T-minus 10, 9, 8
Did I mention I’m going to Spain? I think despite the occasional allusion to leaving the country for a while, I might’ve happened to forget to mention that little fact very often. It’s slowly starting to dawn on me now, as until recently I’ve not had much opportunity to take stock of the approaching departure date. I know that before I’m fully aware of it, I’ll be on the plane and bound for Madrid.
I left Canberra with a major piece of documentation to complete as part of my contribution to the ATO Change Program, and had set about getting that checked off. Most of it was so out of date I had to delete big chunks of it and start again. As I’m hoping to be able to work in Spain, I’ve also been doing what I can for the work and residency permit application process. Two of the checklist items include a medical checkup (Spanish authorities are not particularly erm, particular about what that entails); a criminal history and fingerprint check (great, another one of those); and lots of effort in understanding just what else exactly is required, and how long it will take.
A few nasty surprises aside, I’m now feeling pretty ready to go, and am looking forward to experiencing another culture that is different from my own (but not too different). I don’t really know what to expect, but the first week will have me going to Barcelona for a job interview. Given it’s the home of Gaudi’s most famous works, I’m sure it’ll be a treat, and I get to go back there again at the end of September for istockalypse. In a guilty pleasure, I bought myself a new Canon 5D for an undisclosed sum, but let’s say it was enough to put a big dent in my savings, and I really hope it proves it’s worth at istockalypse.
Also on the countdown is my sister, expecting her second child in October. Whilst I can be certain that this time I won’t get to see this one as a newborn, I still have a slight feeling of deja vu, as yet again I am heading off to start a new chapter when the arrival of a new niece/nephew is imminent.