Heading back home

So, I know I've indicated this is probably happening before, but now it's certain: we're going back home to NYC.

The short backstory: Clau's company purchased another large company. This other large company focuses pretty much on one product and is not nearly as diversified as Clau's company. The product that this other company makes is the same product on which the Munich office focuses. Therefore, the decision was made to consolidate the Munich office with this company's HQ in England. Technically, the Munich office will stay, but it will become a "satellite" office, meaning a very small office that does niche work; definitely not a healthy place for Clau to be in her career.

We thought long and hard about all the possibilities, but it really came down to this; moving here, although personally healthy for us, turned out to be a career killer for me. I've been pretty unhappy in my job, mostly because it's so obvious that it's not going anywhere; I only stayed in it for a couple of reasons that had nothing to do with the work itself; although that worked out for the best, I wouldn't do it again if I had the chance.

So, when Clau found out that she was going to have to move somewhere, she started steering the ship towards New York. She got the official offer last week - timeframe is looking like late October.

I have mixed feelings about it; we've finally made some good friends here, and we actually had a solid month of good weather, which allowed me to appreciate just how beautiful the city is. I'll definitely miss it. I've learned enough German to have a somewhat interesting conversation. I just got my German driver's license. We bought a relatively expensive kitchen, closets, appliances, and television - we really committed to staying here, and now we can't. So, we're sad to be going, but if I have to leave here, then my first choice of destination would be back to NY, so I guess it could be worse.

We have some other stuff to sort out: details of the relocation, Clau's green card, etc. But, at this point, I'd say it's a done deal: we're moving back home!