Beginning of the End
On Monday, August 27th, I'll begin teaching in my final academic year here at the University of Illinois. I plan to retire in July 2013, and then move up to the Chicago area to help take care of my 90+ year-old mother. I'll be leaving Champaign-Urbana and the University of Illinois, where I have been living and working since 1988 --- I've lived here longer than I have lived anywhere else.
When people hear about my retirement plans, many jump to the conclusion that I'll be moving to Hong Kong to be close to Sarah. Simply not possible, never gonna happen. Not that I would not love to do so, but Hong Kong living costs alone would mitigate against that possibility. I'll not be retiring on some ultra-cushy pension; remember, I have been a state employee for the last 25 years.
So, I'll move to the family home with mom to help take care of her, make her remaining years a little more comfortable, and try to maintain the house in a way that would make my late father proud.
We'll see how things go. I might finally get to some of the writing projects I have had to put off while teaching and advising full-time. I hope to keep myself active and healthy so I do not become a burden to anyone as I move into my 70s at the end of this year.
So, this final year of teaching may be difficult, because I'll be giving up something I have enjoyed immensely since my very first class (as a graduate student) way back in 1974. I'll miss the lively give and take of the classroom, the curiosity of the students, and the camaraderie among my Student Academic Affairs colleagues.
Big changes to come; another page to flip in the book of my life.
When people hear about my retirement plans, many jump to the conclusion that I'll be moving to Hong Kong to be close to Sarah. Simply not possible, never gonna happen. Not that I would not love to do so, but Hong Kong living costs alone would mitigate against that possibility. I'll not be retiring on some ultra-cushy pension; remember, I have been a state employee for the last 25 years.
So, I'll move to the family home with mom to help take care of her, make her remaining years a little more comfortable, and try to maintain the house in a way that would make my late father proud.
We'll see how things go. I might finally get to some of the writing projects I have had to put off while teaching and advising full-time. I hope to keep myself active and healthy so I do not become a burden to anyone as I move into my 70s at the end of this year.
So, this final year of teaching may be difficult, because I'll be giving up something I have enjoyed immensely since my very first class (as a graduate student) way back in 1974. I'll miss the lively give and take of the classroom, the curiosity of the students, and the camaraderie among my Student Academic Affairs colleagues.
Big changes to come; another page to flip in the book of my life.