Last day of work...

My last day of work (on-site, that is... I'm still technically a BenQ employee) was last Friday... and being inspired by the obnoxious press, I decided to take some pictures of my own to share with you all. Not too many people have lived through what I've had to go through, so I thought this might be of interest.

As always, click on the photo to make it larger.


This is the view when leaving the building... and as you can see, there are several people from the press waiting outisde to take our pictures as we left. Now, put yourself in my shoes for a minute: you've been crying with your co-workers all day because everything is so sudden and brutal... and when leaving the building (with a swollen, red face, of course) for probably the last time, people from the press are outside waiting for you and taking snapshots. It was harsh, to the say the least, and I wouldn't wish what I had to go through on anyone.


The press took pictures of me and my co-workers without my permission, so I decided to take some lovely snapshots of them. This is another one taken while exiting the building. It was funny... as I was taking the pictures, cars were stopping for me and people were treating me as if I were a professional photographer of some sort. Ha.


They're seriously so blatant and unashamed about it! This guy was crouched to the left of the entrance, taking pictures. I guess my taking a picture of him was, em, slightly blatantly unashamed as well, but whatev. It was my last day and I was ticked off.


Here's the entrance to the building...


Someone taped a piece of paper that says "Siemens" over the BenQ sign at the entrance. Yet another way of demonstration...


This says "Don't close BenQ" It sounds better in German, though, cause it rhymes.


This says, "If you throw the people out, the lights in Kamp-Lintfort will go out." Again, it sounds better in German. Or maybe I stink at translating.


Here you can see the tent that IG Metall, the Labour Union which is responsible for us, set up. Their red flags and symbols are all over the site.


It's hard for me to describe the last several weeks... very harsh, brutal, overwhelming and nasty. But I've learned a ton, am having to seriously trust God, and am being forced to re-evaluate what it is I want to do and where I want to be.

Last year when moving here, I wanted a challenge. If ever I've had one, this is it.