And I thought the money was enough to keep me.

People in the Call Center industry are quick to defend their work; to say that there is no growth in the industry is bullshit!, they yell. Yes, for some companies that allow it, especially the one I was from, it was easy to “grow,” to be promoted, to climb the career ladder. From mere CSR, to TL, to OM… and so on. I could have gone up a rung had I applied any effort into it, had the bribe with a salary increase been shoved into my face a little more maybe.

But I remained a “mere” CSR. I didn’t bother even trying. I didn’t want to get promoted knowing that that would, in the long run, make it harder for me to leave if my time came to leave. I knew I didn’t want to have that kind of responsibility.

A few months later, I proved myself right. I couldn’t take it anymore. I couldn’t take the monotony. I couldn’t take the thought that I could be doing something more. Something more like me.

You see, the growth I was looking for was just not in that industry. And it was not in monetary terms either. For the longest time — I was there for over a year! — I thought the money would be enough to keep me there. And it did, for a while. And the fear of giving up on getting money kept me even longer than I wanted.

Don’t get me wrong; I loved it for all it was worth — the pay was good, as I’ve mentioned, and the people were great! It’s just… really… REALLY not what I want, or ever wanted. And I could no longer convince myself otherwise. Believe me, I tried.

And now, with my last day drawing near, I prepare to bid Fare Thee Well to the calls (yessss!!!), to the familiar almost-homey workplace, and to the friends I met while there. I just know I’ll end up shedding a tear or two. (Over the friends, not the calls, I clarify.)

All my worries of how to help the family out and how to save up for a plane ticket to run away to the States takes a backseat to my desperation to leave the damn place.

So what is it that I want to do after leaving? Shit – I don’t know. I’ll ask myself that later.

In the meantime, I give up all financial worry for my sanity and celebrate its return! …if I had it at all to begin with. ;)