The NS Man Tribe

For the next couple of weeks (and for the last few days) I’ll be doing my yearly national service. It’s not something I particularly look forward to, but after I’m doing with it I’m often quite thankful for the opportunity to have been able to do it. It’s something like a hard run in the morning — you don’t really want to do it, and you’re pretty much miserable all the way through until the end, but in hindsight when all is done, you realise just how good it makes you feel.

For the last couple of days I’ve been pretty miserable in camp. Being away from my family and having had to put my career moves on hold has been hard (especially since I’d only recently changed jobs).

But I’ve also been surprisingly happy, because it’s given me an opportunity (albeit a forced one) to talk to guys my age, in a similar life stage. The very unique relationships we NS Man have, being die-for-one-another close and yet at the same time didn’t-know-you-got-married close, is something you won’t get anywhere else.

I’m part of the NS Man tribe. And, strangely enough, I like it.