Farewell with UNEP Bangkok

Our lives in Bangkok of almost four years, and of which nearly three years I had been working with UNEP ROAP, is finally coming to an end. As mas Nuki received a job offer as Research Associate at Kyoto University, we decided to move to Japan. With this decision came the consequence that I must leave my job at UNEP. It was not an easy decision, but at the end of the day, family is bound to be the most important aspect of our lives and long distance relationship in this regard, is not an option.

Breaking the news to my supervisor Mr. Henk Verbeek was not easy, but he was very supportive and completely understood our decision. As the news spread and more people knew of my leaving, my really kind colleagues had arranged a farewell party for me at the office, which was, as long as I've been working at UNEP, I've never seen a party with such a spread: pizzas, Thai delicacies, fruit platters, were made available from the tables' corner to corner, and it was a surprise for me because apparently some colleagues had arranged this without me knowing.

I was also informed that some colleagues who are working on the other office block was supposed to be in a teleconference with UNEP headquarters in Nairobi at the time of which my farewell party was organized. They were very thoughtful enough to postpone the teleconference one hour after my farewell party! And another surprise was that some colleagues in Nairobi was informed about my farewell, and my former colleague Emily Park, who used to share an office with me in Bangkok, called me all the way from Nairobi to 'protest' that I didn't tell her about my leaving. :)

The farewell party was opened with a special remark made by our UNEP Regional Director Dr. Young Woo Park (pictured below).

And then after my supervisor Henk Verbeek delivered his witty and delightful remarks, it was my turn to deliver a speech. I started with thanking everyone and mentioning colleagues who really made a difference to my work and career at UNEP. I ended my speech with a poem as follows:

May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may UNEP remain filled with wonderful people like you.

Here is the picture of some of my colleagues. (Left to right: Serena, Lud, Maria, Clementine, Stefanos, Satwant, and Subrata)

Left to right: my supervisor Mr. Henk Verbeek, Serena, and I

And after all said and done, we enjoyed the food while... listening to our Regional Director singing karaoke! Yes, it was the first time ever we have karaoke in UNEP office. My kind colleague Lita brought her karaoke set and we had a nice time singing and listening to our colleagues sing! :)

So now, as I write this I'm already in our new place which is located in the border of Kyoto and Osaka. Although distance may have set us apart, I believe that we will meet each other again, if not sooner then perhaps later. I will never forget my time of working with UNEP.

I am pleased that the project that I coordinated, the Asia Pacific Forum for Environment and Development (APFED) Showcase Programme, had been regarded as a 'highly successful programme' by my supervisor in his memo to our partners and colleagues that informed them about my leaving.

I was also honoured to be awarded the "Certificate of Appreciation" by the UNEP Regional Director, as recommended by Mr. Verbeek, 'for outstanding performance as Coordinator of the APFED Showcase Facility'.

Thank you Henk and Dr. Park, for this honour.