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There’s no easy way to say this, so I’m just going to share the news with you: I am leaving THWACK. But don’t worry, it’s not you, it’s me. Seriously now, it was a tough decision to make, and I’ll try not to turn this farewell into something cheesy.

Even though this is my last week as an official THWACK gatekeeper, guardian of points and professional (s)talker (but soon to be a lurker, because, let’s face IT, who can actually quit THWACK forever?), I still believe I was beyond lucky to have the chance to be part of this amazingly welcoming community, a community which wouldn’t exist without each and every one of you.

I must confess that over the past 2 years THWACK made my job not feel like work. Yes, I did have my gloomy days, when all I wanted to do was to hide under the covers and sleep. But at the end of the day, I felt that it was all worth it, and that my contribution made a difference. Which is the closest I ever got to an ideal job.

Don’t get me wrong, work will always be work, as long as we need that paycheck to pay the bills. But when you are surrounded by passionate and creative people who want to deliver quality, you get inspired and want to get invested more. For most of us, this takes up at least 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. Why spend every day wishing it were Friday, only to wake up next Monday and continue this vicious circle? THWACK allowed not to feel that way, and for this I’m eternally grateful.

But what I’m even more grateful for is having been part of a team which believed in me, accepted my quirkiness, and gave me an opportunity to grow and learn at my own pace. And while this community means much more than the THWACK team, I do have to give a shout out to mrs.alterego, wabbott, and DanielleH. Especially Danielle, who was so much more than my manager. She was genuinely a friend and the best colleague I could hope for. Thank you so much for your patience showed when I joined the team, for giving me the chance to see why Austin is weird, and for the support you gave me when I decided to move to some new opportunities.

Now, before I look for a tissue to wipe away whatever got into my eyes and caused those lacrimal glands to act all funky, I want to assure y'all I'm leaving you in good hands, and I wish everyone will enjoy THWACK as much as I did. And if you ever wanted to know more about myself, here’s some fun facts instead of a goodbye.

Yours truly,

Maria Bungău