From November 2022 to February 2023, I was between projects and working in the office. During this time, I was helping with estimating, proposals, and planning for a new project that I was assigned to in the spring. Working in the office was a nice change of pace as I had just finished my first project from start to finish for the last 1.5 years, as well as being on two projects before. It was a great opportunity to gain exposure to estimating and project pursuits as I never had been involved in that before. However, I was becoming restless to get back on site and start my next project. I compare myself to a shark sometimes where if I stop moving or doing something, I’ll die. I am always looking ahead to what’s up next for me and in this reflection, I was contemplating what it would be like to relocate for work if the opportunity presented itself. Relocating for work in the construction industry is quite common and a lot of my coworkers have experienced it at one point in their careers. I was interested in living somewhere other than home as it would be a significant change in my life, and change introduces challenges which is a part of what this website is founded upon. I figured I would have to experience relocating for work eventually, so if the opportunity came up, why not take it. I was in a very stable position in my life, having just moved out with my partner, working a reliable job with a great company, and spending lots of time with my friends and family. With this strong foundation I had had at home, I felt this would be a perfect time to experience what working and living away from home would be like.
Despite this curiosity, I was assigned to a local project which I was very excited about. I would be working under my colleague whom I was very close with and be on a good project to continue to grow in my position. We had been preparing for the project for about 2 months and I was eager to get going. As I continue to learn, there are so many opportunities in the construction industry, and it just so happened that my manager approached me asking if I would be open to relocating to Toronto to close out a project for the remainder of the year. This was unexpected and the timing was coincidental given my recent reflections about working out of town. Even though I knew my company had an office in Toronto, I never expected to work there. I talked to my manager a bit more and received some more insight and encouragement. Having seen some of my best friends work away from home and how much they grew, I was very intrigued. What I love about my company is the support that I have received throughout my career. That support made me feel comfortable pursuing this opportunity and to show the company I am willing to step up and help wherever needed.
Author
PATRICK SMYTHE
Project Manager
Civil Engineer
Motivated
Storyteller
Big Time Dreamer
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About a week later, it was confirmed that I would be heading out to Toronto for the rest of the year. The first-time saying goodbye to my partner was emotional. Having just moved in with each other a few months prior, we were both getting used to seeing each other every day. The spontaneity of it all was a bit overwhelming and the impact it’d have on our routine and lives started to sink in. My schedule would be 10-days on and 4-days off, which meant a lot of flying. Talking about flights, the first one sucked. I took the 6am flight out to Toronto and I did not sleep well at all. I tossed and turned all night, running through my head what my day and week would look like. Adding to that, I would be living out of an airport hotel the first week there. Thankfully, the week passed by quickly and I flew home to see my partner, friends, and family. Only a week in and so much to catch up on. I find that the most difficult part about change is the beginning, and I was relieved to have gotten it out of the way. It takes time for us to adjust to our new circumstances and surroundings, so I knew this would take some getting used to. Having a bit more time to reflect on this opportunity with my partner that weekend, we decided to focus on the positives of what this change would mean for us. There would be so many new prospects and challenges that this opportunity would present to us, and we were ready to embrace and tackle each one of them together. We both didn’t plan on visiting Toronto this year, let alone consider ever living there. I hadn’t even been to Toronto before, yet it was going to be the place where I would live by myself for the rest of the year.
On my second flight out to Toronto, slightly better rested with a clearer picture of what was in store for me, I closed my eyes and thought how surreal it was for this to be my reality. It felt so cool to be flying across the country to live and work. It also was nice to feel appreciated by my company for stepping up and taking on this change. This change living on my own, away from my loved ones, also introduced a new level of independence which I had never experienced before. The condominium that I was staying at was way better than I could imagine and one that I could call my own. It also had great amenities like a gym, pool, and steam room. My own little spa. As I slowly settled and adjusted to my new routine each day, I became more excited and optimistic that this experience would be the perfect representation of positive change. To me, positive change means to embrace new experiences while retaining your fundamental values and what you care for. I always contemplated what the next instance of positive change would look like for me, and it was interesting to be experiencing it. I was incredibly nervous in the beginning as I was walking into something completely foreign. But I reminded myself that I wasn’t changing who I was, nor was I giving up on relationships or friendships. This change would only be a slight detour and the end date was generally established. I had a solid foundation at home that I was able to come home bi-weekly, and my partner would come out and stay with me once a month. All that was changing would be where I slept, ate, and worked while seeing a new city, meeting new people, and creating new experiences that I hadn’t planned for.
I wouldn’t describe myself as a spontaneous person, so this is easily the most spontaneous thing I have ever done in my life. I plan on writing a more detailed reflection of my time in Toronto once I have returned home, but for now I will say I am incredibly proud to have taken on this change with a smile on my face. I know if I hadn’t, a part of me would always wonder what could have been. To have the knowledge and experience of living away from home makes me feel truly grateful and I believe it will aid me in my future. Not to look too far ahead, but I can see myself clearly as an old man, sitting on a wooden rocking chair on my wrap-around porch, watching the sunset and reflecting on my life. In this reflection, I will look back on my time in Toronto and know that Old Man Paddy will thank his 27-year-old self for the memories he gave him. I am eager to get home to my partner, friends, and family full-time as I miss them very much, but the finish line is in sight, and I am going to try to squeeze out as much as I can from this experience while I still can.
