Turned in my Resignation
Written by Bessie on Thursday, November 01, 2007 in United States
Feelin' normal
I turned in my resignation today. Anticipating it was far worse than actually telling everyone. My work is an extension family, and one of the hardest parts of leaving Chicago. It's not something I can easily come back to like friendships and lifestyle. It's not that part of family you have to see and aren't quite sure how you're related to, but awe-inspiring people that challenge you and change your life. Beautiful people that do good and change lives while humbly accepting praise. You all make a difference, and you've changed me.Feelin' normal
News of my leaving prompted welled-up eyes, smiles mixed with excitement and jealousy, and recommendations of where to go and friends to meet up with on the road. I was told "I'm excited for you,
I hate you [for leaving]" all in one breath and encouraged to come back in a year. I heard "F!#@" and was given health advice and told to send postcards. Overall, encouragement and support. And love. Work love.
I'll miss my job, and that's an understatement. I'm glad I've got two months to work through the separation with everyone. I find comfort in the notion that if I didn't love my job and life it wouldn't be so hard to leave. It's like that in so many areas of life. if life weren't so good, it wouldn't be so hard to leave. I'm truly blessed.
Below's my email to my co-workers.
Date: Nov 1, 2007 4:25 PM
Subject: Leaving for an adventure...
Dearest co-workers,
It's with bittersweet excitement that I write that my last day with
Chicago Cares will be January 11th. Kyle and I will be leaving to
pursue our dream of backpacking for a year through Central and South
America. Leaving my job here, is one of the hardest parts of my
departure, and I'm proud to be able to say I'll miss coming to work, a
lot.
We're leaving in late January and starting with a language intensive /
volunteering homestay in Guatemala and will be traveling by bus
hooking up with volunteer programs throughout various countries and
hopefully leaving places better than when we came. One of our big
goals is to share our experiences, so I'll be sure to send postcards
and pass along the link to our blog/website in the next few months.
I've learned and experienced so much in my year and a half here, and I
feel very lucky to have worked along side so many awesome people.
Thank you for being such great people to work with and in the meantime
I'll be working away.
Bessie
Bessie Ratskoff
Program Coordinator - Human Services
Chicago Cares, Inc.
You care about making a difference. We care about making it easy.
Volunteer! www.chicagocares.org
