Last Thursday was my last day working in the School of Museum Studies. My contract had come to an end and until very recently I was looking at a period of potentially extended unemployment bar the occasional spot of indexing or proof-reading. I was even contemplating leaving academia as the opportunities to find long-term work in the sector are so limited at present. I was fairly down and the situation was causing me a level of stress unhelpful when trying to complete a book manuscript.

After a few weeks of feeling thoroughly miserable about my job situation, I had resigned myself to having a ‘mosaic’ career for ever more. To these ends I contacted a few people. and lo and behold, who’da thunk it? Being proactive paid off! I now find myself the recipient of  a Research Associate position in the School of Management at the University of Leicester, working on a cross-disciplinary heritage project (more about that another time) while also supporting ChiSRA: the University’s China research alliance/network. I am delighted and oh, so relieved!

My honorary visiting fellowship  with the School of Museum Studies has also been extended for another year while I work on an edited volume with Sheila Watson and Katy Bunning, so I get to ‘return home’ on a regular basis. Hurrah!