When you travel for work there's a real discord - those who don't or have never done it think it is a glamorous privilege that you should be thankful for (what do they know about jet lag and facing a grueling meeting when your stomach is in another time zone, your neck is sore from the dodgy hotel pillow and you twisted your knee getting passed the man in the aisle seat when you needed to get up to pee) and those left at home don't realise how hard it is to be away from everything that is familiar and the people you love. While their life continues as usual, yours is thrown into upheaval with no routine and none of the creature comforts of home.
You miss the simple things - like morning snuggles with your love, home packed lunches, slumping on the couch after a long day and being able to select an outfit from your entire wardrobe rather than the selection you packed (and no matter how much experience I have with packing I always seem to get it wrong - shoes especially, probably because they take up so much room). But mostly, you miss the people - loved ones, extended family, friends, even co-workers in your usual locale (so much so that when you do go into your home office, you don't get anything done because people want to chat to you - which, while lovely, is not very productive). And when you get home you're both exhausted and overrun. All the things you can't do when you are not at home still need to be done - lawns, cleaning, general maintenance - and you generally come home with a mountain of washing PLUS everyone you would usually see during the week wants to catch up so your weekends are lost in a blur of unpacking, chores, catch ups, washing and repacking.
Trust me, there is nothing glamorous about it.
While travel for pleasure is an adventure, travel for work is a chore. Airports are not friendly places. Planes suck. Cabs are a nightmare. Accommodation is never of your choosing. And you are at the mercy of everyone else. Your time is not your own. Because you are away from home the corporation thinks they own you and that they can invade your every waking hour. There are dinners and breakfasts and lunches so you can't even eat in peace. Meetings are scheduled not only on local time but you're also expected to keep up with what's happening at home, meaning you're always working long days. On top of that,you need to find time to get your ACTUAL work done. Not a mean feat when you're hungry, tired and without your usual support network.
Sure, occasional travel for work can be a perk. A side trip to another city is an opportunity to try new foods, meet up with colleagues you only know from the sound of their voice and make real connections. But sustained travel (especially to the same location and even more so if that location is overseas and you regularly have to deal with the joys of immigration and customs at both ends of your journey) is just a pain in the arse - sometimes literally.
There are times when you can go all week without having a real conversation with someone in person. Sure, you might speak to your loved one on the phone (if you're really lucky, they will take time out of their routine to Skype or FaceTime you) but it is not the same. And you can almost guarantee that no one will touch you from departure to return which is depressing because the healing power of touch is greatly underestimated. Sure, massages can alleviate some of the touch-deprivation but it's costly and the masseur doesn't give a damn about you personally so it's just skin to skin without any of the warmth that comes from hugging someone you love.
Give me a home-based job any day!
No comments:
Post a Comment