Categories: uncategorized
Date: 28 July 2005 21:20:17
Well, a long couple of weeks actually. Last Tuesday there was an announcement made about redundancies at my husband's company, followed by a telephone call that evening informing him that he was one of the ones 'at risk'. The meeting with HR on Friday said that they would look for other suitable positions within the company globally, which could possibly mean Australia, Hong Kong, USA, Coventry or Aberdeen. Today's follow up meeting confirmed that there isn't really anything available, and gave him details of the redundancy package. After the next meeting (mid August) he will be given his official notice. It's hard to know what to do, whether to stay where we are, look further afield, work towards re-locating (within the UK or even abroad). And He still has his (part-time) Phd to finish off - 5 years down, maximum 3 to go. Maybe this is the ideal opportunity to work on that while not in full-time employment?
In the mean time, I have known since June that I will likely have to spend about 3 months in Japan up to the end of this year. This last week things have finally been moving on that project, and it looks as though I'll be out there with my boss and his boss at the end of August (which may make me a day late for greenbelt - sob!). Which in itself is a very good thing. Mostly it's just management who go off to these things, agree everything, and tell you bits of it when they get back. This way I'll get the information as I'll actually be there - which is will be a great help when I am running the project over the next year or two! Of course, my being in Japan isn't really wonderful timing with hubby's situation as it is. Not sure about the 3-month thing, either...
I am looking forward to it with a mixture of feelings. It will be great to have the opportunity to explore Japan - I have been 4 times before, but only on shortish business trips, and have seen parts of Tokyo but never other parts of the Country. This time I will presumably have weekends to myself so will have the opportunity to travel. Also, having been learning Japanese at an evening class since last September, I may be able to get by and learn some more. Although what with the alphabet being different, and all of the characters, I can't exactly say that I speak Japanese. My knowledge is very basic and sketchy at best - not enough to hold a conversation! On the other side of the coin, it means being away for 3 months. It's hard leaving your spouse behind and going to a foreign country for a long time. I lived in France for a year, California for 9 months, and Canada for 6 months (the latter two since we have been married), so I know it's difficult. But isn't insurmountable. And 3 months isn't that long really. Just 12 weeks. Hopefully I'll be back for Christmas....
I have two weeks off work in August, and it looks as though I'll have to cancel the last 3 days. Which will mean it's not really a fortnight anymore. I was really looking forward to the break. But the Japanese project has been looming for ages, and has been what I was assigned for and building up to since December last year, and it seems silly to fly out without having been in the office for two weeks..
Anyway, on a lighter note, I have tomorrow off (hurrah) and hubby and I are going to Brecon for the weekend, camping (double hurrah!). Although I'd quite like it not to be raining when we put the tent up. The Choir I used to sing in at Swansea will be singing at Brecon Cathedral over the weekend. Under normal circumstances I would be singing with them, but my vocal chords still aren't right after the operation I had on them in March (another story for another day), so this time I will be listening. But it'll be absolutely wonderful to see people again - we don't really go back to Swansea very often.