Job Search #3

I've mentioned that I have come up with the "perfect plan" for my life - or at least the next few years. I didn't want to go into detail back then because I hadn't told people at work yet - but now it's official; I turned in my letter of intent - so now I can fill all of you in.

I've decided to leave my current institution at the end of the year. It just wasn't exactly what I'm looking for - professionally and personally. I always questioned if there is something like a "good fit" or the "perfect fit" - well, I'm still not sure if the "perfect fit" really exists but there's definitely not good fits.

So here's the plan. I've applied for Semester at Sea. If you don't know what that is: it's a floating a university; a university on a cruiseship that travels around the world. Students, faculty and staff - everyone lives on the ship. You stop in various countries and get a couple days to explore those.

I love traveling; I've started to get antsy. I used to travel more when I was still in high school and my family and I would go on long trips during every school break. I miss that. I want to travel again!!!

And then I really Semester at Sea's philosophy of working with students. I mean, a job description that talks about student learning and development, learning outcomes, continuously improving programs, .... I mean, doesn't that just sound like the perfect job for me?

I'm so nervous. I really really really want to do this!!!! So please keep your fingers crossed for me.

I'm not really sure what I'd do in the Spring semester yet - maybe take some time off and travel on my own. I still want to go to grad school for my Ph.D. starting Fall 2011 - so I'd probably need to spend some time in the Spring interviewing for grad programs and assistantships. And maybe I could spend some time with friends...

We'll see what happens. Right now, I just need some adventure in my life. I feel like, I've always done the "responsible" thing. I went straight from high school to college to grad school to my first job to my second job. I worked most summers starting as a college student. Yeah, I had fun along the way but there's so many other things I wish I could have done as well. And I'm sick of looking back and regretting things.

I've been thinking about Semester at Sea forever - but there's never a "convenient" semester to do it. I mean, what will I do with my car? Where will I put all my belongings? I can't bring them home to Austria - that'd be ridiculously expensive. I don't have a place here to store them.
But you know what, if I don't do this - or at least try my best to get this job - I'm going to regret it....

[But yes, I am doing to the "responsible" and am not just counting on Semester at Sea. I've applied for a few other positions as well and will continue to look for some. I'm not sure.... Part of me just wants to take the year off (if Semester at Sea doesn't work out) and travel on my own - maybe go to Australia; I've always wanted to do that... but then, is that the "responsible" thing to do? Oh man, even when I try to stop being responsible, I can't. Ha. So I guess I'll take you along on my third job search - a quite selective search but still a search.]