In my opinion, one of the hardest parts of being in academia can be the location. Grad school can take you far away from your family and friends, far away from your cultural comfort zone, and (if you're really unlucky) far away from all signs of civilization. And that's just the beginning!
Our journey began at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN. There, we did a two year stint before following my husband's advisor to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI. There, we spent 5 1/2 years completing grad school before we found our way Kingston, Ontario for our current post-doctorate position.
*I know it's silly to speak in plural... the kids and I didn't go to grad school, Clay did, but as a family we were all along for the journey. Besides, he shouldn't get all the credit for those years of hard work. There was a lot of blood, sweat and tears from the kids and I as well!
Anyway, I have no idea where we're going after our time in Kingston is over. I have no idea if it will be near family or friends or back in my comfy southeast Michigan mentality. Heck, I don't even know if it will be on this continent. Location is the bane of my existence.
(I admit I like to watch job opportunities pop-up in Clay's email. They're like little shiny beacons of hope with the words "faculty position" practically jumping off the screen at me. I like to read the position descriptions and wistfully day-dream of what it would be like for us to have a steady job with no moving vans in our foreseeable future. Ahhhhh... no more moving... what a blissful thought....)
Anyway, if you're like me you have probably spent several years away from family. If you're like me, you've also forgone a babysitter for many, many months because you haven't met anyone you are comfortable leaving your kids with. And if you're anything like me you would love just a few hours of peace... a few kids free hours... no refereeing... no fixing snacks... no cleaning up spilled cereal... no 8:00 a.m. painting projects... no anything. Which brings me to the only good thing about location in academics. We currently live 8-10 hours from my parents, and in their need to have some meaningful time with their grandkids, they agreed to have our kids go stay with them for a week. That's right, A WHOLE WEEK, because we live too far away to make it a weekend trip. I feel so blessed to have parents that would make such a magnanimous offer, and take on such a daunting task! I hope that the academic world has been kind and given you a location near (or far) enough to family that they'll watch your kids....
Our journey began at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN. There, we did a two year stint before following my husband's advisor to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI. There, we spent 5 1/2 years completing grad school before we found our way Kingston, Ontario for our current post-doctorate position.
*I know it's silly to speak in plural... the kids and I didn't go to grad school, Clay did, but as a family we were all along for the journey. Besides, he shouldn't get all the credit for those years of hard work. There was a lot of blood, sweat and tears from the kids and I as well!
Anyway, I have no idea where we're going after our time in Kingston is over. I have no idea if it will be near family or friends or back in my comfy southeast Michigan mentality. Heck, I don't even know if it will be on this continent. Location is the bane of my existence.
(I admit I like to watch job opportunities pop-up in Clay's email. They're like little shiny beacons of hope with the words "faculty position" practically jumping off the screen at me. I like to read the position descriptions and wistfully day-dream of what it would be like for us to have a steady job with no moving vans in our foreseeable future. Ahhhhh... no more moving... what a blissful thought....)
Anyway, if you're like me you have probably spent several years away from family. If you're like me, you've also forgone a babysitter for many, many months because you haven't met anyone you are comfortable leaving your kids with. And if you're anything like me you would love just a few hours of peace... a few kids free hours... no refereeing... no fixing snacks... no cleaning up spilled cereal... no 8:00 a.m. painting projects... no anything. Which brings me to the only good thing about location in academics. We currently live 8-10 hours from my parents, and in their need to have some meaningful time with their grandkids, they agreed to have our kids go stay with them for a week. That's right, A WHOLE WEEK, because we live too far away to make it a weekend trip. I feel so blessed to have parents that would make such a magnanimous offer, and take on such a daunting task! I hope that the academic world has been kind and given you a location near (or far) enough to family that they'll watch your kids....
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