schweblog

This all began roughly 4.5 years ago. I had just finished up high school and had taken those obvious steps: ACT, college apps, etc. I landed a scholarship at the University of New Mexico that pretty much ensured me a full ride, found a good job at a national laboratory, and moved out the day after I graduated.

The undergraduate process itself isn’t a lot of work for most people, I believe. Sure, it’s a lot of reading and a lot of memorization and a lot of sitting in class, but anyone willing to put out the effort can pretty certainly get through college. Some have it easier than others, but now, on the eve of my graduation–magna cum laude, mind you–I’m looking back and realizing that finishing this part of my life isn’t really remarkable or noteworthy: it was just the next obvious step.

And the next obvious step is making itself plainly apparent. Most people that I’ve conferred with–professors, law students, grad students, friends, lovers, etc.–all pretty much agree that law school is not where I should be headed, for a myriad of reasons. The peer group is really what kills me: from all accounts, I’ve gotten the message/impression that law school is basically junior high all over again. And in an incredibly competitive environment like that, what do you really expect?

There’s also the fear of getting bored with the law which, when you look at the fairly limited scope of the specialties out there, is a pretty real concern. Granted, I could branch out and move around every two or three years just as I get really good at something, but that’s really not the way to make money in the field: you get good at something–too good–and then you just do it, case after case, and then you retire. Meanwhile, you rake in the dough, land a trophy wife, make partner, and retire.

Law school is not the next obvious step. Grad school is. I’m going for my MA in philosophy, with a strong concentration in postmodern/contemporary thought/critical theory. I get to read Derrida and Levinas and a number of other theorists that I’ve never heard of. I get to surround myself with other people with a shared interest in these things. On top of all that, the degree necessitates learning French, which is just icing on the cake.

In spite of having that all laid out in front of me, though, I think there’s something to be said for not taking the obvious step–for jumping out of the comfort zone, taking off the blinders, and looking around a little bit before taking that next step. Fortunately, my situation is now conducive to that kind of thing: I’ve landed a freelancing position writing ESL tests that I can do from anywhere that has internet access. The job is essentially my ticket out of my comfort zone.

Prague is the first destination. I’ll be scouting it on New Years when I visit and may move there next summer or the one following if I end up liking it. Turkey is also on the list of places to live for a bit, as is Shanghai, Dubai, Moscow, Munich, Lisbon, and Lima. I imagine the list will only grow as I move around and get more accustomed to the life of mobility. I think there’s a lot to be said about removing yourself totally from the culture that you’ve been immersed in for years and not just visiting it, but living there.

After a couple of years of exploring, I may finally settle down. Or I may continue my life of an international transient. Right now, though, I know that I’ve been on this road for far too long and it’s time to take a detour.