How I escaped the Washington banking world

Friends told Linda Young she would never return home to a quiet life. After all, she had worked for the World Bank in Washington DC. But the 57-year-old is back and settling in to the slower pace of Waiheke Island life, just as she always knew she would.

"I was in Washington for Christmas 1989 and took a temporary administrative job at the Australian Embassy as they were short-staffed during the holidays. A few months later I was still there and knew there were positions available with the World Bank, so I applied. By being in the right place at the right time, I was offered a job at the International Finance Corporation, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group. I’m still not sure if I got the job because of my qualifications or if they were just fascinated that I was a Kiwi. 

"It was exciting being among so many cultures in an international city and work environment. I was surrounded by people with impressive degrees but I wasn’t intimidated – I have a degree in life! I succeeded there because I was a willing Kiwi with a can-do attitude and a good dollop of common sense. Among my first impressions of the USA were those of rampant consumerism and a different set of values. These influenced me to stay grounded and keep true to myself and my Kiwi values, enjoying life's simple pleasures with integrity, humility and resourcefulness.

"My 16 years with the World Bank were an exhilarating, stressful, challenging, rewarding growth experience. I had a variety of roles and my last position was in the human resources department as part of the leadership and development team. By the end of every week I was mentally exhausted so I’d go hiking and biking. Being amongst nature and with friends was my rejuvenation. 

"It was a fast-paced life and I knew I would eventually slow down and nurture my creative side by returning home. I had chosen Waiheke because it fitted my values and the lifestyle I envisaged. But my New Zealand friends didn’t believe I would ever come back, especially not to a small island.

"In 2005 it was time to make my lifestyle change. I spent a year travelling back via Africa, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and China. The day I arrived home, while I was on the Waiheke car ferry, I thought "This is where I belong". Three years later I still have that feeling.

"Friends come to visit me from Washington and think I’ve slowed down so much. But people on Waiheke don’t see me like that; they look at my planner and say it gives them a headache! The hardest part is moving away from that corporate thinking; remembering it is OK not to have 10,000 things to do every day.

"In my new life, I can focus on my passion for art photography, capturing the intensity and intrinsic beauty of everyday life. I am also enjoying giving something back to the community by doing a variety of volunteer work. It feels right to be here, helping people in real-life ways and being creative and free."

Interview by Rosalind Le Bas Walker. Photo by Jeff Young.