A week that has it all

“Hey man! When are you going to visit us again?” A customer asks me in January of 2019. “As soon as I get my visa approval you guys will be my first visit!” Last December, I sent him an e-mail: “Guess who’s coming to America? Merry Christmas!”

I’ve been working from home (wherever that was) for almost a 100% of my time since I left the United States in January of 2017. “Don’t you miss working with people around you?” is the question I always get when I tell about my work. In response I usually tell how great it is to be flexible to work whenever and wherever I please. About how I can get so much work done, because I’m not distracted by people around me. Later this week I would be reminded of what I’ve been missing…

Belonging

I get to the office and am excited about seeing people I haven’t seen since December of 2016 and about meeting people that I’ve worked with so much over the past few years, but never met in person.

A lady behind the desk greets me: “Good morning, how can I help you?” “Hi, I’m Thijs.” “Oh my God! Thijs!! So nice to finally meet you!” I feel very welcome when I’m introduced to the people I haven’t met before and share hugs with the people that I have. “So good to have you back brother, we’ve missed you!”, the president of the company smiles when he sees me.

We have a lot of ground to cover this week. I join the warehouse manager for a quick tour through their production plant and warehouse. Much has changed since the last time I visited: they’ve grown their business quite a bit during the last couple of years and professionalized lots of its aspects. It is gratifying to see people use screens and forms in their day to day job, that I built from home over the last few years. It is fun to create things, but it is just as fun to see your creations being used in real life.

This customer has different inventory streams and this week we are finalizing a warehouse management system. This allows users to keep track of different pallets in inventory, along with their content and location and allow those pallets to be selected for shipment.

Working on site is more expensive for the customer than working remote, but it is also much more efficient. I just walk into someone’s office to get the feedback I need, rather than to wait for e-mail response. It is also helpful to actually see what happens in real life, so we can design the most user-friendly and scalable solution.

While programming in my temporary office I hear a bell ring. “Whoohoo! I closed another deal!” “Awesome, which customer? What is the amount?” The guy who rang the bell has no chance to answer as another project manager runs towards the bell. “I forgot about mine this morning!” “Great job everyone!” What a fun way to celebrate success!

It is Valentine’s Day week and every day there is a little theme. Some days people all wear the same color, other days there is a big Valentine’s lunch where everybody prepared something to share. There are little heart cut-outs with the words “I appreciate__” in the kitchen where people can write appreciative and encouraging messages for each other. Despite the fact that this company is a large player in their market, it still has a ‘family-owned business’ feel. It feels warm and welcoming. I also receive many hearts with appreciative words from people that I’ve worked with for quite some time. It feels like I’m part of the team, like I belong here.  What a contrast with working from home all by myself.

Exploring and connecting

During the evening we go out for dinner or happy hour with a couple of folks and an employee takes me to Wynwood. This area used to be a shady neighborhood but thanks to some amazing artists has become a tourist hotspot.

One morning I drive over to Miami Beach to watch the sunrise and have breakfast near the water. The sunrise is beautiful and Bob Marley sets the atmosphere in the News Café on Ocean Drive. It’s moments like these when I’m especially grateful. Here I am, in Miami, having an ‘ocean overlooking breakfast’, because someone else finds value in my presence and flies me over from the Netherlands.

Every day there is a big lunch at the office and one evening I decide to just get some yoghurt for dinner. I’m stuffed. I order a Malbec at the hotel bar and that’s when I meet Kyle. “I’ve always wondered which wine would pair well with yoghurt”, she laughs. We strike up a conversation and before we know it, it's four hours later. We discover we have a lot in common and have a deep and meaningful conversation. 

The next night we hang out again and continue our conversation. At one point she’s like: “Who are you?! We’ve just met and I’ve told you more about me than to 99% of the people I hang out with!” I smile and reply that I can’t help but to follow my interest. Kyle is a beautiful soul and a blast to hang out with. I even get her to play the ukulele – my standard travel companion these days – and do some cartwheels with me, before she's getting ready for a Rock-and-Roll cruise ship with a friend.

Time for pleasure

Before I know it, it is Friday and the work week comes to an end. It’s been a very productive week and the president gives me a fist bump when we demo the work that’s been completed. We part with a big hug and I jump into the car. I’m driving south for a beautiful drive towards Key West.

My friend Kale works at the Coast Guard and he moved together with his girlfriend Tiffany to Key West last year to be stationed here. The last time I saw them was a little over a year ago in St. Thomas. “What’s up buddy, so good to see you again!”, he welcomes me. “You guys keep moving to awesome places, and I’ll make sure to visit you!” I reply.

The three of us head out for the bars to grab some food and a few drinks. What starts off as an easy night out with some fun bands, changes all of a sudden to an unexpected evening. Something with a guy from Washington DC, a limousine, body shots and some very interesting places. What a fun night!

On Saturday we cruise around the island on motor bikes, accompanied by a healthy hangover. Kale and Tiffany show me around and we go to some beaches, the southern most point of the continental United States, Duval street and Bahama village. Key West has a lot of resemblance with the Garden District in New Orleans. Everywhere you look there are gorgeous French houses with huge evergreen trees hanging across the road. The streets are very clean and it feels safe everywhere you go. So it feels like a clean New Orleans, only missing the jazz vibe from the Crescent City.

Then, at the end of the afternoon, we walk into a bar called 'Blue Heaven'. You know that feeling when everything seems to align and you find a place that is exactly what you’d hope for? Everything is perfect: the music, the plants, the vibe, the people. I can’t suppress a smile as the waiter brings me a delicious piece of key lime pie.

Then Kale speaks the legendary words: “Let’s grab the scooters and head for the sunset.” We watch the sunset at Mallory square where many street artists are performing in the hopes of making a few bucks.

“Hey man, with you being into the ukulele and guitar thing recently, I think we should go see a guy perform tonight. I think you’ll like him,” Kale suggests. Do I like him? I love him. He is the single most talented musician I’ve ever seen play. Rob Benton is his name. And this guy can do it all. He has a beautiful voice, plays the guitar like I’ve seen nobody do before and uses a looping station to create his own ‘band’ with drums and keyboard. I catch myself many times with my mouth wide open. What a blast!

I don’t talk much with Kale or Tiffany whenever we are not together, but every time we see each other we only need a few words and it is like we hang out all the time. I’m grateful for our friendship and their hospitality.

Returning home

Right before my flight to Amsterdam, I recognize the KLM purser, who was also on the flight to Panama City a few weeks ago. I give her a big hug and we start to chat. “Where are you seated?” she asks. “middle seat 35B”,  I reply. “Let me see what I can do for you.” When I enter the plane I am pointed to an exit row seat and am handed a glass of champagne. “This way it isn’t such a contrast with your previous trip,” she smiles.

Because I’m moved to a new seat I am seated right in front of a flight attendant and we start a conversation. I quickly realize that even though she is much younger than me in age, she is older than me in wisdom. During her break we continue our conversation in the galley of the airplane. The way she spreads her energy, stands up for what she believes and the way she is unapologetically her pure self is truly inspirational. Is it a coincidence that I’m on the same flight as the purser that I recognized from a few weeks ago, and that she got me a new seat right in front of this flight attendant? I stopped believing in coincidences a long time ago.

It is a perfect end to an amazing week that had everything that I could have wished for. And then some.