The hubby went in for a pre-interview test for a job that he's applying for a couple of days ago. While on a break, he meets up with someone in the lounge that is some sort of recruiter for a company that's doing contract jobs in Iraq and Afghanistan. They get to talking and it turns out, the guy is in town to recruit employees for jobs overseas. Well, after talking for half an hour, the hubby walks away with a solid offer for employment.
Hubby didn't approach me with it immediately. He slept on it. Thought about it. Obsessed over it. Tried to figure out the logistics of it all.
He tells me this morning that he has something he wants to talk to me about. He tells me the deal and wants to know what I think.
What do I think? I think he's crazy.
Hubby has been without a job since June of 2004. Not because he's complacent in going out and looking for a job, but because what he does pays a good bit of money. There's a VERY low rate of turn-over in that industry, thus not very many people vacating those jobs. Nope, once those men/women find a job in that industry--they stay there until they either hit the lotto or retire.
I do understand why the offer of this job overseas is so appealing. Not only is it the over $100,000/year income, but it's the feeling of finally getting back into the workforce and taking care of family, not having to worry about how much longer the savings will last.
I try to think of this in the way he does, but I can't. All I can think of are the people who've been kidnapped and killed. Yes, military personnel, but also civilians who are working there as contractors -- because they chose to be there. I can't get the image of a bus going down the highway that ran right over a bomb and exploded, killing everyone on it/near it, out of my head.
Hubby's supposed to go back and meet with the guy in the morning. We've talked about it throughout the day and I've tried to be very clear, letting him know exactly how I feel. I've never told him that he couldn't do something just because I didn't like it. We don't work that way. I might tell him that I'm not comfortable with it or that it scares me to death, but I've never believed in holding him back from doing something the he really and truly wanted to do. He is the same way for me.
What would you do if your husband/wife/partner/boyfriend/significant other wanted to take a job and go (willingly) into a place like Iraq, where safety is FAR from guaranteed?
For the first time in the 10 (almost) years we've been married, I'm tempted to put my foot down and tell him 'no'...that he just can't go. Is that selfish? Or is that me, taking care of my family, making sure that my kiddos have more of a chance of keeping their daddy around?
Sure, accidents happen here every day. Nothing is guaranteed.
I just think I'm a little more comfortable with taking our chances here...not thousands of miles away in a country where the risk of accident is multiplied tenfold.
Oh well, I think I'm going to have a cup of Earl Grey and obsess for a while myself.
*UPDATE*
For lack of energy in creating a new post...
After an interesting decision-making process, my hubby decided NOT to take the job overseas. The one thing that sealed the deal on him not going was a dream with his father (who passed away in Aug. '04). In the dream, his father told him that taking this job wasn't the right thing to do. He also told him that if he took the job, he wouldn't come back home again. I'm big on dreams and their meanings and we both decided that if this dream wasn't a sign...we didn't know what was!
So....my hubby is here...now working for a friend and things are looking up!
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