I got left less than a week for my departure. I am moving to Edinburgh and already have decided to not even try getting a placement in archaeology. Although I know there are quite a few companies in Scotland, the situation resembles too much to what I have been into all these past years. Workload is seasonal and the chances to get hired for temporary contracts are more likely than those for permanent positions, specially when you are a newcomer to British Archaeology. I would not mind to start again from the digger level if I had any opportunity to earn a living and catch up with the direct experience so I can make my previous skills and knowledge be valued eventually by the employers. But the reality is that I need a permanent job from the very first day I land in Edinburgh, so I will seek in other sectors offering better chances for me to pay for my expenses and focus in finishing my thesis. I will try not to lose any of my skills with GIS, CAD, Illustrator and so on, taking time to read all the grey literature and regulations applying to learn about the procedures in Scottish Archaeology. I would even volunteer, if my day job allows me to, for community archaeology projects. I would not like to put in the trash all my career without a last attempt to demonstrate that Archaeological practice is the same everywhere, just some of the material finds differing.
