Saturday, Aug. 03, 2019 - 4:56 pm.
I'm writing this entry from one of the last big pieces of furniture we have left in the house. With our scholarship allegedly being cut off earlier than expected, Andrew and I panicked and put on sale everything that we could put on sale. I finished last entry with a disassembled dining table, which thankfully was taken the next day. We're now left with two sofas and a night table, plus two office chairs and a TV, both which should be gone over the weekend.
In the end, I got my monthly scholarship allowance. Profit! Though I'll probably have to return it at some point. Andrew didn't get his. Nevertheless, add to my allowance the money from everything we've sold, and my research gig with my supervisor, and it turns out we'll get through our last month in the UK breathing somewhat easily.
We've felt absolutely stupid for having sold everything so quickly, though. We could've done with a couple more weeks of being decently comfortable, but hey, it's just as well. Moving out is time-consuming, and once the big stuff is gone, you find yourself with all the tiny stuff that also has to go. Everyday something new comes to our attention that we need to sell, throw away, or give away.
Our desks are gone, and it is quite uncomfortable not having a decent surface on which I can write and draw, specially now that I have some spare time on my hands. Meh, so it goes. I make do with the sofa cushions that turn into our bed at night (they're much more comfortable than our bed that we sold!), or on the sofa in the living room. That one was destroyed by the cats so it's the one big piece of furniture that we'll pay for getting rid of.
At least Andrew and I are more motivated to be out of the house, now that it's mostly empty. This week we also went to Edinburgh on a quick trip to meet up with our old boss, from whom we learned everything that made us sail the PhD waters smoothly. She was in town for a conference.
We met at her hotel on Tuesday afternoon, and did an interesting walking tour under the rain. We ended the day at a Mexican food restaurant (that was me, Mexican is the closest I can get to my own food here). The next morning we walked around town, my boss did some shopping, and we parted ways early in the afternoon.
Everything was great: the train ride (the sea view by Berwick-upon-Tweed!), the small but fancy hotel that Andrew found for us, the food, the conversations with our boss. She's very keen on hiring me back, this time as her research associate, but it's a part-time, temporary gig. Her research projects last three years, and then she needs to write a grant to get funding for another.
I would be keen on being hired back, I would love to work with her again. It would also make Andrew and I stay in the south. That job alone would not pay the bills, however, and the two of us are looking for something more stable. I'd take my boss's offer only if Andrew and/or me, ideally the two of us, had a more solid job to complement this income.
From talking to our boss, we confirmed our fears that our old university (where we used to work before coming to the UK) is not very open to make room for us. Things might change in the near future, but the outlook isn't so great at the moment.
I also got a tip from a colleague about an opening in another university where I taught a few undergrad courses. I sent my CV, but we'll see if they want me, and we'll see what they offer. I do need a job, but I cannot accept the conditions in which I worked there last time. I was starting out then, but I've come a long way. Pay me accordingly.
Anyway! I guess, all things considered, our last month in the UK is going well. I've made peace with the fact that I have to go. Our two cats are leaving in 10 days, and perhaps then I'll feel the rush to leave myself, only because I'll want to be reunited with those two jackasses. For now, though, I appreciate having some extra cash to go for a coffee with Andrew and friends. Also, in a way, it's nice to be rounding up our belongings, to see what's valuable and what merely takes up space.
This week I hope to submit my thesis corrections. Most importantly, on Wednesday, Andrew and I are off to Brighton for the day, to meet with my friend Anna and hopefully go to the beach! If it doesn't rain! I've been waiting to go back there for ages. Then, it looks like we'll be having farewell with the Chilean community on Friday. Our departure is becoming real-er and real-er.