Still jobless

It's been little over two months now that we've been here. We are both still jobless, and while our savings cushion is still there, it's been depleted somewhat this past month with two family birthdays, the wedding of a close friend and several long car trips (petrol + tolls = a lot). We've looked at what we could cut back on, but there really isn't anything frivolous we can cut out. If I were alone I'd eat rice and beans for a couple weeks like I did in NY when my bank balance dipped to $100 and I was unemployed. But it's not possible with a family.

Obviously the answer is for one of both of us to get a job. Hubbie's recently been informed, in this town, one simply can't find a job the normal way, it has to be done through networking. So besides rewriting his CV and participating in a six-week skills assessment, Hubbie has started cold-calling people. The aim is not to get a job from the contact, but to develop rapport with the person and see if they have advice or other contacts to give. Which may or may not lead to a job. So needless to say, it could take a while. I've started looking for work as an English teacher/tutor, as even earning the SMIC (minimum wage) would be helpful. We figure if Hubbie doesn't see any progress by mid-Nov (at latest), we will start looking in Paris. Then it will probably mean the same line of work we had in London.

As a result of being neither here nor there, I have found it hard to commit to anything. That translates into having a lack of motivation in every area of life, except maybe cleaning and doing laundry. One lovely surprise: a French-American family going to the same church as us, with a son the same age as ours. They've been here for two years with Agape, a ministry to university students. The husband is French, transplanted in the States two decades ago, where he met his American wife. She's got her hands full with their three kids and ministry, but still managed to invite me over for lunch twice and made me feel more at home here in our uncertain situation, than I ever did in London. Maybe it's because she's a Southern Californian, or because her son is so close in age and disposition to mine. Maybe it's because she an American married to a French, and trying to come to grips with French culture, like me. Probably all of the above. It's providence to have her here, to be able to share American things like Cheerios, breakfast burritos and references to bag ladies. I haven't felt this American since I left in 2001. Above all of course, is the fact we have in common an identity in Christ. She's family.

Well that's a brief recap of the last two months. I wanted this blog to be more entertaining, but I am so bad at emailing friends that it usually ends up being a lengthy update akin to a list. I shall endeavour to write more frequently so I can tell you more about the day-to-day. If only I could write about life like Seinfeld episodes. I remember one where it was all about whether Seinfeld had picked his nose or not ("It wasn't a pick!"). Classic. I may be less gross, but we'll get there.