News post-career break

The resources entry is being sorted offline, so I will put that up soon

BUT...... I thought it would be a good end to this career break blog to post good news.

When I was at the India camp, I went online to the jobs pages of the University of Bristol (www.bris.ac.uk/boris) and applied for a new job, online, from a dial-up connection, and with the threat that the electricity would go off anytime without warning.

I completed the application form without a CV to hand (all from memory, having been away of work for 4 months), pressed send, and yes, the electricity died about 30 seconds after the page disappeared! I just hoped that the form had reached the right person in the Personnel Department, and then went out to sit around the open fire and talk about our next day's teaching!, and kinda forgot about the application for the rest of the time in the camp.

On one of my first days back in the UK I went onto my email, and found I had an interview invitation! The days before the interview were nerve-racking, I had to prepare a presentation, and my work skills were certainly rusty! I could hardly sleep and did so much preparation for this interview. I was determined not to fail this one, as I have done so many times previously.

On the day, the interview, I felt, did not go well. I confided to C later on that I thought I had failed this one too. I kinda pushed this to the back of the shelf and yet really hoped that I would get it.

The next day, I missed a call at 0858 from the Uni. I immediately rang back and AT advised that I had indeed got the job!!!!!

I am now the Postgraduate Programmes and Industrial Liaison Officer in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Bristol.

The sense of achievement of getting this, and knowing that taking the CB had led me to this point, was overwhelming and it felt so good to have such an end to my career break.

It was not the aim of the CB to get a job immediately when I got back(!) but having matured and experienced so much when overseas, having removed myself from stressful environments at home, having dealt with a lot of health issues even when away, and got myself into a more positive frame of mind and outlook, moving beyond pettiness and other issues in my previous life, I obviously convey a much more positive and confident persona, in that if I can take on a period of change and adventures away from my comfort zones, then I can tackle anything and see it as a challenge.

I feel the CB has been the best thing I have done for a very very long time.
Initially it was a means of removing myself from both places of work, for many undisclosable reasons, but it turned into a period of personal and emotional development.

I met so many wonderful people along the way;

I know there is a wider world out there that is so accessible and my wanderlust has only just started!

I did so many things that I would not have done, or been able to do, in the UK;

I did so many things that challenged my attitude towards my disabilities (chronic pain, swelling feet, TCS flare-ups);

I faced and out-stared acute homesickness and although this put a dampner on some days, I knew that I would get through it.

I realised the value of what I have at home (family, friends) and how much they mean to me.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this blog.

Bye