Darn...

...that was quick. My soon to be x-job was posted today. They sure aren't wasting any time. In fact, they posted the job before they sent the mass email that said I was leaving to go to medical school. So, people were emailing me asking "why are they posting your job?" I guess HR worked faster than my boss in this instance.

Once the exodus email went out about a half hour later, I received some really cool emails about how I will be missed and that I made such an impact in the organization. The director even came by to offer his congrats and kudos for a job well done. It's nice to be recognized, even if they are already looking for the next data geek.

I am a little overwhelmed with our housing search right now. It is a crazy process to be looking for apartments on a Caribbean island. Many places do not have pictures available and the ones that do portray small units, with bars on the windows, no bathtub (for the boys), and quasi-plastic furniture.

There is also this interesting practice of not having clothes dryers. Supposedly, electricity is a premium and dryers use too much of it. I really do not have a problem with saving energy and air drying, but with the amount of clothes a family of 4 goes through, I am envisioning the boys running through the apartment yanking down all the clothes into wet heaps on the floor, creating a haven for mold and critters.

Another uniquely Grenadian practice are the fees they impose on various items: computers, husbands, ham. Supposedly, I will have to pay a customs fee for my husband and each son, a tariff if you will, for allowing them to step foot on the sacred spice isle soil. At the one Subway restaurant on the island, there are extra fees for select deli items. One student got a ham and swiss with olives and other normally found condiments and spent $25 on it. Yes, $25 for a Subway sandwich. There is also a computer fee as you enter the country. Since a computer uses electricity, Grenada charges a fee of 8-13% of the purchase price, depending on your demeanor with the customs agent. Sustained friendliness imparts the lower percentage. However, if you are so inclined, you can create your own receipt for the computer, knocking a couple thousand off the price. I guess they are not too picky on homemade Best Buy receipts.

Hmmm, lets see, I think I paid about $54.99 for this Mac...