Hi All…
I just got back from a business trip. Well, my company got acquired by another company in Utah; therefore as of end of April, I will be out of job. Am I sad?? Yes, of course, why wouldn
It’s an opportunity, not a set back! 
I’d take a vacation and smell the flowers. Who knows, you might also end up finding a new gig while tip-toeing amongst the tulips 
Thanks for the reply…for a min there, I though I am a loner here on Forumosa. or maybe nobody likes me to care about what I have to say… 
Yes, I am def. looking into taking a vacation but don’t really have any idea where. Where would you go?? I am thinking about maybe Chicago or NY again. Or maybe NZealand, Australia?? Europe sounds really good too but I really don’t know my way around there and I don’t know the language.
Losing a job sucks, maybe you wanted to find another, but on your time frame.
Take the vacation and sit back. I promise you that after a few days of relaxing you can look at the whole situation with a much clearer perspective and then make the decisions that need to be made.
Relax, take a break and enjoy your unforseen vacation.
Keep yer chin up!
Good luck
All the more reason for going. Ahem…“the” language??? You needn’t worry about the other 20 or so languages; you can easily get by in English.
Personally, I’d pick somewhere challenging to go to. Before coming here when I needed to re-assess things, I was in Sudan and Ethiopia. Focussing on the travel and not fretting over the past and the might-have-beens helps defrag the mind. When you need to look for something, you’ll be able to so with much more clarity. It also builds up self-confidence ready for use when you need it. Any future employer will admire something like that as it marks you out from the crowd. You will also meet more interesting people along the way who will give you some interesting perspectives to help you out.
Don’t go somewhere where you will be offered the opportunity to wallow in self-pity at your predicament. i.e. a beach, rather, as I said, pick somewhere where your mind will be engaged and the senses will be so overwhelmed with new experiences, you won’t have time to. It may not exactly be a relaxing holiday but I can assure you, you will be able to draw on the experience and reference points later on in life; all for the better.
Just my thoughts.
Bob
(Incidentally, Ethiopia is a stunningly beautiful country with a rich and ancient culture - The Blue Nile Falls, The architectural marvels of Lalibela, the home of Sheba, Lake Tana and an abundance of wildlife. Moreover, a gentle, hospitable and engaging population. Loads of bars in Addis Ababa too 
)
[quote=“TpeBob”]
Don’t go somewhere where you will be offered the opportunity to wallow in self-pity at your predicament. i.e. a beach, rather, as I said, pick somewhere where your mind will be engaged and the senses will be so overwhelmed with new experiences, you won’t have time to. [/quote]
I think that’s about the wisest thing anybody has ever said on forumosa. 
And to think it came from TpeBob… 
[quote=“Durins Bane”]
And to think it came from TpeBob… 
[/quote]
Not just a pretty face you know…
(Olivia has just seen me type that and is now engaged in a fit of uncontrollable laughter )
Bob
I’d take the vacation but with an understanding of where I’d like my post-vacation period to be. I always try to go where the jobs are. Hence I’m forever “uprooted” :help:
How much savings you got left after severance etc and plan your schedule accordingly. Who knows, on your vacation trips, you might also make it into a networking/interviewing one as well!
Good luck 
When Chewy was fired from his job in Singapore (for arguing with the Chinese chauvinist, anti-Western Straits Times Foreign Desk Chief named Felix Soh and for having good ears — lots of journalists at SPH are spies for Singapore’s secret service–one even supposedly spied for Taiwan and is now in a PRC jail), he spent two weeks in Batam, Indonesia, drinking and eating the local cuisine. He then spent a month living with the hill tribes people in Laos drinking lao-lao, boozing and hiking with Israelis in Yunnan,and whooping it up on frontier towns on the Myanmar, Thai, Laos border, before chilling at resorts in Thailand, Malaysia, and the Red Sea in Egypt.
I love the relaxation periods in between jobs…Unfortunately or fortunately I guess(married and own an apartment), when I was dismissed from Taiwan’s international development agency by boy scout appointments from the corrupt Presidential Office with the acquisence of the mid-level admin drones, I only had two days vacation time before my next job started…Part of me was sad I had no months of vagabonding and backpacking before reentering the real world.
My advice would be to take a long extended vacation, send out applications from Internet cafes during your travels, and see what comes up…sometimes being in interesting locations when u apply makes u stand out from the crowd back in the 1st world countries ur applying in.
Mika,
In today’s TT there was an article about American company’s allowing their employees to take extend time off showing that it improves employee’s job preformance.
Now in your case, they have given you ample ‘extended’ time off . I would sugest taking a sabbtical. Exploring some things you have always wanted to do but never had the time to do. Volunteer overseas. Doing volunteer work always brings about contacts and in some case love,hehehe.
Either way, take the time to expand your horizons so that when you decide to go back to work,you go back recharged.
Best of luck 
I’m one of Thatcher’s millions now too. But apply for what ? There’s nothing in Taiwan I can do.
Miaka, babe, you know there’ll always be a place for you here.
Assuming your financial situation is somewhat under control, losing a job is no biggie in the short-term. You can always find something, and it’s a great idea to just take off for a while. But I hear that the jobs market is tight in the US now, and being unemployed for a long period might have a pretty negative impact on your chances of getting hired when you get back.
Then again, where does your future lie? Where do you want it to lie? Do you want to grow old and die in cubicle-land? Takeovers and layoffs are inevitable, and the nature of the global economy is such that you’re quite vulnerable if you insist on basing yourself in any one country. Maybe this is your opportunity to become an internationally mobile executive like Chewy?
Europe’s nice in summer, Taiwan’s nice in the autumn. Why not go travel a bit, get yourself a job in a bar in Greece or Spain for a few months, then take the Trans-Siberian express to Asia? You can hop a boat from Russia to Japan and eventually find yourself in Taiwan. Somewhere along the way you may find an opportunity to take up a new career.
US-China trade is pretty mature, Europe still has a lot of room for growth and you could find yourself something to exploit your language skills. The UK economy is pretty strong and there are numerous skills shortages. Or why not learn to scuba dive and go get a job in the Maldives?
The world is your lobster. Enjoy it. And don’t forget to come and visit me.
Blowing Kisses!!!
Thanks for all your encourgement and kind words. I am still a bit shock and haven’t really though about what I wanted to do it, but for sure, I wanted to go back to TW to visit my grandma as she just had a surgery and haven’t been doing well.
I am def. interested in travelling for a bit, I think the best time to travel is always in between jobs, I will be able to recharge myself as well!! I will apply UI (unemployment) here in US for awhile, sit on my fat behind while picking my nose all day and think about what I should do next.
And I will def. come to visit you guys soon in TW. I still haven’t tried Alleycat’s pizza place yet!!
If anybody need a maid, let me know, maybe I can be a good one!! 
Or if anybody knows about any job oppourtunity, let me know as well…
Hmm… where are some the safe places for a single gal like me to travel??
And I will def. come to visit you guys soon in TW. I still haven’t tried Alleycat’s pizza place yet!! - pizza on me, pasta sauce on you.
If anybody need a maid, let me know, maybe I can be a good one!! Twisted - could you be bad?
Hmm… where are some the safe places for a single gal like me to travel?? - safe places are boring. Single gals can go anywhere once they know how, but it’s smarter to learn the ropes first. Did you ever meet up with Aprimo? I know you guys were in touch. We went to Thailand together and she went back alone later for several weeks.
What would I do? Hmm, first I would probably spend some time learning how to write thread titles that actually give a clue as to what the thread is about. 
Seriously though, take a trip! Enjoy life! Don’t worry, be happy! 
[quote=“MiakaW”]
Hmm… where are some the safe places for a single gal like me to travel??[/quote]
Are there really any “safe” places left in the world for a single gal? Just pick a place, take an LP guide and go. It really is that easy. The experiences will be more rewarding than you can ever imagine. Happy Travels!!
So see you in Taiwan soon
While you’re booking your plane tickets I’m sure 
For shame! Must do in Taipei.
possibilities, possibilites, what to do with all the possibilities 
Where? I read somewhere you’re an accountant by training? By chance have a CPA or other equivalent cert? The company I’m at has some need for such professionals. Drop me a PM and let’s trade info.
[quote=“MiakaW”]Hmm… where are some the safe places for a single gal like me to travel??[/quote] Wow, the world is a pretty darn big place
Miaka
I would definitely get on a plane soonest. Use Monster etc to look for opportunities, as well as milking all those old contacts, friends of friends etc. If you get any decent leads you can email a resume and talk by phone before deciding whether to fly back for an interview.
Your position of course is that you are on gardening leave and your notice period (which prevents you working for someone else) ends on X date, which coincidentally will fit in with your holiday plans.
Good luck, and if you want help from the guys here give us some background. We are a pretty helpful crowd.