A New Job!

Chinese New Year is approaching

Well although it is less than a week since I wrote my blog it seems like a month ago! Apart from being delayed in Colombo and missing my connection in Kuala Lumpur and arriving late on Sunday evening in KK, the flight was uneventful. I seem to go into"a long flight" state of mind and the hours seem to disappear without seeming too long. Sri Lankan airlines were very good and I would have loved to have had a quick look outside the airport in Colombo  however I did have a lovely view of Sri Lanka when we flew over. The induction started at 9 am on Monday morning and it was good to see lots of familiar faces that  I recognised at breakfast despite the fact that it was the middle of the night in France. The Director of the project Tricia was presenting the induction and as I walked in she took me aside and said  "Congratulations  on your appointment- I will be announcing it later to the other mentors."

Kuching

Congratulations on what, I hear you asking? Well,I have been appointed as a Project Manager and I'm still rather shocked, surprised and dazed by the fact. I had a phonecall on Christmas Eve telling me that I had been short-listed for an interview; on Monday 28th December I had an interview in Tanya's flat in England, which I really thought had not gone well and on the Friday 3rd January, just as I was packing, I received an email telling me that I was successful. Why me I wonder? Andrew said that they were probably desperate ( which filled me with great confidence! ) but they are still interviewing and have turned down quite a few people who applied. So I don't know why. I feel like that it is mistaken identity and somehow the correct person may appear.

My delightful colleagues

 Anyway, as soon as we finished lunch on Tuesday, I flew off to Kuching for a 3 day induction with 2 other new project managers. I felt I had to pinch myself as I walked into the marble pillared lobby and fountain of Merdeka Palace Hotel in Kuching. Is this really happening to me?! This time last week I was quite happy baking brownies in the kitchen while listening to Radio 4 and now I seem to be in a play where I've got the wrong part and don't know the lines. Fortunately the other new Project Managers are a charming couple who feel very much like me and we will certainly be able to give each other support. The induction was rather overwhelming as there seemed to be so many things to remember but I expect we will get used to it all eventually. Andrew tells me he has often been in the wrong play too but eventually you get to learn the part and my wise daughter Naomi also reminded me that I didn't know what I was doing as a mentor either! So here I am, a week since I left France, with a new role, new car, new computer, new phone but I hope I'll stay just the same old me!