Follow your instinct

Unemployment - Part 6

Soon after returning to France in December 1993, I had to register my situation at the ANPE, which is now called POLE EMPLOI in the region of Cergy.

We were now residents of this region since we had purchased the new house, although we did not move in yet. Due to Viviane's school we had to wait until the end of the school year, in the month of June.

Since I had the status of Executive or Cadre, I had to register equally in APEC, Agency for Employment of Cadres, in Paris. That is where I will have to continue the follow up of my status.

Once the files were accepted by these departments, I received notification confirming the allowances which I was entitled to until I find a job in France. These allowances will be paid by the unemployment fund called ASSEDIC.

As long as I could justify that I was looking for a job, sometimes provide proof to the agencies if requested, I would receive the allowances as follows: I do not remember the exact figure but it was something like 70 to 80% of my gross salary up to a maximum of 9 months. If I was still jobless by then, the allowances would be reduced by periods of 3 months, like going down to 60%, then to 40% and could end up at 20% at the end of 2 years.

In the beginning, the income would be quite comfortable. It would be even superior to any standard salary if I had to work. So, for at least during the first six months or so, I did not have to worry much about searching a job. I could relax for a while; unless a very interesting proposal turns up.

Time to time I was sending job applications; I was targeting only highly paid jobs. I had in mind my income in Saudi Arabia as reference. But the income there is exceptionally very high, not at all comparable to salary scale in France.

Besides, during all job interviews, when it was coming to evaluate the salary, the scale was corresponding to the scale of CEOs or top executives of big establishments. It was impossible to get a job like that in France.

So, I had to lower my aim, for lower salary scale.

I had no other choice but to contemplate staying with the allowances for at least during the next few months.

I started enjoying life in Paris with my small family. Viviane was going to school, Marc was growing up fast, and Luisa would not even have to think of looking for a job. The income was good and the life was comfortable. That's the way life was in Saudi Arabia during five years.

During that period we went to Cergy into our new house almost every week end. We had time to transfer and arrange little by little our personal items. I also painted the living room, and other rooms. We were enjoying the good weather; summer was approaching. We had a lot of green space around the house and the children were really appreciating life here compared to the apartment on the 7th floor in Paris.

The time flew so quickly especially when we moved in here in July 1994.

By the French law, I could no longer keep our apartment in Paris at the same time declaring our house in Cergy as our principal residence.

So, I decided to write a letter to Sodipe that we were moving and leaving the apartment free for the use of the company.

I also wrote an official letter of notice to the Management of the Housing establishment in Paris.

We had to buy some new furniture in order to make our living a little more comfortable.

We had received all the metallic containers that we had shipped from Saudi Arabia. We had almost 1,000 kg of our personal belongings in those containers. All this needed to be arranged.

The house had a garage, where one car could fit, but still there was plenty of space to keep some containers. The attic was very useful, but we had to install new stairs, stronger and practical to go up more easily. Most of the other staff was arranged in the attic.