It really doesn't seem like I had a holiday at all; two weeks of being back at work and it's a real effort again. I remember my Ph.D. supervisor all those years ago once saying words to the effect of 'enjoy what you do, and give it 100%. If you're not doing so, think about things'. Wise words I think. Fortunately, in a way, things are now probably taking a different direction and taking me away from previous plans. My work permit has six months less three days to go, and following a conversation with my boss, my contract won't be renewed. It's entirely amicable; the company sponsoring our work want to renew for a couple of years and he wants to use that two years on one person, not 6 months on an extension for me and 18 months for someone else. I understand that and am fine with it.
I broached the extension subject with him last week because as it stands, my work permit will expire long before my permanent residence application is processed. I figure my English test results will arrive the first week in October. So if I got the application out the same day, I'd have effectively five months of working time left. My work permit is for the university only, and so I'd have to try and find a job willing to spend the time and money to find me another one. My main problem is I'm not a permanent resident yet, and most jobs are advertised as 'Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority'. Still, I can't let that get in the way, so I've now tarted up my CV and I've seen a job or two I'll apply for. I have no experience of the oil and gas industry, but my job and training is such that I pick things up quickly out of necessity. I'll sign on to a couple of recruitment consultants as well. I think a new direction like oil/gas research (drilling fluids and so on) would be quite interesting. The thought of ending up as 'mud engineer' is a funny one.
If a new job doesn't turn up by Christmas, I'll have to apply to remain as a visitor afterwards (proof of funds to live on isn't a problem) given the current processing times are two months. That's all very well except that I can't work while a visitor and the residence application might take another three or four months. So in anticipation of not being able to work, I've begun, like most of the UK, 'austerity measures' in an attempt to hoard some cash. That, and a ridiculous run of very necessary things in the last three or four months had maxed out one credit card, and made a dent in the one across the water as well.
So I've told myself I'm not allowed to buy anything that isn't food (or the odd night out) once a week. No more buying lunch; it'll be made instead. No more DVDs. No more iTunes. No more clothes /shoes shopping. On the lunch front, I've bought and eaten more fruit in the last week than I probably have done in the last two years. Odd to have the 'wow, it's cheap, and I feel better' epiphany after all these years. My inner Yorkshireman is appalled at how much I have spent on lunch in the last two years!
I broached the extension subject with him last week because as it stands, my work permit will expire long before my permanent residence application is processed. I figure my English test results will arrive the first week in October. So if I got the application out the same day, I'd have effectively five months of working time left. My work permit is for the university only, and so I'd have to try and find a job willing to spend the time and money to find me another one. My main problem is I'm not a permanent resident yet, and most jobs are advertised as 'Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority'. Still, I can't let that get in the way, so I've now tarted up my CV and I've seen a job or two I'll apply for. I have no experience of the oil and gas industry, but my job and training is such that I pick things up quickly out of necessity. I'll sign on to a couple of recruitment consultants as well. I think a new direction like oil/gas research (drilling fluids and so on) would be quite interesting. The thought of ending up as 'mud engineer' is a funny one.
If a new job doesn't turn up by Christmas, I'll have to apply to remain as a visitor afterwards (proof of funds to live on isn't a problem) given the current processing times are two months. That's all very well except that I can't work while a visitor and the residence application might take another three or four months. So in anticipation of not being able to work, I've begun, like most of the UK, 'austerity measures' in an attempt to hoard some cash. That, and a ridiculous run of very necessary things in the last three or four months had maxed out one credit card, and made a dent in the one across the water as well.
So I've told myself I'm not allowed to buy anything that isn't food (or the odd night out) once a week. No more buying lunch; it'll be made instead. No more DVDs. No more iTunes. No more clothes /shoes shopping. On the lunch front, I've bought and eaten more fruit in the last week than I probably have done in the last two years. Odd to have the 'wow, it's cheap, and I feel better' epiphany after all these years. My inner Yorkshireman is appalled at how much I have spent on lunch in the last two years!
No comments:
Post a Comment