Well .... it went down like a lead balloon. Yesterday. Today was the first day of the five of my 'week's notice'. 'We thought we'd hit the jackpot having you as our QS', the words of my soon-to-be-Ex-Boss still reverberating around my mind. There was consternation and shock and evidence of a flaring short fuse. But its in the past now. It's accepted. He's moved on and has been quite decent about it. My job will be left open for 8 weeks, just in case. Just in case what? Just in case we have to make a rapid retreat and come back to here. NOT that I think we have to at all.
There are the normal nervous hitches associated with the eleventh hour. The tense anticipation of official red tape being cut through; the dotting of the I's and the crossing of the T's. This is our second time of emigration. Our second time of satisfying criteria and getting the paperwork right ... the second time does not make it any easier. Our finger nails are ground down to zilch. I THINK I have my first grey hair (and it is nothing to do with my age) ....
It's all the stress and the pressure of six years in the Southern Hemisphere. Six years of unrelenting hassle. The aftermath of a very tense and troublesome Permanent Residency & Citizenship campaign in a foreign land. We are now in no man's land ... hence being behind the 8 ball .... the transient twilight zone before commencing our flight over to Australia in 8 days time.
If I was to choose a Tarot card to best illustrate the atmosphere of our situation at the moment ... it would be difficult to pick just one in truth ... but it would have to be #0 THE FOOL; not because we are foolish ... but because it epitomises perfectly the blind leap of faith and the jump into the darkness of the great unknown by a traveller who often travels where the angels will not go.
The boss will get over the shock soon enough ... he currently has the thinking that there is the slight possibility I could be back. He carries that hope within his cognitive processes at the moment. It is a real confidence boost for me to know I make the cut in his eyes as a QS. He is a hard man to please. Fair but easily rattled. He'd been looking for the right QS (Quantity Surveyor) for the last 8 years. He'd interviewed dozens .... until I came along. He'd heard I was in town going to rival companies so he elected to 'have a look'. I fitted the bill which is some achievement as there are many folk out there who will not deal with him.
We've had our moments ... hot air in the atmosphere as we've aired our differences ... but I feel guilty to not actually be going back. There is such a small chance of a return that over the weeks I will have to let him down gently. He asked if I would keep him informed of my progress ... which I have agreed to. When I confirm I will not be going back to work with him it will be a sad day. I've grown accustomed to his ways and have begun to see him as a friend as well as my employer. In my time working for him, I must admit he has taught this 'old dog' a few new tricks or too. I've had my weaknesses pointed out to me by him and I've respected his input as well as welcomed it. Part of me is sad to be leaving.
However the bulk of me remembers the Gyspy Soul which is within me ... and is anticipating hitting the road once more. I am relishing the challenges ahead. However, I am not enjoying being behind the 8 ball at this time ....