Showing Appreciation

Uncle H-- has a hard time telling us that he loves us.

He does provide for everything that we need, and certainly never allows us to freeze or go hungry. But he's just not very touch-feely.

For those who have not yet figured it out, Uncle H-- is this blog's moniker for Dave's employer. As expatriates, they are involved in much of the minutiae of our lives. They hold the lease to our home. They purchase our plane tickets back to the states. They pay the tuition for our childrens' school. They decide when we will have dinner together, and control when we go on vacations. And, like everyone else, they provide the wherewithal to pay our bills, insure our health, and all that normal employment jazz

And Uncle H-- handles this stuff, not smoothly, but well enough. We have what we need. In fact, we have more than we need. When we feel we need something, Uncle H-- tends to listen and then ponies up. But this uncle offers no snuggles or fuzzy feelings. Like a good Jewish mother, most things are offered with a sigh and a handful of guilt. A handful of guilt and a side of trouble. Raises have been bungled. Leases have been left unpaid. I could go on, but it would just come across as whining. My goal here is not to expose that Uncle H--'s skill in Human Resources may leave something to be desired, but to express hope and thankfulness.

After a major shake-up within the company, Dave's got a relatively new boss. This guy's got a relatively new boss, too. Apparently, they spent some time today talking about how hard Dave has been working. They came to the conclusion that he deserved a little something special, and so they're sending our family to Disneyland later this week.

Okay, maybe I'm bragging a little bit. He has been working hard, and he does deserve a Pat On The Back from Uncle H--. But more than that, it bodes well for the future (however long that may be). Current talk is to localize us in the near future - that is, to remove our expatriate compensation package. We would become responsible for rent, tuition, and annual trips to the states. If bungled, this could mean a very serious reduction in pay. But with two bosses discussing what a hard worker Dave is, I feel a little bit better about our future with this company.