Kees leaves Panama

Some people already know, but most are unaware and therefore this blog: Kees goes to Angola to work for two years. He has just left today, the first of June, to Germany and than to the Netherlands and then to Angola...

Yes, Kees goes back to Africa to earn money. We are now nearly two years in Panama and have invested a lot of money, earned (too) little and we have seen the prices go up enormously. When we arrived here in 2006, the price of diesel was about 2 dollars for a gallon (nearly 4 litres) and now the same gallon is on average $4,14... and worse, we still have to start building the house/hotel ...

We had hoped that we could get some consultancy jobs in the Latin America region but when you arrive ‘fresh’ from Africa you miss the required ‘5 years regional experience’... So when money dried up, and despite the fact that we managed to sell our house in Mozambique for a reasonable price (agreed upon in Euros), we participated in several proposal bids for consultancy companies in Africa and anywhere. (Loes is in some round for short-term repeated consultancy maybe in Africa and/or Ecuador – we are not going into details because one of these proposal bids has not yet been submitted to USAID). In short, our CV is somewhere in the world wide web en a German company GFA Consulting Group found Kees’ CV there. They asked him some months ago whether he wished to join the team in their bid for a contract of the European Commission for a project in Angola and Kees said yes.

GFA won the bid round (of course also thanks to Kees’ perfectly fitting CV) and they signed the contract with the European Union. Therefore, Kees goes to Angola for two years. It is an interesting project, about land rights and water supply for "trans-human cattle owners", but as said, it is now more about the money than it used to be years ago. The fact that the salary is good and that they pay two tickets per year between Angola and Panama made the decision to participate in the proposal easier.

Neither of us wants to delay the progress of our project here. Especially since we do not want to delay the construction of the house/hotel with four rooms on the land, Loes stays in Panama. Now you all want to know how we feel about it and what we think about that...

Well we do not like it at all on one side, it is not an ideal situation, and both of us fear missing each other. Yet, on the other side, we know we need the money and it is an opportunity too. Besides, we have before lived very far apart together for longer periods (but never as long in one go... nor did we like it then...). Now we hope for a reasonable phone connection. Kees seems to be getting a satellite phone for the project (...). Normal phones and internet seem to be at several hours but very good to travel in the weekend! If, in a year or so, we seem a bit depressed or not so optimistic than you are warned... than we miss each other terribly!

The departure got a rather weird touch. Both Loes and Kees are holding back a part of their tears while Kees walks alone to the customs and Loes waits all alone behind the rope. Suddenly, hundreds of Panamanians come running from the steps and crowd behind, beside and under Loes, who tries to wave to Kees every time he turns. These people are highly exited and joyful and bring banners that they hold and put up. One big banner appears in front of Loes who tries to look over it to see and wave to Kees who is as surprised as she is... Apparently, the world champion boxing arrived, he came home, and he is Panamanian!