After an interview and not having feedback for 2 weeks, I would call (not email) to check on the status of your application. If you are unable to get clear answers, while on the phone you should agree when is best to call back and then do call at that agreed time. For me, a call communicates all sorts of positive things and it still allows you to provide further information to support your application if things have changed in the meantime.

I think different supervisors have different approaches and different agendas. When I look back on my own supervisor I reckon I had less than a dozen formal meetings with him about my research over a three and a half year period. At the time it was daunting, but now I can see he was giving me free reign to explore my own interests and develop my research myself. I would take your situation as an opportunity to have a strong influence over the direction of your work. As a benchmark, you could read some other theses in a related field (ones that you might be referencing anyway) to give you a feel for what is required.

I would certainly put this under 'Experience' and although you may not be producing anything you will learn things that could well be of relevance in your CV such as cultural awareness. I work in recruitment and I often find that academics underestimate the significance of some areas of their experience, often not mentioning things at all which would be directly relevant to a position they are applying for.

Hi, unlike many of you, I was awarded my PhD in Analytical Chemistry way back in 1991. I left academia and quickly moved into sales and marketing and built a successful career in that arena. I hope I might be able to offer some support or advice to others particularly with a science or business background looking to make the move into industry once they have completed their studies. Give me a nudge if I can help!