Actually it was made a couple of weeks ago, on a day I've named "Get Me The Fuck Out of St. Louis" Tuesday. Abby got the call that they were offering her the job in DC, and so it was really a no brainer at that point. So she'll have a job doing early intervention work with the deaf in DC, and I'll be going to a great program at a great school, and hopefully will be able to network my ass off so when I graduate I can finally get a decent job. My current job sucks so hard I am trembling in anticipation at the idea of putting in my two weeks.
So with that decision, the dam has burst, and the pent-up waitlist of activities that follows is now flooding us with more decisions to be made. We have to find a place to live, Abby has to fly up there to sign the contract, I'm trying to land a graduate assistant job to help pay for school, we have to find a mover and somehow come up with the money to make this move, which is not going to be easy. The fact that hopefully this will be our last dirt poor move is putting my mind at ease though, and I'm looking forward to a new future of savings accounts and a little extra money to visit friends, family and far flung locales. More than anything I'm looking forward to testing the waters somewhere else. I've moved away from St. Louis three different times, for different reasons, and keep ending up back here. It's not that St. Louis is a bad city, or that I hate being here, because believe it or not, over the past 8-9 years, I've really come to appreciate all that it offers. I am, however, ready to explore again. I'm ready to walk out of my door and have no idea where I'm going, or what areas are like. I can form my own opinions of people and places, and escape the world of preconcived notions you live in when you've lived in the same city for 27 years (minus 5 years). So 22 years, roughly.
I'm ready to ride the metro, see the Whitehouse, visit parks and museums and experience for the first time the capitol of our country.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Life is significantly less interesting...
...when one is not in Peace Corps. No, that's not true. But the sense of urgency to update this blog is no longer there. I guess when something new and interesting happens to you almost every day, be it a cultural observation, a funny story or a trip, it's a lot easier to keep up a running commentary.
Abby is almost done with her program, and in fact, this is her last week. She still has a few classes in the summer (since it's a 15 month program), but she's done with the bulk of it and they have their graduation ceremony here in May, so it kind of feels like she's finished. Amazing, one short year after getting back from the Philippines (1 year on June 1st!), she already has a Masters degree! Her job hunt is still on, but she's received a lot of interest in DC, and DC remains the only place with any kind of job opportunities in Deaf Ed (specially in early intervention). So the waiting game continues. I've been accepted to U's of Vermont, Arizona and Maryland, so we're just waiting at this point to see if she'll be offered a job in the near future. I'm hoping for DC, because even though the cost of living is high, the MPA program at U of Maryland is the best of the three, it would give me great access to DC - non-profit and international development capitol of the US - for both internships/networking during my program, and then jobs after I graduate. DC is a great area because you have a big city (5 million in the metro area), but you're close to the shore, some pretty great looking parks and outdoor activities, and you're also close to other cities on the east coast. After living in St. Louis for so long, being close to other cities is a big plus for me, because I'd love to be able to hop on the train and spend a long weekend in NYC or Philly whenever we have the time.
So we'll see, she should be hearing back this week, and if she's able to get something solid like a letter of intent from the DC program, I very well could be able to let the other schools know and make this thing official already. Considering I started studying for the GRE back in October, I'm more than ready for this whole process to be over!
Abby is almost done with her program, and in fact, this is her last week. She still has a few classes in the summer (since it's a 15 month program), but she's done with the bulk of it and they have their graduation ceremony here in May, so it kind of feels like she's finished. Amazing, one short year after getting back from the Philippines (1 year on June 1st!), she already has a Masters degree! Her job hunt is still on, but she's received a lot of interest in DC, and DC remains the only place with any kind of job opportunities in Deaf Ed (specially in early intervention). So the waiting game continues. I've been accepted to U's of Vermont, Arizona and Maryland, so we're just waiting at this point to see if she'll be offered a job in the near future. I'm hoping for DC, because even though the cost of living is high, the MPA program at U of Maryland is the best of the three, it would give me great access to DC - non-profit and international development capitol of the US - for both internships/networking during my program, and then jobs after I graduate. DC is a great area because you have a big city (5 million in the metro area), but you're close to the shore, some pretty great looking parks and outdoor activities, and you're also close to other cities on the east coast. After living in St. Louis for so long, being close to other cities is a big plus for me, because I'd love to be able to hop on the train and spend a long weekend in NYC or Philly whenever we have the time.
So we'll see, she should be hearing back this week, and if she's able to get something solid like a letter of intent from the DC program, I very well could be able to let the other schools know and make this thing official already. Considering I started studying for the GRE back in October, I'm more than ready for this whole process to be over!
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