Random Thoughts by MommaSquid

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

And the End is Always Near

The future’s uncertain. It always is, but lately is feels even more so.

My husband works for DHL and is scheduled to be laid off in May 2009 because the company is bailing out of the US domestic shipping market. Since my husband’s salary comprises 99.8% of our household income, this is a serious problem. With so many companies downsizing and very few companies hiring, it is going to be difficult for my husband to find a new job. He is a Cisco certified network administrator with over 10 years of experience; yet, in the past two weeks he has spoken with recruiters who have nothing more to offer him than short-term, low-paying contract positions and their best wishes that he finds a new job soon. That’s cold comfort when your entire financial picture has been scheduled to go down the drain. Sure, we have a few months but what if he can’t find a position in this area at the pay level he has grown to expect?

Since DHL is a global company, hubby and I have discussed the possibility of him seeking out a position in Europe. A few years ago I probably wouldn’t have entertained the notion, but a lot has changed recently. Our home has lost 30% of its value in the year and a half that we’ve owned it and the US economy is now officially in a recession. I always thought we’d be able to afford a European vacation of some sort, but things are not looking good. Maybe the best way to see Europe is to actually live there.

My mother is terrified that we will leave the country and never come back. My brother hopes we exhaust every possibility in the US before considering such a risky move. But what exactly am I risking? My house? It’s worth a fraction of the mortgage amount. My family? I have a guest room that’s never been used and I haven’t travelled to see my family in over two years. My friends? The few friends that I have are busy with their own lives and problems and we mainly stay in touch via email and MySpace. That wouldn’t change very much. My job? I have an unsatisfying part-time retail position and my hours have been reduced to almost nothing because sales are low. Basically I have nothing to lose. There is no obligation large enough to stop us from pursuing a major lifestyle change.

So far, hubby has applied for one position in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. It may be weeks before they start sifting through the applicant pool, and I don’t know what criteria he would have to meet or exceed in order to be more qualified than a local applicant. The odds are probably against him, but you don’t know until you try. Currently one other position is available in his field, but it’s in Malaysia and I have no desire to live there. (Too Muslim for my atheist sensibilities.)

Hubby has also been looking into opportunities with DHL’s parent company, Deutsche Post, which is based in Bonn, Germany. Hubby travelled to Germany as a teen and has always wanted to return. We both took German in high school, but our skills have wasted away during 25 years of non-use. But I’m sure we could pick the language up again if properly motivated and immersed in the culture. So this sounds like a viable option, too. What the hell…we’re not getting any younger.

I wonder if I’ll be disappointed if he gets a job offer in Phoenix.

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