a day in the life of a latvian mom

Tomorrow, I’m going back to work after 80 days away.

Eighty days! Doesn’t that sound familiar? Phileas Fogg travelled around the world in 80 days. I haven’t travelled around the world, but I’ve certainly had my own little roller coaster ride. And now, here I am, back where I started — or at least, ready to begin again. I decided that an hour ago. I have to make a phone call tomorrow to close my sick leave and that’s it!

These 80 days weren’t exactly a holiday. They were full of unexpected discoveries, difficult moments, and a lot of trying to understand what was happening to me. Sometimes life simply tells you to stop, even when you would much rather keep going.

I’ve been trying to find answers, take care of my health, and slowly find my way back to myself. It’s been quite a journey, and I’m still somewhere along the way.

Tomorrow, though, it’s time to put on my work hat again. I work from home and the first part of the day might look something like this:

I’m feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness. Will everything feel familiar? Will my brain cooperate? Will I remember all those little things that used to come naturally? I suppose I’ll find out soon enough.

Luckily, I’m returning to a job I enjoy and to people I like working with. That makes a difference. Still, after 80 days away, I know I need to be patient with myself and not expect everything to fall into place on the very first day.

Phileas Fogg made it around the world in 80 days. My journey has been a little different, with fewer exotic destinations and considerably more health investigations, but I’ve reached a new starting point, too.

Tomorrow, the adventure continues — just with a laptop, emails, and a regular workday instead of a steamship and a hot-air balloon… Phileas Fogg had Passepartout by his side on his journey around the world. I’ll have my own kind of Passepartout waiting for me — an AI assistant! 😉 Sometimes it will help me find my way, and sometimes it will make things even more complicated than they need to be. But hey, every great adventure needs a little chaos, right? 😉

Wish me luck! Here’s to getting back into the swing of things, one day at a time.

Ilze

P.S. I feel I won’t be here that much…