173. Back in the U.S.A.
I've just returned to the United States, after eight months of living in St. Petersburg. That was always the plan, dating back to the beginning of 2017. What was not the plan from the start was that this return would be permanent. The original concept was that I would be back home in Colorado for a three-week visit over the holidays, and then return to St. Petersburg for three more months in 2018 to conclude my international assignment in April. In the fall, however, my company embarked on a new global strategic direction that affected my employment status (both in the US and in Russia). In a four-day span in October, I was "double pre-fired" (perhaps I should trademark that phrase? It has a nice ring to it). It was announced that my site in Colorado will be closing over the next two years (and thus, 600+ people will be looking for a new job sooner or later), and that international assignments at most sites globally would be significantly reduced or eliminated in the near future.
When I arrived in St. Petersburg in April, there were approximately seven other people at my plant on a short-term international assignment (between three and 12 months long), plus four others on a long-term assignment (between one and three years). The short-term assignments are more expensive for the company, due to the extra allowances and expenses as compared with long-term arrangements (and of course, as compared with compensation for regular employees on local contracts). By October, every other person on short term assignments in St. Petersburg had already returned to their respective home countries (Germany, South Africa, and Switzerland), leaving me as the sole remaining person with that status. So, to make the 2018 budget look a bit better, and because only a single person would be affected, the decision was made for my final day on the books there to be December 31.
I probably could have stayed in Russia in 2018 by switching to a local contract, but that would have meant resigning from my position in Colorado (and probably taking a significant pay cut as my salary would be based on Russian standards rather than the US competitive rate). I was not ready to make a decision to immigrate to Russia, so that left me facing the prospect of ending my position sooner than planned. Fortunately, with six weeks left before my departure when the decision was made, I had plenty of time to finish most of my projects and transfer my knowledge to several of my colleagues there. And, plenty of time to plan an aggressive schedule of sightseeing on weeknights and weekends, to cross the remaining must-see items off my list and revisit the places at least once more that I have grown to love.
So, what does all this mean for this blog? Well, I have a backlog of approximately 30-50 posts that I am planning to write, and I intend to "finish" my blog. I hope to be able to keep up my writing momentum during January and February and document everything else I saw, experienced, and felt in Russia during my last few months in St. Petersburg. Part of the goal of this blog has been to use this as a sort of diary, so that I can remember in 5 or 10 (or 30) years everything that I experienced. I definitely don't want to stop writing before that goal has been accomplished. Plus, anyone who has been at least an occasional reader might be curious about my final two months of life in Europe: the other performances I saw, museums I went to, countries I visited on weekend trips, and my final impressions of the places and people in St. Petersburg. So, stay tuned for more posts, coming soon!
When I arrived in St. Petersburg in April, there were approximately seven other people at my plant on a short-term international assignment (between three and 12 months long), plus four others on a long-term assignment (between one and three years). The short-term assignments are more expensive for the company, due to the extra allowances and expenses as compared with long-term arrangements (and of course, as compared with compensation for regular employees on local contracts). By October, every other person on short term assignments in St. Petersburg had already returned to their respective home countries (Germany, South Africa, and Switzerland), leaving me as the sole remaining person with that status. So, to make the 2018 budget look a bit better, and because only a single person would be affected, the decision was made for my final day on the books there to be December 31.
I probably could have stayed in Russia in 2018 by switching to a local contract, but that would have meant resigning from my position in Colorado (and probably taking a significant pay cut as my salary would be based on Russian standards rather than the US competitive rate). I was not ready to make a decision to immigrate to Russia, so that left me facing the prospect of ending my position sooner than planned. Fortunately, with six weeks left before my departure when the decision was made, I had plenty of time to finish most of my projects and transfer my knowledge to several of my colleagues there. And, plenty of time to plan an aggressive schedule of sightseeing on weeknights and weekends, to cross the remaining must-see items off my list and revisit the places at least once more that I have grown to love.
So, what does all this mean for this blog? Well, I have a backlog of approximately 30-50 posts that I am planning to write, and I intend to "finish" my blog. I hope to be able to keep up my writing momentum during January and February and document everything else I saw, experienced, and felt in Russia during my last few months in St. Petersburg. Part of the goal of this blog has been to use this as a sort of diary, so that I can remember in 5 or 10 (or 30) years everything that I experienced. I definitely don't want to stop writing before that goal has been accomplished. Plus, anyone who has been at least an occasional reader might be curious about my final two months of life in Europe: the other performances I saw, museums I went to, countries I visited on weekend trips, and my final impressions of the places and people in St. Petersburg. So, stay tuned for more posts, coming soon!
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