Here's a quick recap of what's happened with me: About eleven months ago, I went to the doctor and was told I had some health issues (lately, after seeing other doctors, realized that this doctor grossly exaggerated, but he had me really scared at the time). I had to give up caffeine, including chocolate, and a bunch of other things I liked. I took up running, because one of the health issues was supposed to be helped by aerobic exercise. A lot of other things were helped, too. I lost over fifty pounds. I still run five days a week and if I'm really trying, I can run a mile in seven-and-a-half minutes. Most days I average abount nine minutes/mile.
What else ... my postdoc ended, and in spite of a few job interviews, nothing panned out. My little sister got married, which was wonderful if very strange. I had to move back to Pittsburgh and enter adjunct-land, which has been a bit depressing. I really miss NYC, every single day. And adjunct-land is terrible. It's really dehumanizing and demoralizing and bad for teachers and students alike. If I had to do it indefinitely, as many people do, I'm not sure how I would cope. I'm not here to write about adjuncting, though, in spite of having lots to say on the issue.
Because, though I've had to completely rethink my career and move away from all my friends, things are not as bad as they could be. Last May, almost on a whim – a sort of "what-if" – I applied to the Peace Corps. It's something I'd thought about doing before, but the timing was never right, and I thought that I'd missed my chance, especially if I were to get a tenure-track job and become a successful academic. I also had to give them my whole medical history and go through a long medical clearance process, which I feared might end in rejection (I was completely honest about everything on my forms, because it's in no one's interest to hold stuff back that could cause problems later). But everything with PC seemed (knock-on-wood) to go really smoothly, and no tenure-track job came my way. I was called for an interview a week after I applied. I met with a recruiter at the Peace Corps offfices on Chambers Street in NYC, and it went exceptionally well. I got nominated in July and in August I was invited to serve in Indonesia as an English Teacher Trainer. And, I was given final medical clearance in November! I'm scheduled to leave in mid-March, about a week after my 35th birthday. It's insane, but I'm really excited. I started hoping this would work out as I researched in preparation for the interview. I'm really nervous, too, especially as the time draws nearer, but I do feel like it's the right choice. I'll be gone for twenty-seven months, providing all goes well.
In many ways, I feel like a completely different person than I was a year ago, and I'm content with that. New adventures await. I'm sure what's ahead will not be easy, but it will be a different kind of challenge than I've ever faced, and I'm ready for that.
So, because things are so different now, and I'm really moving on, I think "Signal Failures" should probably go on official hiatus. I'll be starting a new blog soon, and it will have a more positive/hopeful title (I'm open to suggestions). I'll post a link here once the new blog is up, and I'll try to post more often than I do now! For the moment: it's been fun, and thanks to those few people who actually read my posts! I hope you'll keep it up!
No comments:
Post a Comment