I'm back. And I'm going to tell you a story.

"I'm too passive, verbose and terminologically convoluted"

Hi! I'm Dan - Dan the development man. And it all began with a turkey. Or a turkey farmer anyway. He saw the advertisement (I thought he was my friend) and he e-mailed it to me. "Do it!" he said. So I did.

First came the interviews. I was embarrassed by my high powered competitors. But apparently the Board wanted a change of direction. And being the only one pointing in that direction I was offered the job (although apparently I'm too passive, verbose and terminologically convoluted). Surprised, I took it. Anyway, another application had just been rejected and the job I was otherwise heading for would have had me walking the streets at night (seriously).

Next came the admin. I'd forgotten the complexities of taking on a new overseas assignment. Or the orientation: anachronistic to say the least, with some crucial aspects underdone and others overdone. But a bit of self-advocacy; incorporating a couple of field trips; and I was pretty much as well prepared as I think I could usefully have been.

Themes from The Poisonwood Bible drifted silth-like through my nightmares as I flew, with my young family, into the darkness.