I hope you sang the title while you were reading it, because I certainly did while writing it 😉
I’ve been wanting to write this post for a while. But 1) it wasn’t entirely my news to tell and 2) it wasn’t actually official until just before Christmas. Obviously I couldn’t say anything on here until things were 100% definite and all my real-life people knew! However, now contracts have been signed, bosses have been spoken to and family/friends have been informed, which means I can also blog about it without any risk of someone who should have been told by official means stumbling across my news via my blog (unlikely, but possible).
At the end of last year, Jan was offered a job in Basel (he wasn’t even applying for jobs at the time… he had worked on a project with them once and when a position opened up they called him). After paying a visit to the company, negotiating a few things (such as a few days off during the probation period as he will still have students to supervise here) and working out whether the pay really is as good as it sounds (Switzerland being an expensive country), the decision was finally made that Jan would take the job and the contract was signed and sent off just before Christmas. (Phew, complicated sentence there. Sorry!) (Also sorry for the overuse of brackets).

Although Basel is close enough to Karlsruhe for a day trip, it is definitely not close enough to commute! So some time around March/April we shall be moving to the Basel area. Jan starts on 1st April, so he’ll go first, probably in March, then I’ll join him at the end of April. Whether the move will actually take us to Switzerland or whether we’ll stay on the German side of the border is yet to be decided, but either way it will be an adventure! While I will miss my friends and some other things, having lived in Karlsruhe for longer than I’ve spent in one place ever in my entire life, it feels like a good time to move on and try something new. In the meantime, the next few months will be dedicated to trying out all the places in Karlsruhe I never got round to visiting, and also making sure to check out all the old haunts at least once more. There are a lot of places I need to day farewell to!
Our next step will be to meet with an adviser who specialises in cross-border employment. He will hopefully help us with the decision on where to live, then we’ll be flat hunting, packing and dealng with bureaucracy for the next few months (and then more bureaucracy after we move!). As for what I’ll be doing when we get there… well, I should be able to telecommute. My (new!*) boss likes the idea and has said he sees no reason why it shouldn’t be possible. All we need to do is work out details. So keep your fingers crossed that works out!
That’s really exciting news Bev! Basel is lovely and I hope you guys are very happy there. a change is as good as a rest, it’s sometimes good to mix things up a little:-)
Thank you! I really like Basel – we took my brother there in the summer, not knowing at the time that Jan would end up working there! Funny how these things happen.
How exciting! Congratulations to you guys, it sounds like such an exciting new adventure!
Thank you! It will certainly be an adventure 🙂
How exciting! I wish you both all the best and success with all the preparations the next few months will bring. I’ve never been to Basel, but I’d like to some day. I don’t envy you the packing and moving, but settling in and exploring a new place is exciting. Fingers crossed for the telecommute – I hope that works out for you!
Thank you. Basel is a lovely place.
I’m already dreading the packing but at least it will give us a chance to get rid of some stuff that we really don’t need but have been too lazy to sort out!
That is so exciting!! Congratulations to both of you, and I am so excited to get posts from Basel!
Thank you! I’m sure I’ll be posting a lot from Basel at first seeing as I’ll have no friends to hang around with 😉
Congrats! Great news! And yes hate that everyone just assumes you’re pregnant when you ask for a meeting because you’re female and a certain age..
Thank you! Yes, or if I say I have news people assume I’m either pregnant or engaged!
What an exciting adventure for 2015! I was getting pretty tantalised by recent posts when you were hinting about forthcoming changes so great that you’ve now been able to share this news with us. I haven’t made it to Basel yet, or really anywhere beyond Geneva, so really can’t back this up but nonetheless think Switzerland is great and hope you both enjoy it.
Haha, I just couldn’t help but drop hints! It’s been really frustrating not being able to say anything while we’re in the midst of sorting stuff out. I had to tell all my family members not to mention anything on Facebook til it was official in case my colleagues found out before my boss!
I really like Basel – we took my brother there when he was visiting us in the summer. Back then I had no clue that we’d end up living in the area! I haven’t been to Geneva (or the French-speaking part of Switzerland at all to be honest), but what I’ve seen of the German-speaking part I’ve really liked.
That must have been hard having to keep it quiet but would have been awful if your boss found out through the grapevine! Well let me know if you are ever day tripping in Geneva, would love to show your around.
Also I completely sang the title when I read it!
Yes, especially if he’d found out we were considering it before the contract was actually signed then we decided not to even go for it!
I hope we will make it to Geneva for a day trip at some point. I’ve wanted to see the French part of Switzerland for a while and there’ll be no excuse now really 😀
Glad I’m not the only one that sang the song!
Good luck, it sounds very exciting! I might be able to write a similar blog post myself soon! 🙂
Thank you! Ooh, can’t wait to read that one if it works out.
Congratulations! My boyfriend worked in Basel for a few years and always speaks so fondly of his time there (and about wanting to move to Switzerland again some day).
Thanks. Switzerland is a gorgeous country, but I’m not looking forward to the living costs!
Wow – sounds like you’re going to have an amazing year! Very jealous indeed.
My time in Germany went by too fast, I ache to get back over – holiday’s just aren’t long enough! 🙂
Yes, it’s going to be an adventure! Luckily even if we choose Switzerland I still be close enough to Germany to pop over for a visit 😀
This is exciting! What a fun new adventure. I’m sure you’ll enjoy Switzerland.. I’ve never been before but I’m sure there are tons of wonderful places to explore.
Thank you. We will definitely be exploring Switzerland regardless what side of the border we end up on!
Wow, good luck with the move! I’ve friends living in Basel and they love it.
Thanks, glad to hear your friends like living in Basel 😀
Oh wow that’s fantastic! Good luck with the packing – urgh not something I’d relish doing but it does come with the advantage of making you sort stuff out!
Oh and I’d noticed some hints in previous blog posts about a big change for 2015 and I, like your boss, also thought “hmmm… wedding or baby maybe?” (sorry!) I also thought maybe you were coming back to the UK! But Switzerland sounds great! All I know about Basel is there’s a football team and an art fair there… so looking forward to learning more from you!
LOL, I suppose it makes sense… although I’m not sure a wedding would be that much of a change. At least not in the same way – my day-to-day life would basically still be the same afterwards.
I did not know there was an art fair in Basel! I know it’s on the Rhine (as is Karlsruhe – technically. I’m moving downriver. Or possible upriver? I don’t know which way the river flows).
I definitely sang the title as soon as I read it. A new move will be really exciting, I’m sure! x
LOL, I’m glad a few people sang the song 😀
The move will be exciting once the stress is out the way 😉
Oh my gosh, how exciting! Sounds like you are looking forward to the change of pace. Plus, access to all the Swiss chocolate you can eat. 🙂 Can’t wait to hear all about it!
All the expensive Swiss chocolate I can eat! Haha.
I am definitely looking forward to something new… shake things up a bit!
Worth it. 🙂
That is awesome! Congrats to Jan on the new job! And it seems to me your job would perfect for telecommuting. Yayy Basel – new place to discover, explore and write about! 🙂
Yes, I can pretty much do my job from anywhere with an Internet connection.
I can’t wait to explore. New day trips! 🙂
Ah this is SO exciting! Can’t wait to hear more about how it all pans out. I hope it all works out smoothly and the way you guys hope for! I’m definitely looking forward to seeing a bunch of photos of Switzerland — it looks seriously gorgeous.
Thank you. What I’ve seen of Switzerland so far is beautiful. I’m definitely looking forward to exploring more! And we’ll be right on the border with France as well.
Congrats! Exploring a new place is going to be so much fun!
Thank you. I am definitely looking forward to exploring.
Congrats on the move and the new gig!
I laughed when I read your title because when I used the same title 18 months ago, it was in reference to my changing bra sizes (the result of my daily workouts). 🙂
Wow, exciting news! We’d better get in that bloggy meet-up before you jump ship! 🙂
Yep, that’s why I kept saying I’m only available til March, but couldn’t say why!
Crafty one you are 🙂
This sounds really exciting! I’ve heard some nice things about Basel, my colleague moved there about 4 months ago.
Here’s to your new adventure!!
That’s such exciting news! I remember really liking Basel when I visited there something like 30 years ago (probably because Switzerland is very much like the part of Canada where I live, high cost of living and all!). I’m sure you’ll really enjoy exploring the city and its environs. I’m already looking forward to your future posts! xoxo
Oh yes, the high cost of living. Not looking forward to that! Hopefully we’ll be close enough to the border that I can pop across to Germany to do my shopping 😉
Sounds like the next few months will be an exciting adventure. I hope it all goes smoothly and you enjoy your last few months seeing those places you want to see before the move 🙂
Great! You’ll be working in your PJs, like all civilised, cake-loving people 🙂
LOL, my first thought wasn’t PJs but “I get to sleep longer every single day!”
YAYAYAYAY SO EXICTING!!!
So I guess you’ll be eating from the bakeries in the train stations more often then! 😉
Oh wow! Exciting news! Congratulations!! I am sure you will have a wonderful time there! Good luck with everything! Cannot wait to read more about your new adventure!
How exciting! Congratulations!
Thanks!
Wow that is huge! Exciting!!
Wow, how exciting! You’ll be fairly close to Adam, they are moving close to the German border and further out of Zurich. Maybe he could give you some tips xxx
Oh really? Yeah, maybe. We’re still trying to get an appointment with a tax adviser – the one who was recommended to us has no time!
Yay Basel! I absolutely LOVED this Swiss city- it will be a fabulous place to work, and maybe live 🙂
Congratulations!
I loved Basel too when I visited.
I have been looking at flats both in Basel and riiiight on the border. Either way I will be visiting Basel regularly. Exciting 😀
Hello, I’m FINALLY getting round to catching up with my blog readings after two weeks of trying to fix my site, but I did read this on the bus the other day and have been meaning to say HURRAH! Exciting news! I’ve been to Basel just the once and I really liked it – my sister-in-law and her now husband lived there for several years, so if you’d like any tips or advice about anything at all I’d be very happy to pass on any questions 🙂 Good luck with it all!