For those who have been following my traveldotes (see what I’ve done there) you’ll have noted when I begun I mentioned I’d have liked to have returned to University following my year out in Australia to do a Masters in International Relations. In 2010, I finally realised that ambition and so at the tender age of 29 I left my job and enrolled in a full-time masters course in International Relations: Global Security and Development.

Nearing the end of my studies, in July this year I set about looking for work not really knowing what field I would find myself in. Naturally, it had to have something to do with International Relations / Development; to wind back up as a web-developer, whilst not the end of the world, would have been somewhat disappointing (not to mention expensive when taking into account course fees, living expenses and lost earnings).

One afternoon I lucked upon a role on a Facebook group of all places! that seemed a little to good to be true. It was a role for a business analyst working for a social enterprise company developing monitoring and evaluation software for use Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Community-Based Organisations (CBOs). It was a role that would combine the 7 years of experience in software / web-development with my interest in international relations / development, offering the prospect of overseas travel too. Perfect!

I applied, had the interview, and was offered the job that very same day. To boot, I was asked how I’d feel about travelling to India in my first week of the job. Naturally, I said I had I’d have to think about it. Who am I trying to kid, I said I’d love too, when do I leave? I still had my dissertation to think about / write but I’d find time to fit that in…

And so a hastily arranged business trip to India began with a trip to London to apply for a business visa….