Change of Plans...

Two weeks ago Joel's boss asked us to get all our visa paperwork together and have it to him by Monday so we could get started on the process.  We got it all together and Joel handed it in, only to be told that Audi can no longer sponsor him.  They have too many other sponsored workers and the finance department decided that they couldn't afford to sponsor anyone else.  Without a sponsor we can't get a work visa.  Without a work visa we can't stay in the country past February 8.  My work can't sponsor me as they've been frozen as sponsors.  This means one of us would need to find a new job who'd be willing to sponsor us, otherwise we have to leave.

Joel came home raging with this news.  He loves Australia and doesn't want to leave.  I was pretty happy, as I've been secretly praying something would happen that would make us have to go home.

Even though we had cancelled Joel's return flight home we were able to reinstate it as long as it was used before February 6 (a year from our initial travel date).  I took that as a sign that we're meant to come home- everything is easily lining up that home is the right place to be.  We could find a new sponsor, but who knows how long that will take or if we'll get approved in time.  If we couldn't get approved we'd be stuck here and not be able to work or pay for new flights home.  So I made the executive decision that we should come home.

I had a flight home already booked for January 19 so I will go home then as planned.  Joel wants to stay here till the last possible date (and golf as much as possible) so he will return February 5.  He is not happy about going home at all.  He will only go back if we move somewhere where he can golf through the year, so as long as we can get jobs, it looks like we'll be trying out Vancouver.  Hopefully we can, because this is the best compromise we can come to and I'm ready to get my feet back on the ground and settled somewhere.  So if anyone has any job leads for either of us that be greatly appreciated...

In the meantime I have only five weeks left in Sydney.  I have to take advantage of my weekends and get out and see and do as much as I can, because I will likely not be back.  I've been bad about my sightseeing lately.  Now that I have an end date in sight its time to check off the rest of my list.  Hoping Joel will take me out to the Blue Mountains one day.  Debating a weekend trip to Canberra or Hobart too, but not sure what I'll all fit in or can budget for.