The company I currently work for is setting up a new business in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA to try and expand beyond Europe and grow the business, and they've asked me if I'd like to go out there and help get it started.
It's quite a good deal they're offering me: pay rise, they're paying for my accommodation, health care and two return flights home per year. I'm also getting my full UK holiday entitlement, because they have fewer days off in the USA. So it seemed like too good an opportunity to turn down and I said I'd do it. Initially it's for two years and after that, see how things are going and go from there...
I just returned back, last week, from spending a few days out there to see the new factory building, view some potential apartments to live in and just generally have a look around to see if I'd like it. I actually really enjoyed it, the place seemed pretty decent and I reckon I could live there quite easily.
I'm looking forward to going back now and getting things started. My move is pencilled in for June at the moment, but I haven't got a definite date yet. It depends on how long it takes to get my visa, which I have an ongoing application for at the moment and I need to hammer out some finer details with work and all the machinery still has to be shipped over yet, but June is the plan at the moment.
All of which means I won't be making any major events this year, like Le Mans or Macon. I either won't be here or too busy sorting out plans for my move. I'm planning to keep my GTA but haven't worked out what to do with it yet. I'll have to look into putting it into storage for a couple of years. Ideally, I'd like to have a few jobs done on it while I'm away: engine and gearbox rebuild, suspension and rear subframe and suspension turrets refurbed and respray. It's just an idea. In an ideal world I'd like to have all these things done while I'm away, but might end up having all, only some or none of it done, depending on costs and funding etc. I think it's something I might have to weigh up once I'm settled in the USA and see how things are going...
So, I'll miss seeing you all at meets and events etc, I've had some great times over the years in my GTA, meeting new faces, making new friends and visiting new places. But I've no idea how things will pan out. It might only be for a couple of years and I'll be back. And there's always the chance things might fall through yet. So you might not be rid of me yet!
