Unexpected conversation
Today I went by my Economics professor's office to ask about some homework stuff and a paper that is coming up. After going over a few things and the usefulness of economics we got around to what I plan to do with my life. He then advised me that if I planned to work for any organization to be aware of the "cast system" such as he worked under at the UN. He assumes that all such organizations have one, in which non-PhDs and non-professionals find it hard to make it to the top and are excluded from many privileges and benefits...and just to be aware of what the environment might be like going into such a situation.
Getting my PhD isn't out of the question, but I just want to make sure that I will make good use of it. I don't want to just teach although I'm not opposed to that later on. He did say that while the professionals enjoyed these benefits they did put in a lot of time and missed out on other things that those below them could enjoy. He mentioned several professionals, men and women, who came to him later in their careers... successful as they may have been.. were in tears over the fact that they did not have a personal life or a family. They had not realized until it was too late that they had made the wrong decisions for them.
For myself, I know that I want to work for a while. I know that I want to be devoted to a job for a while. But I also know that eventually I do want a family. While I don't have it all planned out by my age ..how many years until I do this or that... I do know that right now.. career is the focus, but I know that I want to shift that focus some years down the road. I know that that is what will make me happiest. I just need to find the right place on my indifference curve to place job and family :P
I do have this hang up about trying to vaguely figure out my future. I try not to worry about it a lot b/c I know worrying does nothing. I am still young and still have lots of things I want to do.. and I know I don't want kids for quite a while. At this point I don't know where I'll be working, who I'll be married to (granted I find the right guy).. or when in my life these things will happen. So I'm just going to keep these things in mind.. live my life.. and let God figure out when & where. :D
It was just really good to have someone share their knowledge of career/family situations with me... and unexpected.
Getting my PhD isn't out of the question, but I just want to make sure that I will make good use of it. I don't want to just teach although I'm not opposed to that later on. He did say that while the professionals enjoyed these benefits they did put in a lot of time and missed out on other things that those below them could enjoy. He mentioned several professionals, men and women, who came to him later in their careers... successful as they may have been.. were in tears over the fact that they did not have a personal life or a family. They had not realized until it was too late that they had made the wrong decisions for them.
For myself, I know that I want to work for a while. I know that I want to be devoted to a job for a while. But I also know that eventually I do want a family. While I don't have it all planned out by my age ..how many years until I do this or that... I do know that right now.. career is the focus, but I know that I want to shift that focus some years down the road. I know that that is what will make me happiest. I just need to find the right place on my indifference curve to place job and family :P
I do have this hang up about trying to vaguely figure out my future. I try not to worry about it a lot b/c I know worrying does nothing. I am still young and still have lots of things I want to do.. and I know I don't want kids for quite a while. At this point I don't know where I'll be working, who I'll be married to (granted I find the right guy).. or when in my life these things will happen. So I'm just going to keep these things in mind.. live my life.. and let God figure out when & where. :D
It was just really good to have someone share their knowledge of career/family situations with me... and unexpected.