What would you do...

... if your work asked/told you they wanted you to move to a different country? Would it be a difficult decision or would you be sitting on the plane with your bags packed before the question had even been finished?

I turned down a move to Chicago about three years ago as I'd recently got myself settled in the new house. Never spent more than a few seconds thinking about it before saying no (much do the amazement of the American bosses). Personally the quality of life I can live in Scotland is far and above that which I could expect in the US. I'm not talking about the financial aspect (I'd expect to earn considerably more) but just the day to day experience. My visits to the US have left me with the feeling that it's a souless place to live (I've spent time in Chicago, Dallas, Memphis and Denver). Maybe not representative of the bright lights of LA or New York but we don't have facilities in those cities (wouldn't make much difference though if I'm honest). I just find it all a bit fake and plastic, lacking in soul... my opinion.

This time we're being asked to move to Reno, Nevada. Hmmmm... no said the three of us who remain in Scotland and no said our partners. Now we have Bonnie and Clyde and Lesley has her beautiful grand-daughter Ellie so the decision wasn't exactly difficult. No disrespect to Reno, I'm sure it's a lovely place, but it's not for us.

Have to wait and see how the big bosses take this latest knock-back. Will they keep us on beavering away in Scotland or is it redundancy for the lot of us? Who knows, interesting times.