On the Job Front

Those who voted for lab tech won... and that's where my brain was going too!  So, on Monday, 23 Nov 2009, I will attempt to sign my contract so I may begin working as a lab tech (well, the term used by my boss is Biologist, so I'll go with that from there).  I decided not to risk leaving a PhD project unfinished.  I decided not to risk going into a new field and trying to focus and develop my own project.  So my goal is to get myself introduced to a new field: molecular biology.

I say attempt to sign my contract because of the bureaucracy and how long it took Jason to be able to sign his contract (3 or 4 days from start to finish).  So, I have to go down to the foreigners office to get a work visa since I currently only have a resident visa.  The personnel office at my new employer will have to call the foreigners office to let them know that the position they are offering me could not be filled by a citizen of the EU.  I have to take several things to the foreigners office: 60 euros, a passport photo, and proof of residence.  Currently I have all those items sitting and waiting to go, so I should be okay.  I'll also need to take care of getting a tax card (another 13 euros) and figure out how the health insurance will work since I will have to pay now instead of being provided for by Jason.  So, lots of little odds and ends to take care of.  Lots of ways for things to get messed up along the way, but I'm hopeful that it will all be able to be taken care of in one day.

So, hopefully I'll start working this week.  My boss leaves town for a week at the beginning of December, and then everyone is out of the office from Dec 24- Jan 4.  Jason and I hope to make it to Köln (Cologne) for New Year's, but nothing has been confirmed yet.  In the meantime, I'm looking forward to having a routine five days a week.  Let's hope it starts soon!