To my dear UC family (sorry for the emotional drivel that follows but I think you know me so well and you’re used to it by now!)

Well, another incredibly difficult decision made – though happily, under vastly different circumstances to last time! I only just got back home to UC and I have been like a pig in mud being back here! Despite all the crazy commuting, house-selling challenges and moving exhaustion, I’ve loved every second of being back! This truly is my dream job – I’m not just saying that – it’s actually true! Despite the occasional gripes and frustrations we all have from time to time, I think we all know that UC library is special. We are so lucky to work in a place with such a wonderful, supportive culture. I know I will never find a job and a bunch of colleagues/friends like this again and it’s not something I would ever give up lightly…

As many of you might be aware, I have recently become engaged to my Finnish partner, Jussi. It’s a very big deal for a 36-year old self-declared crazy cat lady spinster who had given up on all that stuff! It was always the intention that he would be moving here – he knows how much my job and this place mean to me and, working in IT, you would think it would have been a smooth path ahead with NZ immigration. However, this has certainly not been the case. It would still take many months and possibly years of job applications, sponsorship applications, trips back and forth, grappling with the visa points system and so on. However for me to go to Finland, it is infinitely more simple and much faster. Therefore, we have decided that this is the only way forward for us. I will be going back to Finland on the 8th of February. Jussi and I will be getting married in Tampere on the 10th of March and I will be staying on whilst my Finnish residency visa is processed.

It honestly pains me more than I can describe having got my dream job back and then having to give it up again so soon. I’m also so very aware of the inconvience all this has caused my wonderful, amazing team, who were so incredibly kind to invite me back into the team. It’s incredibly disappointing in all regards to have me leave so soon and I’m so sorry for everything 🙁 If there’s one thing in life I have learned, it’s that very few people in this world can have everything. To have one great thing in life, often means sacrificing another and I wish I didn’t have to choose in this way. Having my dream job was one goal in life, but there are things outside of work which I have not yet achieved and I feel this is my last and only opportunity to do so. I hope you won’t blame me or judge me harshly for the choice I have made.

My time at UC has meant so much more to me than being just a job and I will miss you all so much. I’m warning you right now, I can’t talk about any of this without bursting into tears, so you are forewarned to not ask me questions or mention it to me unless you actually want to have a blubbering idiot in the room – and nobody wants that!

Please, please, please keep in touch! I will always have such a connection with this place. It will always be home, even if I am on the other side of the world!

Hugs to you all xx

Bronwyn