D-d is back on her travels...

[curiouswombat]

I've just been down to the airport to see my daughter off. Not travel for fun this time, although she hopes she enjoys it, but a secondment from work to their Guernsey office for three months.

She was really pleased to be asked, as usually it is more senior staff who get to travel - but someone in Guernsey, who has worked with her here, asked particularly as they said what they really needed was someone junior but capable. The company have arranged all her travel and provided her with accommodation, and the people who work there have already sent her a lot of friendly, welcoming, e-mails, inviting her to social events- so she expects to really enjoy it.

In her usual, organised, fashion she has got a work friend who still lives with his parents to flat-sit; she will continue to pay the rent, as her accommodation in Guernsey is provided, but he will pay all the other bills, forward all her mail, and keep the place aired. He is looking forward to it as it will be peaceful for him to revise for his bar exams and he is also looking after her car as he doesn't have his own - he has paid to go onto the insurance for the 3 months.

So nothing for me to do except take her to the airport today, and pick her up on her return.

Trying to get enough work-wear and casual wear for 3 months into a suitcase was something of a task though, and her big suitcase is quite heavy... so one of mine is off on its travels without me, again! I can see her either having to buy another case and pay for extra baggage on her return (as I can't imagine her not buying anything, especially as Guernsey is VAT-free), or there being a lot of stuff posted home.

For friends who have no idea where Guernsey is - here is a link - as you can see it is a rather beautiful small island near the French coast. She will be staying in one of these apartments which are right in the middle of St Peter Port and about 5 minutes walk from the office.

I'm hoping it will be a really good learning experience and fun, too. And she'll be home for Christmas.

But, as usual, I'll only feel totally at ease once I know she has landed there!

Comments

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

She's going from one small island to another! I hope all goes well for her.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Guernsey is even smaller than home - our island is 220 square miles, Guernsey is only 30!

She is looking forward to it - and says if it is just too small at least she'll be home after 3 months.

[spiced-wine.livejournal.com]

Oh, I hope it will be a very enjoyable experience for her!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

She's looking forward to it - it's a rather nice place to be sent to work compared with most jobs!

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

What a great experience. And how wonderful to be requested. Good for her. I hope she has a brilliant time.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

She was really flattered. And she is really looking forward to being somewhere a little different. Although she says January to March might have been even better!

[ayinhara.livejournal.com]

I think she will have a great time. I wonder if she has read

http://www.amazon.com/Guernsey-Literary-Potato-Peel-Society/dp/0385341008

It is a rather light but interesting novel set on Guernsey.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you - I have just e-mailed and suggested it to her.

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

That's an excellent book.

And good luck to her, I hope she enjoys her time there.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing I'll get feed-back sometime during the week.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

And now that she has arrived, and checker her e-mails, she has replied to say her friend recommended it a couple of days ago and she began reading it on her flights today!

[ayinhara.livejournal.com]

It's probably the only book on Guernsey that people have heard about.

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes, I can recommend the book. (Though it gets darker towards the end, and made me cry buckets - it remembers events during the Nazi Occupation, which wasn't any fun at all.)

What a great few months for DD! And how very organised of her to get her flat sat. Will you get down to visit at all?

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I've downloaded it onto my kindle too - although it is sort of in a queue to be read.

She is very organised - more so than her mother, to be honest. We probably won't go down to visit - I know it is only 2 flights, but I really don't fly well so as it is only for 3 months I'll just wait until she gets home. S2C is a real home-bird and would never travel at all, apart from going to the WriterconUK meet, given the choice!

[brutti-ma-buoni.livejournal.com]

Well, as you know perfectly well, it's a marvellous opportunity for her, not to mention very flattering to be offered it. And 3 months with lots of friendly noises for when she arrives sounds just perfect. But of course you'll miss her.

I don't know Guernsey at all, but have good friends on Jersey who make it sound the most marvellous place to live. And when I visited (yes, on a plane), it seemed like outside the main towns it's cove after cove of lovely places, with a cafe or a bar or an ice cream van (and vicious seagulls in the last case), so I hope she gets some September sun to enjoy it before the weather closes in. Fascinating history too. Look forward to hearing more about it from you!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It is really unusual to be given the chance to work in one of he other branches before you are actually out of articles - so she was very flattered to get the chance. And they sound as if they are really looking forward to having her - including an all-expenses paid invite to the legal association black tie dinner.

It looks like a rather beautiful spot and she hopes to get to see some of the historic stuff whilst the weather stays good.

The senior staff at home have told her she is, on no account, to do what the person who asked for her did - get romantically involved with a local and choose to stay! I'm with them on that.

[kathyh]

I hope she has a wonderful time. We had a lovely holiday on Guernsey once and it really is a beautiful island.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

She's really looking forward to it - and planning on spending her weekends exploring.

[dougalsservant.livejournal.com]

I hope she has a wonderful time. Those apartments look really nice.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

She's looking forward to it - and she says almost everyone in the Guernsey office has spent time in those apartments - so many of them start off on short term contracts or 3 month stays, as they are not local. Although they are putting her up in a hotel tonight so she has time to get properly organised.

She says the Guernsey office work hard - often taking a break for a pub dinner and then going back into the office - but she won't mind as she won't have all her friends from outside work to fit in, too.

[kazzy-cee.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a terrific opportunity! I'd love to visit Guernsey as I've never been. I hope she has a wonderful time!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a terrific opportunity!

It does, doesn't it?

She is really looking forward to getting stuck into slightly different, but familiar, work along with new people and a new place to explore.

[shirebound]

Your daughter sounds like an exceptional young woman. :)

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

We are very proud of her. Mind you she works hard, which is one reason why the lady in the other office wanted to borrow her for a while!

[manoah.livejournal.com]

Yup, she really has a lovely life. Doing work she enjoys, enjoying her off time, loving parents, lovely place to live/work.

Bless.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

She is lucky - so many people end up in jobs they don't like, but she does work hard at it, and at keeping all her friendships.

But this is one of the nice things that hard work earns her!

[lindi.livejournal.com]

What a great experience for your daughter, i hope she enjoys it.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

She has arrived now, and is quite looking forward to starting at the office tomorrow - and exploring next weekend.

[chaotic-binky.livejournal.com]

I hope she has a wonderful time :)

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

She has arrived - and there was a bit of a misunderstanding with the pre-booked taxi - he took her to the wrong place! However, she is now settling in and looking forward to meeting everyone in the office tomorrow.

[x19narya90x.livejournal.com]

Ooh, Guernsey - gorgeous! Hope she has a lovely time.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

She's hoping to be able to explore at weekends - they are likely to make her work hard during the week.

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

What a lovely opportunity for D-d. She's certainly organized her absence down to the last detail.

It looks like they've arranged really lovely accommodation for her, too!

But I'd be upset if my suitcase went traveling without me.
;)

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

She is very organised - much more so than I am, to be honest!

She is in a hotel tonight, but the apartments will be just right for the main part of her stay, thy do look as if she will be comfortable there.

My large, but reasonably light suitcase, and my red silk tote bag, have accompanied her at least as often as they have me - even though she has her own!

[rachel2205.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a fun work assignment!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

She's really looking forward to it. It's one of the advantages of working for a fairly big company, I guess, getting the chance to work in another base.

[(Anonymous)]

Oh, what a marvelous opportunity for her and to be asked for by name is very good.

I have a suitcase that has been to China with out me, it went when a cousin took a trip there, it's amazing just how much difference a couple of inches makes.

I visited Jersey once, back in the distant past, when I was still living at home, my first plane ride even, talk about puddle jumper!

I hope she enjoys her stay and you do not miss her too much, remember she is only a click away!:)

Huggs,
Lynda

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

She is really looking forward to it - the work will be familiar, but a bit different. And it is surprising how often the luggage does trips the owner doesn't isn't it?

She will doubtless be on the phone, and e-mailing stuff, just as she was when she was at college in York!

[ayinhara.livejournal.com]

I have a large red suitcase which is better traveled than I am.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It's funny, isn't it? There are some bits of luggage which are just so much better suited to travel than others - and they become globe-trotters whilst the owner stays at home.

[nutmeg3.livejournal.com]

Safe travels to her - and what a huge compliment that they asked for her.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

She had a good trip down - and will be heading down to her first morning in the office right now!

She was really flattered when she was told they had asked for her in particular.

[zanthinegirl.livejournal.com]

What a fun trip! I'll bet she has a great time!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

She's sent me an e-mail to say the first day went well, anyway!

[the-winterwitch.livejournal.com]

Guernsey sounds really cool, and her job there seems to be a great opportunity. Congratulations to D-d, and best of luck for her stay there and having the best of times! I hope you don't miss her too much in the coming weeks.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

She seems to be settling in OK - and we won't miss her too badly as she used to be away for 12 weeks at a time when she was at university.

[estelcontar1.livejournal.com]

What a compliment! Congratulations to your daughter.

I'm sure she'll enjoy enormously her three months in Guernsey. People say it's a very beautiful island.

And that looks like a most comfortable apartment.

Wouldn't you consider visiting her there?

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

She was very happy that the other lawyer actually asked for her. She rang me briefly last night and said that particular lawyer and her boyfriend had already taken her for a drive all around the island - and it is, indeed, pretty.

I probably won't visit - but it will be nice to see pictures.

[myrhiann.livejournal.com]

It is a tremendous compliment to D-d to be specifically asked for, and it will be a wonderful experience in every way. I was watching a rerun of a Time Team episode recently where they did a dig. The history of the place would be very interesting. I also remember a very old series called Bergerac, with John Nettles, which I think was filmed on Jersey. lovely scenery, and probably not much different. Both places I would like to visit.