It all started when....

In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth....well I won't start that far back.  I had been working for MITI -> xwave -> Aliant -> Bell Aliant -> (..Bell??) since 1998 with a small "sabbatical" working on the farm in the middle there.  My future at the company was looking pretty bad with layoffs all around me and pay freezes.  A friend of mine that worked for the company decided to take a job working overseas.  After discussing the details and waiting to see how he made out, I was encouraged to apply for a job as well.  The work required me to travel to Afghanistan, which takes a lot of thinking and some loss of sleep.  In January, 2010, I decided that the timing was right and it was time to go for it.  Thanks to the friends input and feedback I was interviewed for the job and was made an offer for a 2 yr contract.  Probably one of the biggest decisions I have ever made.  At the time I was still trying to complete construction of my new house, so I had to speed things up and try to complete as much as I could.  July arrived and it was time to prepare to leave.  That is where my journey begins - July 17th, 2010 I boarded a plane in Saint John.