On the move

I’ve been in my current post six years and fifteen days. That’s the longest I’ve ever been in one job. So it’s probably quite appropriate that the department I’m in has now changed school, which has involved moving office, crossing the busy A6 and going from having my own office to having a shared one.  

We moved on Friday and I’m currently next door to the one that I’m eventually going to be in. The previous occupant has only half moved out. Four more colleagues will occupy the two rooms next to mine. My roommate is not there yet – she’ll come over with the second batch of people to be moved.

They tell us that these are the quietest rooms in the block. Certainly we’re in the most elegant part of a rather worn building. There is parquet flooring outside our offices and we are near an impressive staircase. The corridor opposite ours contains music practice rooms and as you walk along it, even though it’s not term-time yet, you hear different, well-performed music coming from each room.  

Then you turn the corner, and come to the complex where six other members of the subject group are housed. They seem to have a very creative space.

A lot goes on in this building, apart from the music. And that, they tell me, even includes a rock band.  A new colleague, but one I’d already met before, got into conversation with me. “Yes, it’s quiet down there,” he said. “Only it won’t be next week. I’m using the board room for rehearsals.”

A colleague from our group who used to work there commented. “Yes, you’ll find as the semester starts you’ll bump into students rehearsing in the corridors.”   

We had staff development sessions this week and even then we noticed a few people walking about in theatrical costumes.

Later, as I explored the building and found the staff room, School Office, mail room and photocopying room I bumped into the new colleague again. This time he was in costume and in a role. We communicated okay. But it was his character that was doing the talking.

I think this is all going to be fun.