OK let's do it.

Three weeks after being presented with the relocation and job offer letter, I finally handed it in today signed and agreed.

Most of the terms and conditions were fair and good and the new surroundings had lots of appeal. I had got to like Bavaria and it's lifestyle and the opportunities it presented in quality of life.

The continuation of my company service record, now getting to be close to 15 years, gave a certain sense of security and after a year or so of countless visits and even being considered an employee by many of the colleagues there, I wasn't jumping into cold water.

Had not been an easy decision as there were a couple of very important personally fa mily issues. The had been over the week before and we even had dinner with my future boss and his wife. David, a restless soul of the international business relocation world, was able to give my wife assurances that it was no problem - Munich International School for the kids who would grow up multilingual, large expat Munich community, great place for free-time, safe environment ......

She had returned with the children still full of doubts even though they had experienced and enjoyed some much of the Bavarian scene, in fact, several years before and even before my company had any involvement there.

She did though show signs of weakening and would again consult her then best girlfriend, the wife of an international businessman but herself a very mothering, home-hearth type. When the vague possibility first raised it's head the previous year, she and her daughter had,  on my suggestion flown out with my family in October 1989 for several days to visit Munich and Bavaria and check out its suitability.

I was never a party to the discussions between the two wives on the topic but did get the impression from Dorothy that if it was her decision she wouldn't move. Not because of the place, simply the thought of the unknown. Dorothy was never an adventurous or spontaneous person which on many occasions was indeed an asset. We were to spend the last two weeks I had with my children in September, all together as two families on holiday. The matter was by then decided and I was to face the new challenge alone.

After I signed and handed in the letter on this Thursday, I took the plane home to the UK and for a cool long Easter weekend.