So there I was, merrily writing up my Thailand holiday (in MARCH! God I'm a terrible blogger) to post and trying to decide just how boring it was to make it into two blog posts, when certain wheels were set in motion.
Well, actually, the wheels were set in motion the month before when 008 handed in his resignation. I was surprised and a bit concerned about my job - his assurances that my job was not in any danger rang somewhat hollow since he wasn't actually going to be there to ensure his assurances. Still, I went on my lovely Thailand holiday and he worked his month's notice, leaving the day before I got back.
I can't say I was exactly devastated because we hadn't exactly gotten to know each other that well, but it was weird and I didn't have all that much to do.
I'd say about a month went by, before the day came that I was writing up my Thailand trip and one of Senior Leadership Team I'd been supporting called me into the conference room in the presence of my friend from HR to tell me I was being made redundant.
Ho hum. Such is the way of the world, and I was planning on looking for another job once I'd seen out a year there.
But the timing sucked to say the least!
O had gone on a business trip to London the week before, and the world being the glorious place that it is, his return was delayed by that lovely little ash cloud that was hanging around. I had also been hoping to have the security of an income while looking for another job which was now out of the window. I had only just 6 months with this company and so wasn't entitled to any settlements, but they were rather fab in allowing me to not work in the office during my months notice period - so that I could get a head start on the job hunt.
Since I didn't actually DO all that much, I didn't have a lot that I needed to hand over. I made a few phone calls to my friend in Dubai (who tells me she reads this now, she must be bored - Hi P!) who was going to have to bear the brunt of what I wasn't doing any more and told the SLT what they needed to know. I packed up my desk (forgetting a few things, of course) into a couple of bags and trudged my sorry self home.
When I got home there was a delightful surprise waiting for me. The electricity in the flat had been turned off. It turns out someone forgot to pay the bill. The thing about no electricity out here is that it means no air-con. This is bad. So after a few frantic and teary phone calls to the UK and to long-suffering friends in AD, I found I could call the electricity people and I begged and sobbed for them to turn me back on - which they did within the hour! The now heavenly whumph-hmmmmmmmmm of the fans starting up awakening me from the nap I decided to take.
So there we go. I am now unemployed yet again!
However, that is not the only change in this little Foreigner's world this year - oh no! We have good changes as well!
After O made his way back to the UAE (no doubt swimming through shark infested waters, hitching lifts with militia and then crossing the desert by camel) he asked me a question and I answered "yes". So there's that.
I started Arabic classes. So there's that too.
Both are fun, although the first is taking up far more time than it really should since the grand affair isn't actually taking place until next year (but I already have the ceremony booked and have bought a dress - eek! Fingers crossed it looks good - I'll explain another time), but it's so much fun looking at food and hairstyles and shoes and flowers and food and venues and dresses and jewellery and bands and did I mention the food?
The second one is going surprisingly well. I fully and wholeheartedly recommend Berlitz for all your language learning needs! They use the immersion technique (where the language of instruction is also the goal language the majority of the time, this helps to think in the goal language instead of trying to translate words and sentences from your mother tongue).
It's not easy, but I never expected it to be. What I am very surprised about is how quickly I'm picking up the reading and writing of Arabic - I was always terrible at orthography and couldn't figure out new alphabets at all. But this is fun and we are learning it slowly enough that it can remain fun. Plus, practicing writing means I don't have to study conjugation.
Lots of ch-ch-ch-changes in the land of sand - and I'm also foolishly considering starting a restaurant review blog linked to this one! Considering how bad I am at maintaining this lovely space it probably is an exercise in futility. But I do love writing about food, and the only other proper review site I've found is this one, which is alright - but the reviews are generally a little basic. I think I could do better.
Thinking about it. Now where are those pictures of horse-drawn carriages I was looking at...?
Well, actually, the wheels were set in motion the month before when 008 handed in his resignation. I was surprised and a bit concerned about my job - his assurances that my job was not in any danger rang somewhat hollow since he wasn't actually going to be there to ensure his assurances. Still, I went on my lovely Thailand holiday and he worked his month's notice, leaving the day before I got back.
I can't say I was exactly devastated because we hadn't exactly gotten to know each other that well, but it was weird and I didn't have all that much to do.
I'd say about a month went by, before the day came that I was writing up my Thailand trip and one of Senior Leadership Team I'd been supporting called me into the conference room in the presence of my friend from HR to tell me I was being made redundant.
Ho hum. Such is the way of the world, and I was planning on looking for another job once I'd seen out a year there.
But the timing sucked to say the least!
O had gone on a business trip to London the week before, and the world being the glorious place that it is, his return was delayed by that lovely little ash cloud that was hanging around. I had also been hoping to have the security of an income while looking for another job which was now out of the window. I had only just 6 months with this company and so wasn't entitled to any settlements, but they were rather fab in allowing me to not work in the office during my months notice period - so that I could get a head start on the job hunt.
Since I didn't actually DO all that much, I didn't have a lot that I needed to hand over. I made a few phone calls to my friend in Dubai (who tells me she reads this now, she must be bored - Hi P!) who was going to have to bear the brunt of what I wasn't doing any more and told the SLT what they needed to know. I packed up my desk (forgetting a few things, of course) into a couple of bags and trudged my sorry self home.
When I got home there was a delightful surprise waiting for me. The electricity in the flat had been turned off. It turns out someone forgot to pay the bill. The thing about no electricity out here is that it means no air-con. This is bad. So after a few frantic and teary phone calls to the UK and to long-suffering friends in AD, I found I could call the electricity people and I begged and sobbed for them to turn me back on - which they did within the hour! The now heavenly whumph-hmmmmmmmmm of the fans starting up awakening me from the nap I decided to take.
So there we go. I am now unemployed yet again!
However, that is not the only change in this little Foreigner's world this year - oh no! We have good changes as well!
After O made his way back to the UAE (no doubt swimming through shark infested waters, hitching lifts with militia and then crossing the desert by camel) he asked me a question and I answered "yes". So there's that.
I started Arabic classes. So there's that too.
Both are fun, although the first is taking up far more time than it really should since the grand affair isn't actually taking place until next year (but I already have the ceremony booked and have bought a dress - eek! Fingers crossed it looks good - I'll explain another time), but it's so much fun looking at food and hairstyles and shoes and flowers and food and venues and dresses and jewellery and bands and did I mention the food?
The second one is going surprisingly well. I fully and wholeheartedly recommend Berlitz for all your language learning needs! They use the immersion technique (where the language of instruction is also the goal language the majority of the time, this helps to think in the goal language instead of trying to translate words and sentences from your mother tongue).
It's not easy, but I never expected it to be. What I am very surprised about is how quickly I'm picking up the reading and writing of Arabic - I was always terrible at orthography and couldn't figure out new alphabets at all. But this is fun and we are learning it slowly enough that it can remain fun. Plus, practicing writing means I don't have to study conjugation.
Lots of ch-ch-ch-changes in the land of sand - and I'm also foolishly considering starting a restaurant review blog linked to this one! Considering how bad I am at maintaining this lovely space it probably is an exercise in futility. But I do love writing about food, and the only other proper review site I've found is this one, which is alright - but the reviews are generally a little basic. I think I could do better.
Thinking about it. Now where are those pictures of horse-drawn carriages I was looking at...?
