some advice...

dmscvan · 2006-06-26T15:49:12+02:00

some advice... Expatriate forum forum. Find answers to your questions in the expat forum. Blogs, pictures, forum for expatriates on expat.com

Last activity 06 July 2006 by dmscvan

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dmscvanMember26 June 2006 13:49:12

Well, the time is drawing near for me to start applying for postdoc grants. For me to finally get a real job! Yay! But when I apply for these grants, I have to apply to take them to a specific university. So now I have to choose. These are the options, and the reasons for considering them:

A uni back home in Canada - there's a specific university back home that I've always said would be my ideal place to work. It's in the warmest and most beautiful part of Canada. Just a province away from where I grew up and all my friends. It's very close - just a few hours drive - to my little sister (who is going through some difficult life issues at the moment, and could really benefit from a big sister around). The department is great! In fact, the professor that first got me interested in field linguistics works there. I could also teach there (I really want to teach). And I'd make a lot more money this way (I'm pretty broke). I'd be close to my friends and family from home. I really miss them.

The uni in Papua New Guinea - I'd probably get to teach, and the students would all speak different first languages (note - I'm a linguist and this would fascinate me!). It'd be the experience of a lifetime to teach there - and something I may not be as eager to do when I'm older. I'd be close to my research area. Job-wise, this would be an amazing choice. And my boyfriend lives in PNG. And realistically, I can't see him being able to come stay with me anywhere else at any time in the near future. But living in Port Moresby might scare me a bit - I don't know anyone there. It's been ranked as the worst city in the world for expats to live in. (Although I don't want to make the rumours of PNG being a dangerous place to go any worse - some areas really are safe.) The uni has also been going through a lot of turmoil over the past year. (Including riots.) But I do love Papua New Guinea. And I'd be close to my friends and 'family' from PNG. I really miss them.

A uni in Australia - I don't have a particular one in mind. But it'd be closer to PNG. And most people who do the kind of linguistics that I do are here. But I'm not sure I want to do this - I haven't been overly happy in Melbourne (even though there are specific reasons for this). I wouldn't be close to any friends and family, unless I stayed in Melbourne. But then it'd just be the small handful of people that are here temporarily for their postdoc or PhD.

A uni in the USA - there's a specific university that I turned down to go to for my PhD. A nice, prestigious university that I always said I'd consider applying to for my postdoc. It's warm (this is a big plus for me), but expensive to live in. It'd be good for my career, and I'd learn a lot. I'd be a bit closer to friends and family - only about a 4 hour flight instead of a jaunt around the world, but still far away.

I'm thinking of maybe applying for different places with different grants (one of them requires it be in Canada anyways). Then waiting and see what I get (if any!). But I keep going back and forth. Obviously, the two that are foremost in my mind are the uni in Canada and the one in PNG. But I suppose I should consider the other options.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated! If anyone can think of anything I've overlooked... or anything else.

JulienFounder26 June 2006 15:47:29

52729

The good thing is that you've got the choice. Of course it's not easy for you to make a decision, and it's complicated for us to give you some advice.

I think you should apply everywhere, and think, think, think. A few months ago I applied for a job in Los Angeles and I refused it when I realized I had the job (that wasn't really interesting by the way). I realized it was not what I was looking for.

Listen to your heart. I am sure you already know money is not everything and I am also sure you've got confused feelings about your future situation. Take your time, there's no hurry. Talk to your boyfriend about it. And talk again, think, talk, think ... and you'll find the solution.

dmscvanMember27 June 2006 01:23:21

Julien,

Thanks for the response! It's true, I know, I have to listen to my heart. But I kind of think it's pulling me in two directions - each for different reasons. I know it's complicated to give advice on this one - there are so many factors. Mostly I'm just looking for some thoughts of something I may have overlooked. I know a lot of people here have had to deal with similar issues.

Sure, I have a choice. But just on where to apply to - who knows if I'll actually get the grants. And I can't apply to them all. I have to decide on one university per grant application. And I only have two grant applications (that I know of for the moment).

And I can't talk to my boyfriend. By the time I'd write him a letter and expect one back, it'd be well past the deadline for grant applications. But I know what he'd say anyways - it's my choice. Although I do also know he'd be happy if I came to PNG.

Think, think, think, think. Yup. I agree. It's good advice! Of course - maybe I'm just trying to get away from all the thinking. I'm one of those analytical people who like to look at life from every angle. Sometimes it gets tiring.

Actually, I'm hoping that what eventually happens will be similar to what happened to you - in the end I'll just know what I really want. But I'm afraid of putting the wrong place on the application in the meantime...

Thanks again for your thoughts - I really do appreciate them!

SenchMember27 June 2006 08:48:04

Another analytical point of view I always find useful is to write on a chart. This is a table of many rows but four columns.
The options-----------advantages--------------disadvantages---------------difference
#1 bla bla (10) bla bla (3) 7
#2
.
.
#10 (4) (8) -4

then I rank the advantages and the disadvantages in descending order according to my choice or importance, subtract the numbers in each option and decide upon the difference. The key point is that you should isolate the process of ranking each colomn from one another. That is, you should avoid thinking the advantages section when putting the disadvantages in order.

Then talk to God and pray not to make me regret about my choice.
Whatever way I choose, let it be the one make me happy most.

So,as you see, it is not only analytical but also very spiritual...

loloiegViP28 June 2006 21:02:04

378

Hi,

I think you should not worry (too much) about "putting the wrong place on the application"... because you can ever change the course of your life at any time. Going in a particular place does mean that you wont be able to change radically sooner or later.

Sometime, when I have to make a choice between different opportunities that I appreciate, I take a coin and let the luck decide for me... But in the mean time, it shows you what you really want... because if you're a little bit sad about the luck decision, that means you have to go into in the other direction

At least, you have the choice between two very best countries and opportunitis (from my point of view): Canada and Australia ! They will probably in my short list next time I will move... I will add for sure France to "go back home"... but anyway you are lucky to have the choice between this two countries !!!!!!

dmscvanMember06 July 2006 11:45:56

Sench and Loloieg - thanks so much for the advice. I really appreciate it! I guess ultimately, which ever way I go, I'm sure that things will work out. It's all so strange having to make this kind of decision again...

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