Consulting work: ups and downs

Last week I was told that I will not be returning to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to work on the Aramco UPDC project. That is two of us learning designers who are not returning and I am sure there will be more. I am convinced that it is a business decision, based on the meager output of the team this past year due to uncertainties around SME input and availabilities, organizational structure, management, and leadership. I believe that upper management expectations were not met, so the thing to do was to reduce manpower and reorganize and alter expectations for the coming year. Perhaps there will an opportunity to return when they get their act together, but in the meantime, I have clients to find and service. There are opportunities out there and I will find them. Networking and research are the two most important activities right now, and I have been doing a lot of that since I was told that I was not coming back. Here in San Miguel I am also tempted to complete the illustrations that I started when I first arrived, but I need to focus. There will be time to do art again. I am confident that income producing work will result if I continue to expand my network. This is the life of a consultant - up and down :)