Comments | zanazibar: Going Back

zanazibar

Going Back

Mar 07, 2012 22:46

I decided to take the day off from work today, to write, to put my life in order and to see how to orient myself in this place. There's been a lot of drama in the department that unfortunately involved me, a he-said she-said of people trying to use my absence for their political gain. Whether the person who made the accusation or the accused is ( Read more... )

school, life

Comments 4

meepalicious March 8 2012, 09:12:11 UTC

What's tying you to that department with those people? Can you apply elsewhere, to a different program?

zanazibar March 8 2012, 17:40:17 UTC

Finances, m'dear. I too a huge financial hit moving here (sold my car for a fifth of what I bought it a year before 'cause I was desperate, my savings are completely gone and the opportunity cost/support network cost was staggering). I can't up and move again soon, I just don't have the money to do that, even if I got promised a decent scholarship elsewhere.

One possibility is to apply to the English program in the same school-which is quite flexible and it has several people I'd enjoy working with-but I'm still not sure what my options are.

bob1oughti2000 March 9 2012, 12:29:07 UTC

Unlike a lot of academics (the ones I've met, anyhow), I've worked substantially both in academia and in a 'real world' job for social housing and the like (saying this to people alone tends to get a shocked reaction - I do it because I have to). The one thing that unites both experiences is that people will always play politics. You generally have a choice - keep out of it and risk being a pawn, or elbow for all your elbows are worth. Talent alone will get you get gobbled up and ethics are something that happens on Sunday morning TV ( ... )

zanazibar March 10 2012, 13:19:38 UTC

Thanks for the feedback dude. I'm still figuring out how I feel about things and what I want to achieve. I had a good day at work today and it made me think "You know, maybe I can pull this off!" I'm not sure what my next steps are, but I think all in all I do feel better now that I am out of school. You are right though, I miss the intellectual stimulation. Maybe I just need more nerdy friends in Tucson...