boss) asked me an unexpected question. Considering improvising skills as one of my stronger points and key tool for a successful Government relations management, it did not help me delivering the right answer.
COVID19 is somewhat similar. We were caught by surprise, thinking we know the answers and the virus will disappear in few weeks. But it came very different. It has been now almost a year since the first lockdown came into force. Big plans for 2020 – dismissed. In-house family has been on since. Enjoying the privilege of living on the suburbs of a big city in an own little house with garden, helped us to keep our kids entertained during this period, strengthening our parenting skills, but also causing »additional areas« of grey hair. As COVID19 was changing our society, so are our kids transforming in young adults and parents are becoming experts in training their patience and acceptance of new realities. But we are much closer to their “world” due to COVID19.
This year has caused many “first time” like experiences. Amongst others, it has been the year we did not camp with our camper. Not one single day. It has been a year without a “big exploration trip”. Asia was planned. It has been the first New Year’s Eve we’ve spent in Brussels in 15 year since we moved here. New experience in our family bubble. Does this make us sad? Absolutely not. We grew stronger together as family. We learnt how to accept others’ personal space. We’ve learnt to make compromises and control our egos. And we are even more eager and hungry for new adventures in the 2021 and years to come. We already plan, cautiously.
Short read. I am confident 2021 will be much longer. So will my Blog.
Jernej Vernik webpage 