Friday, May 30, 2014

Free!

Today is my last day with my (soon-to-be)-ex-employer.

Yesterday I spent a couple of hours taking care of last-second details such as cleaning files and the few emails I had kept around. And my desk.

I had already talked to many of my colleagues in the previous weeks, letting them know I will be leaving, and saying goodbye in person. So when I sent a global farewell email yesterday, I didn't expect any replies. But they came anyway - people telling me they'll miss me and wishing me good luck - and I was ever so pleased to read them!

Surprisingly, other than these emails, I didn't have any other emotional moment. I told my husband that I'm not sure whether I should feel melancholic or elated, but I felt neither. Perhaps that's because I have an exciting new job ahead of me, and many of my former colleagues will be my new colleagues in the new place! I do feel a bit like a bird in a flock that's migrating to better grounds!

But in the meantime, I am free! (which sounds better than unemployed). I have four months of complete freedom ahead of me - and I was trying to remember the last time I had so much - and came up with, 'before I started kindergarden.' Maybe. I assume. Except I suspect that back then, I still had to go to bed when told, and eat when told, and make my bed in the morning, and all that.

I will not make my bed one single time during this vacation! Except if I feel like it. Or if I have to (can't leave a mess behind us when we travel).

Which reminds me: I also need to clean the house. And the fridge.

Maybe not as free as I thought.

But close!



2 comments:

  1. Congratulations! I have tried a few times to comment from my iPad, but am giving up on that. I need the MacBook for stuff like this. Of course you're not unemplyed - you already have a new job. You're just having a very sensible break before jumping into it.
    So, what about those plans moving around Europe a bit, are you coming to Norway some time? We found where you're staying and seriously considered making the trip the whole way, but decided we're going far enough with our plans as they are (into Alsace).

    Have fun and enjoy your freedom!

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  2. Hello, Berthe! Thanks for making the effort to comment, even when technology works against you. :-) We won't come to Norway this time - but thanks so much for the invitation! May I consider it a standing one, for some future vacation?

    The idea is to stay put as much as possible in order to work on the book. This is the main reason I took all this time off between jobs. (It was actually supposed to be longer, but what with this, that and the other, I ended up working later than I'd originally intended). So... we'll be locals in Provence - not that our French will fool anyone (though it may confuse them!). We may do a side-trip to nearby Barcelona, and we'll spend the last week in England and Scotland - trekking Harry Potter sites, because yes, I am a child.

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