Go away

Where I work, summer is a big turnover time. Everyone works assignments that are usually two years long and there are two “transfer seasons,” summer and winter. Summer is by far the most popular, because this means that people with school-age kids can relocate when the kids are on vacation. Those without kids aim to get on the summer cycle if they didn’t start out that way because there are just more jobs. That means a bigger choice.

But the summer season also means you say goodbye and hello to a large number of people. Granted, my particular department is abnormal (60 Americans), but this Friday, I have six people leaving. That’s more than many people’s departments in full. And in addition to that, the bulk of the seventeen temporary employees will head back as well. That’s a lot of movement. (And a lot of paperwork.)

One day next month, I have three arriving – all on the same plane. It’s really kind of head-spinning.

Also on Friday, my intern/roommate is done with work, as is one of the others who’s stayed with me this year. Really, we keep the airlines busy this time of year.

Along with the goodbyes come goodbye parties. Let me just say for the record that I am so sick of them. They’re not all sad, because in this career you never know when you’re going to run into someone again and we always have each others' emails.

But the parties continue. And I’m getting worried. Not about the ones I’ve attended, but about the bar that’s been set.

My supervisor is one of the department heads. His is a higher-up position, second only to the Big Boss. There aren’t that many departments and his is, by leaps and bounds,  the largest department, especially when it comes to U.S. staff.

When the Big Boss left, we had a party that was a bit, um … excessive. Honestly, it was really, really over the top and should have been dialed down, or at least shared with all who were leaving. But it was not, and now I fear that my boss, second only to that position, will expect the same. And what’s worse is he’s been here for two assignments totaling five years. Based on this, he’s every bit excused to think that his own party would rival that one.

It’s not going to. And I am really starting to get concerned about it. I’ve collected less than $1 from the 200 people in my department, and that’s on purpose. We’re all so tired of kicking in for this going-away party, that in-house party and whatnot. I just couldn’t bear to say bring another $7 or whatever.

So I have barely any money. Plus, I’m having trouble motivating the local staff to really take it over. It’s a cultural thing, sort of a need for micro-managing and I just can’t do that on this topic. I care very little about sentimental things, so it’s really hard for me to come up with ideas on keepsakes and such. Plus I haven’t even been here half as long as the guy.

So that’s brutal. I have collected the money and we’ve got a little video, but I was kind of holding off on one person to leave before proceeding.

That’s one of my second-tier bosses. Really, he’s not a boss at all, but basically the structure in my department is the one guy had two “deputies.” One of those, the one over the largest sub-department, left on Friday.

And there were, by count FIVE parties. This is insane, and again, I fear it’s raised the bar.

First, there was a sub-department-wide party in which everyone kicked in something like $5. I couldn’t go because I had a doctor’s appointment. But the next day, the local staff bosses took him to lunch. Then there was a small apartment party for him, which I went to. The following day, the U.S. “deputies” took him out to lunch. Then, for crying out loud, there sub-section had ANOTHER party for him, right at the end of the day.

And this terrifies me because I am positive that my boss – the department boss – is going to expect at least six. It ain’t happening. And I am stressing out of it.

How come people can’t just smile, say thank you and walk away?