Wondering what to do
While I was in China this past June I went to the University of Macau. It was my third visit as I went there twice in 2008 while living in Taiwan. This time the purpose of my visit was a job interview.
I greatly enjoyed my time there. The facilities at the university were great, the faculty interesting and friendly, and Macau as a place is exciting and invigorating. I received an offer to join their faculty this Monday, and a counter offer from my current position at the University of Oklahoma was made today. I plan to make a final decision on Monday.
We had a family talk and my wife and children all want me to take the offer. While Donna is the only other person to have visited Macau, they have been to Taiwan many times, and both Pearl and Sarah have been to mainland China. To them, China, Taiwan, and Asia in general is a much more interesting place to be. I agree. I fear that it would be difficult on the family. My mother and father do not want me to go. But with the ability to call and Skype on a regular basis, the distance is not as great as it used to be. Also, with the increase in salary I could probably visit them as often, or nearly as often as I do now. The only difference is that I'd be flying instead of driving.
But beyond these issues, what attracts me is something that I thought of this evening while mowing the lawn. When I'm in China/Taiwan, I can be a different person. My ability to speak Chinese fluently and navigate the culture is a skill that I've worked hard to acquire. It's like a muscle that has grown through repeated use and training. When I'm there I can use and develop that muscle. But when I'm here in the US the muscle is used less. It shrinks through lack of use.
So, do I stay or go? Most likely if I take the job I will stay there, or at another institution in Asia until I retire, and perhaps longer. I can certainly come back to the US to visit. But to get a prestigious job and build my career in the US is probably limited if I go. The family would be affected, too. Pearl would go to school there, improve her Chinese, and become a different person, than the "Okie" she proudly claims today. Sarah and Robbie would be affected less. But this would open up opportunities for them to work and study in Asia in the future. Donna thinks that she'll have more opportunities in Macau, and would certainly be closer to her family in Taiwan and able to visit them more often.
As suggested by Doobie Doghouse, click on this theme song by The Clash
I greatly enjoyed my time there. The facilities at the university were great, the faculty interesting and friendly, and Macau as a place is exciting and invigorating. I received an offer to join their faculty this Monday, and a counter offer from my current position at the University of Oklahoma was made today. I plan to make a final decision on Monday.
We had a family talk and my wife and children all want me to take the offer. While Donna is the only other person to have visited Macau, they have been to Taiwan many times, and both Pearl and Sarah have been to mainland China. To them, China, Taiwan, and Asia in general is a much more interesting place to be. I agree. I fear that it would be difficult on the family. My mother and father do not want me to go. But with the ability to call and Skype on a regular basis, the distance is not as great as it used to be. Also, with the increase in salary I could probably visit them as often, or nearly as often as I do now. The only difference is that I'd be flying instead of driving.
But beyond these issues, what attracts me is something that I thought of this evening while mowing the lawn. When I'm in China/Taiwan, I can be a different person. My ability to speak Chinese fluently and navigate the culture is a skill that I've worked hard to acquire. It's like a muscle that has grown through repeated use and training. When I'm there I can use and develop that muscle. But when I'm here in the US the muscle is used less. It shrinks through lack of use.
So, do I stay or go? Most likely if I take the job I will stay there, or at another institution in Asia until I retire, and perhaps longer. I can certainly come back to the US to visit. But to get a prestigious job and build my career in the US is probably limited if I go. The family would be affected, too. Pearl would go to school there, improve her Chinese, and become a different person, than the "Okie" she proudly claims today. Sarah and Robbie would be affected less. But this would open up opportunities for them to work and study in Asia in the future. Donna thinks that she'll have more opportunities in Macau, and would certainly be closer to her family in Taiwan and able to visit them more often.
As suggested by Doobie Doghouse, click on this theme song by The Clash
I will definitely miss Pearl.Last time I saw her in VBS. she ran toward me and said "hi" to me.
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