ManyChance9158's journey

I’m currently in the background check stage for a job I really like, and I’m feeling a lot of anxiety because this would be my first job locally after returning from overseas. I had made four pre-planned trips with family, assuming I wouldn’t be employed this soon. Now I’m faced with a dilemma: 1) How do I tell my potential employer that I need to push back my start date? I didn’t expect the hiring process to move this quickly. 2) I need to request time off for these trips, which are all about a week long and scheduled around public holidays. One trip is at the end of this month, and the others are in November, December, and February. I thought I could manage it since they fall around holidays, but I still need to take some leave days. 3) I’m worried this will look bad as a new hire. I’ve been job hunting for nearly three months, and I’m so grateful to have found a supportive and respectful company. I really enjoyed the in-person interview process and felt like I fit well with the team. I initially said I could start immediately, but I genuinely didn’t know about these trips when I made that statement. The whole hiring process has been quick, and now I’m just waiting for the checks and to negotiate the offer. I’m unsure how to navigate this situation and would appreciate any advice.