As the snow was slowly receding even in Northern Sweden, I had to accept that even the best times in life will come to an end at some point and once again I found myself on the platform at the railway station in Sundsvall waiting for the train to Stockholm…..
A couple of days later I found myself at the former head quarters of a coal mining company in Genk, Belgium for my first veterinary conference in pretty exactly 2 years.
Swapping the operating theatre with the board room after such a long time, my colleagues and I soon realized though that our work hadn’t become easier – the social restrictions caused by the pandemic had been replaced completely by a conflict we all had thought no longer be possible in Europe in the 21st century.
These are sad days for an international organisation which has always worked towards the peaceful communication among veterinary professionals, but unfortunately with members from both waring parties.
It was somewhat a relief to be able to finally hand over the presidential gavel to my friend Denis Novak (something I had forgotten to do a couple years ago) and looking back, I considered myself very lucky having enjoyed leading our FECAVA “Family” in happier days, with memorable congresses both in Tallinn and in St.Petersburg.
But at least for now we once again enjoyed meeting again with our colleagues in person and later that day a conversation I had over a glass of wine is likely to open another chapter in the journal of the “Blue Vet” in the not so distant future…..
Before that though, I will need a change of scenery…..
The Blue Vet Diary 