Sunday, August 16, 2009

Ch-ch-ch-changes

It's been a while. Let me provide some information in order to bring everyone up to speed.
1. FINISHED the dissertation! The committee was very enthusiastic and gave me great feedback for developing a manuscript. I didn't have to make any revisions. On top of that, a mentor at another great department has asked my permission to assign the dissertation one of his classes! So, although I spent May, June and July in the office, it was worth all the angst of the past 3 years. It was a cold and rainy early summer in Montpelier, anyway.
2. Tomorrow morning we are moving to China. The entire family (minus the dogs who are in Oakland with my brother) will spend the next academic year in Guangzhou. I am homesick for Vermont already especially since my hopes for staying here are dwindling. It is clear to me that I could piece together work - online teaching here and there, adjuncting, and even a tenure-track option at a middling school in the area. The thing is, I really like doing sociology and as the children are getting older I have more and more time to be a sociologist. Can't I have my cake and eat it too?