Which Country?
After the training, the next stop was Sue's office. This meeting, along with meeting with two of the Director's would determine where I would be sent. Bansko in Bulgaria had really been sold to us during the training, as the place to earn the most money and without exception, this is where we all wanted to go.
I was summoned into Sue's office. We chatted about the training and how it had gone and then we got down to the serious business of discussing my placement abroad.
Sue told me that she had originally had me earmarked for France. I speak French, have worked in France previously and knew the area well. Plus my personality was well suited to working in France I was told, as the company had a much softer approach to sales there. Sue was also aware of my ambition to eventually move to rural France permanently. Initially, being placed in France had sounded ideal. I love France and the thought of living there again was amazing. Plus, the staff in France were employed, rather than self employed (French employment legislation dictated this) which appealed to me, as I still had concerns about MRI's reasons for all the sales staff being self employed.
However, during training we had learnt that it took much longer for staff in France to earn their commission and that the rate tended to be lower. This means that rather than expecting to commission to be paid after three months, because of the processes involved, it would be more likely six months. This would mean living on a salary of only €1000 a month for six months - far from ideal. It also dawned on me that after resigning, if MRI reneged on their promise to pay any outstanding commission owed, then six month's worth of commission would remain in MRI's pockets. Not good.
And so I did what I do well and sold myself and the reasons I should be sent to Bulgaria. I am quiet and pretty unassuming - characteristics that aren't usually seen in sales people. However, I had proven success in sales in my previous roles and had proved myself in what can often be a cut throat business. I clearly argued my case well, as Sue said that yes, she would recommend to the Directors that I be sent to Bulgaria.
I was delighted. Before the meeting ended, Sue asked if I had any further questions. Most of my questions had been answered during the training, but I did have one very specific questions.
"If I do go to Bulgaria, what help will I receive in ensuring that I'm working legally and paying taxes etc?"
"Your manager in Bulgaria will give you all the help that you need. MRI want to make sure that you're working legally too."
I didn't know it at the time, but this turned out to be a whopping lie. Not only that, but because of MRI's lies once I was in Bulgaria, I was hauled to the police station in Bulgaria as an illegal worker. But I'm jumping ahead. The full story will emerge in good time.
We shook hands and Sue wished me the very best, no matter which country I end up in.
Meeting the Directors
The next stage was the Directors. I admit that I was incredibly nervous going into this meeting. You had to be a very specific type of person to become a Director at MRI and I wasn't sure that they'd think that I was really the right kind of sales person for the job.
The two Directors I met were Mike Moodie and Rolf Christensen. Mike was a cheerful, smiling man and quickly put me at ease (a gift I later saw time and time again with clients) and Rolf was more serious and rather foreboding looking. The next twenty minutes consisted of me explaining to them both why I should be sent to Bansko in Bulgaria. This was no mean feat. Every new sales executive wanted to work in this high earning region and I knew that Adam and Stuart would also be arguing their case to be sent there - only one of us would be selling property in Bansko.
It obviously worked. At the end of the meeting they both looked at each other, smiled and said "Bankso" in unison. I'd done it. My dream of living a mortgage free life in rural France was even closer.
And so, arrangements were made and flights booked. Stuart was to work in Portugal and Adam in France. I knew that Adam was very unhappy about this and in the end he chose not to work for MRI as a result and returned home. He had a lucky break.
Mike Moodie had recently returned from Bansko and had told me that the temperatures there were freezing. I had only packed clothes suitable for a warm climate, as most of the countries that MRI operated in had a Mediterranean climate. I'd also learnt my lesson when wearing my fur coat to the interview and I didn't want to be overburdened again. I requested that I fly to Bulgaria via a one night stop off in London, so that I could pack some warmer clothes. I would be paying for the flights ultimately anyway and I would still arrive in Bulgaria on the same day, so I could see no reason why not. Surely I wasn't expected to arrive in a ski resort with only light clothes? My request was refused and I was told that I 'd be able to buy clothes in Bulgaria. Having already worked extensively in Eastern Europe, I knew that this wasn't the case. I am (how to say it), rather large chested and finding clothes to fit me in Eastern Europe I knew was nigh on impossible. I explained this as delicately as possible, not wanting to rock the boat. Again I was turned down. And so it seemed that yes, they did think that it was reasonable for me to arrive in a cold ski resort without suitable clothing.
Goodbye Spain, Hello Bulgaria
And so the day arrived for me to fly to Bulgaria. It was an evening flight and I was due to arrive into Sofia at around 11pm. I waved goodbye to Spain and settled in for the flight. I arrived on time and (thankfully) there was somebody to meet me at the airport.
I was bundled into the car and we set off. Unfortunately the driver didn't have very much English, so the journey passed in silence, with the driver occasionally turning on some incredibly loud, banging rave music. Not the most relaxing of journeys! We drove for hours and hours. There was no street lighting and other than the occasional headlight from oncoming traffic, there was little to break the monotony. I was starting to wonder what I'd let myself in for.
Almost four hours later we finally arrived. I was checked into a hotel and was simply told "Be at Kempinski Hotel tomorrow 10am" and left. It certainly didn't feel like much of a welcome.
I got into bed and quickly fell asleep, wondering what my first day in Bansko would bring....
