End of a long road--my daughter finally got a firm job offer! Has to leave the country, tho...

[DFW]

She wanted to stay in New York, and if not there, Washington or Boston. Nothing to be had in her field. Zip city.
The only people being taken on were people deferred from a year ago, class of 2009. The Class of 2010 was told,
"sorry, Charlie." So she applied here in Europe. Today, the letter finally came.

All she has to do is sign on the dotted line (oh, she will!).

The starting salary is 95,000 euros, or about $115,000 at today's exchange rates. About half of that goes in taxes,
but she gets 30 days paid vacation, comprehensive health coverage, etc. etc. plus a starting bonus and various other
benefits. I started my working career at about 12% that much, and with only 2 weeks vacation, and hardly any of those
benefits.

It means she has to move to Frankfurt, at least for now. But the firm is based in London, and she will probably end up
spending time there, as well, and in a few years, may yet get her coveted posting in their New York office.

The best part is that she did this all on her own (as did her sister). We have no connections whatsoever in European
legal circles. She sought the firms out and got her interviews all by herself.

[LibDemAlways]

1. Wonderful! She's very fortunate. Good benefits are

worth their weight in gold, and the opportunity to live in Europe - priceless. She may never want to come back!

[DFW]

3. She was born and grew up in Germany

My wife is German, and German is her mother tongue. She is as at home here in Europe as she is
in America. Plus, her boyfriend is German, too, and has no green card. Giess who has to move to
Frankfurt, ha ha? Still, she would have preferred to stay in New York, but not waiting on tables.
She's no idiot. Won the National Association of Women Lawyers award and won some $1000 prize
writing for some essay contest on civil rights, beat out all the native-born American contestants.
Not bad for a kid who had never had school in English as of 10 years ago. She still wants a posting
in New York, and will probably get it in a few years if she does well. I wouldn't bet against her, either.

She's the young woman in the middle with the big smile:

[auntAgonist]

2. Best of luck to your daughter!

You must be very proud. Will she be living closer to you now?

:applause:

aA

[DFW]

7. Yes, indeed!

2 hours away by train--just a bit closer than the 8 hours flight from JFK, and less jet lag!

[Call Me Wesley]

4. Congrats!

Frankfurt is a nice place to live. :thumbsup:

[DFW]

8. I don't get there much

My wife has a cousin in nearby Wiesbaden, which is very pleasant. We are 2 hours north, outside of Düsseldorf on the Rhein.

[livetohike]

5. Congratulations to your daughter!

:toast: Hope the job turns out to be a great experience for her.

[DFW]

9. She really liked the people, anyway

And that is half the road to a good work experience.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

6. My dear DFW!

How splendid! Congrats to her, and to you and her mother, for having raised such an intelligent daughter!

The job sounds really great; I'm sure she's happy.

She is beautiful too...You must be bursting with pride!

:toast:

[DFW]

10. Peggy, it the one she was most hoping for

She was over the moon when it came. She had received solicitations from other firms and a few companies
in the meantime, and she put them all on hold, hoping this would come through. I hope she is prepared to
deal with some major disappointments down the road, because so far all she has had is for everything she has
fought for to become reality. It never lasts, does it? One has to be prepared for both.

[Arugula Latte]

11. Wow -- She gets to live in Europe?

I am envious. Good for her!

[DFW]

12. I'm not sure what you mean by "gets to"

My daughter was born in Europe and grew up in Europe and still speaks German as her native language.
Her English is now excellent, of course--you don't graduate summa cum laude from an American law school
if it isn't--, and I have tried to teach both my daughters since birth. My wife spoke to them in German
and I spoke to them in English, so they were used to hearing both when they grew up. They both still speak
German to each other by preference, but will switch to English when there are Americans around.

Going to work in Europe for her is "coming home," at least to the extent that somone 100% comfortable
in both cultures can be said to prefer one home over another.