The past year has been difficult. About a year ago, I was so burned out on my job that I started looking for a way out. I couldn’t just leave without an exit strategy and I knew that it would take more than a year to complete. I’m an American citizen who has spent the last several years living in Europe. We made the decision to get a green card for my wife and then move back to the US.

In my off-time, I dove headfirst into studying OSINT with the goal of making that my new career path after moving. I still had my day job which I mostly loathed, but I continued working there and tried my best to stay positive.

From February 2022 to January 2023, everything went as planned. My wife was awarded her green card in January. I had told me company months before that I wanted to transfer to the US with the goal of moving to another department as soon as possible after I moved back to the US. I was told that shouldn’t be a problem.

Last month I was told that my request to transfer to the US was denied. US benefits and pay were so much more than what I made where I live, that they were not willing to pay for the transfer. I was at a loss. I couldn’t just move and take my chances that I would find a new job before I left. What would happen if I was unsuccessful and my savings ran out?

Instead, I took the slightly less difficult road and found a new job in the country where I live. It is not a job that works with OSINT. Instead, it is a research and development position which is actually a lot more interesting that the job that I am leaving.

I am still planning on moving back but those plans have been pushed back by a year.

In the meantime, my OSINT studies have slowed. I’m not doing much in the community and I’m afraid that I will forget what I know. I’m in a difficult situation where now I have to put as much concentration as I can into my new job and getting prepared to work there while also trying to train for the future, not to mention trying to have a personal life with my wife outside of work.