recognizing the change

Just contacted the outside world for the first time since coming here. What a strange feeling. Here in Oz, we’re so far away… and, up to a point, the longer you’re out here the easier it gets to forget exactly where you came from…

It wasn’t the military, that’s for sure. I always wanted to be a Penn guy who happened to be in the military, rather than a military guy who happened to graduate from Penn, but right now, that is not how I’m viewed at Melbourne Business School (MBS). Here, I’m the military guy, regardless of how much facial hair I might show up with on a given day.

In our intake of only 42 (!), I suppose that this might make sense, since I’m the only person here with an armed services background. So odd to represent an organization that’s generated so many emotions over the years. I guess it makes sense though. The Navy is what I’ve been doing… nine months in the Gulf amongst five years of war paint will transform even the most resilient of souls.

The transformation might be invisible, though – my buddy Dave, who’s known me since I was twelve, recently said that I’m the same guy on the outside as I was back then, though of course now with less hair than I had in high school. Not sure I agree with him. After a battery of MBS-induced psychological tests, it seems I’m comfortable and fairly skilled at leading groups both formal and informal settings.

This is not who I was five years ago, at all. I remember distinctly that, through college, I was a good team guy, a person who worked well from the inside without necessarily having the desire to pull others along with me.

How else am I different than before? Am I better? Worse? Massively unaware? Perhaps these financial data sheets and accounting spreadsheets might shed some light on it. Will keep you posted.

^_^