Need help. About to make a crucial decision.

reply to post by xavi1000

Nice country Argentina , how is getting citizenship, i want to live there.

Its a nice country but in face of its current economic situation not a place I would envy living in at least in its more civilized zones as part of general society. Life is not easy for Argentineans at the moment (and for some years now and it will not get any better in the foreseeable future).

The characteristic open university system they have is unique as far as I know and it is really as simple, anyone can attend classes. As for the evaluation I don't know how it works but seen that factoid mentioned several times, a real open system for students (clearly unsustainable, and I can't see it really work with popular courses). There are many nations that offer "cheap" (in comparison to the US, almost everyone else is cheap in education and medical care) but one needs also to consider the reputation of the national educational system and the institution itself in some courses it is not as significant and other it may bind you to national standards as they will not getr recognition or equivalence in other states.

reply to post by xavi1000


He has plenty of time for independence.
Our western culture pushes everyone to be independent...kids move out of the family home...seniors get sent to nursing homes. Many other cultures believe in family staying together, and everyone helping everyone.
A lot of kids move out, thinking that is what they should do. Then they find that they need 2 jobs just to keep a roof over their head and food in their mouth. They also tend to feel isolated and alone.
Not trying to be argumentative lol...just a different perspective.

jacygirl

reply to post by payta


Considering education is free where you live, one thing you don't have to worry about is the enormous amount of school loans that most American students are strapped with. Before you go back to school, I would make a list of the type of jobs you can get with a history degree and the salary you can expect. Also, you need to take into consideration how many jobs are available for you in the area of history.

Some people are comfortable with making less money if they enjoy what they're doing. I used to really enjoy being a Graphic Designer and Technical Illustrator but changed jobs because I couldn't make the type of money I needed to live comfortably and raise a family. I Still do it on the side, while my main job is a CAD/Pre-Engineering instructor.

I wouldn't quit your job yet until you do enough research on the pay, job availability and the type of jobs you can get with a history degree. Good Luck with your decision.

Panic2k11
reply to post by xavi1000

 

Nice country Argentina , how is getting citizenship, i want to live there.

Its a nice country but in face of its current economic situation not a place I would envy living in at least in its more civilized zones as part of general society. Life is not easy for Argentineans at the moment (and for some years now and it will not get any better in the foreseeable future).

The characteristic open university system they have is unique as far as I know and it is really as simple, anyone can attend classes. As for the evaluation I don't know how it works but seen that factoid mentioned several times, a real open system for students (clearly unsustainable, and I can't see it really work with popular courses). There are many nations that offer "cheap" (in comparison to the US, almost everyone else is cheap in education and medical care) but one needs also to consider the reputation of the national educational system and the institution itself in some courses it is not as significant and other it may bind you to national standards as they will not getr recognition or equivalence in other states.

Public universities are seen as the best, specially the big ones, like the University of Buenos Aires or Cordoba.
The thing with popular courses, is that they are hard to pass, because professors are mean to students, specially in the early years, and the whole adminitrative department is a disaster, there are not enough chairs in the classrooms, you have to stand, or listen from the corridor.
We have a lot of lawyers, psychologists, and doctors. And its hard for them to find a job. My 3rd grade professor at school was a lawyer, he was awful at it so he had no job, and had look for a job teaching 9 years old.
I knew a guy who was a history professor who ended up working in a flower store.

I would say don't quit your job just based on an eight hour schedule. That's about the norm you're going to find in life as far as work days.

Also consider the degree you're going back to school for and consider something else.

Growing up I loved music(still do) but I didn't major in music. I majored in something math based.

I still make music and continue to develop my musical skills but again it's a good idea to go to school for something you can't teach yourself.

You can become an amateur historian but you cannot become an amateur engineer or an amateur actuary. Go to school for something that companies require a degree for. I am envious and wish university was free where I am at. Right now I am going to be working truck driving and that's about 25 days out of the month of working.

I don't really know what your life is like but if you are living with parents you should plan for the day when they will not be around. Assume you have no family in your life to help you and make your choices accordingly.

If you have been working for the job less than a year then you definitely need to stick it out for a year. If you quit then regardless of what field you go into, history or otherwise...they are going to see you only stayed there for a few months.

This is my two cents.

WeRpeons
reply to post by payta

 

Considering education is free where you live, one thing you don't have to worry about is the enormous amount of school loans that most American students are strapped with. Before you go back to school, I would make a list of the type of jobs you can get with a history degree and the salary you can expect. Also, you need to take into consideration how many jobs are available for you in the area of history.

Some people are comfortable with making less money if they enjoy what they're doing. I used to really enjoy being a Graphic Designer and Technical Illustrator but changed jobs because I couldn't make the type of money I needed to live comfortably and raise a family. I Still do it on the side, while my main job is a CAD/Pre-Engineering instructor.

I wouldn't quit your job yet until you do enough research on the pay, job availability and the type of jobs you can get with a history degree. Good Luck with your decision.

I already did, been doing it this whole year, ive been planning this for a while.
I talked to a guy i know who is in charge of the history course where im thinking of studying.
He told me job are not easy to come by, but that it also happens with any other degree. There are lots of schools, and a fair amount of universities. I talk english so i could teach in schools were they need an englishspeaking history teacher. I dunno, where i live its just a matter of luck actually.

Everyone struggles to find a job. My sis had a biology degree, and she had to go to germany in order to work in a lab, because she couldnt find a job here.

I believe i should at least have a shoot at it, if i find myself starved to death in a few years, i can always go back to a job that pays the bills, its not a point of no return. I dont want to have a lot of what if's left in me.
This is my only time around.

xavi1000

Expat888
Go for your degree in history .. better to do something you enjoy also its always good to study and learn new things. Dont limit yourself do something you enjoy and live life

Yeah , and who will pay his bills, you ?

paid all my own bills along the way - worked while getting degrees in both western medicine and in tcm ( traditional chinese medicine ) did it without any student loans and no assistance from anyone. Everything Ive accomplished has been through my own effort . Anyone can do it but these days most are too damn lazy and want the world handed to them on a platter.

reply to post by payta


OK so we spend roughly the same amount of time at work, I have 1/2 hour lunch so 8 1/2 day plus drive time but we start early. I guess that is what tends to give me more time after work especially since I am a morning person and can wake up at 4 am with 5-6 hours sleep.

If you do not like your job I would encourage you to find one you enjoy. Makes life much better.

That 450 a month, not sure the exchange rate but I guess the bonus is on the 12 hour day jobs, I make that or more in a day. Not bragging just saying a low paying job you do not enjoy is no way to live.

Whats the saying...If you enjoy your job you will never have to work a day in your life???

reply to post by jacygirl

The European university system is based on public funding. I believe this is so in al EU countries. Most people here are not aware of the HUGE tuition fees you pay in Canada and the US.

tinner07
reply to post by payta

 

OK so we spend roughly the same amount of time at work, I have 1/2 hour lunch so 8 1/2 day plus drive time but we start early. I guess that is what tends to give me more time after work especially since I am a morning person and can wake up at 4 am with 5-6 hours sleep.

If you do not like your job I would encourage you to find one you enjoy. Makes life much better.

That 450 a month, not sure the exchange rate but I guess the bonus is on the 12 hour day jobs, I make that or more in a day. Not bragging just saying a low paying job you do not enjoy is no way to live.

Whats the saying...If you enjoy your job you will never have to work a day in your life???

Lol I know you are not bragging, thats ok! Salaries here are too low. Just so you have a idea, having luch in mcdonalds or subway is about 6 dollars. A t-shirt is 15 dollars, a pair of levi's jeans $80, and a pair of adidas sneakers around $80-$100.

soulwaxer
reply to post by jacygirl

 

The European university system is based on public funding. I believe this is so in al EU countries. Most people here are not aware of the HUGE tuition fees you pay in Canada and the US.

Hey soulwaxer!
Thank you, I actually did not know that.
Yes, tuition in Canada and the U.S. is HUGE. I've known a lot of really smart kids who finish school with a degree, can't find work...and end up in a factory to pay back their loans.
I would love to go to university as a mature (lol) student. Would probably end up in jail with a bunch of environmental activists though, hehe!
jacygirl

reply to post by payta


WHOA!

First of all, if you like History, why not get your qualifications while working a job? You can get qualifications in all manner of things from universities which are offering free online courses. My sister is doing one, or was. You say that you want to have more time to do what you like. Well if you like history, you ought to think about getting your qualifications in your own time, while earning a wage at a regular job. Study schedules to suit your needs, no fees, and a qualification at the end? Awesome.

The fact is that jobs are scarce at the moment, and it would be, in my opinion, a really bad call to give one up, when you could get both what you want, and what you need, without compromise. Please think about having your cake and eating it, because not everyone has the capacity to do so, and to squander either employment or opportunities to advance yourself would be a mistake.

reply to post by payta


1. You say the long hours and work week are a problem ? You had better find and talk to a history professor ! How does this sound ? Up 'till 9 pm grading papers... weekends, too.

2. To keep your job as a professor, much less get ahead - you will be in school yourself for years... right through grad school.

3. Unshowered, disheveled professors are common. Why ? Not enough time, that's why.

Good luck.

reply to post by payta


Some personal observations.

When I was young I thought “who could do a meaningless job for their entire careers”. As I grew older and many of my friends and family took positions that at one time I thought was meaningless I began to understand that you are not your job. Many people, myself included, see their job as a paycheck .. a means to an end not the be all end all of their life. We have family, hobbies, interests.

Most jobs are exactly the same, I have found that it’s the people you work with which make it enjoyable.

One caution about doing what you love: turning an interest or hobby into a career can be a double sided blade. An acquaintance of mine is a chainsaw carver. He does this for a living and he hates it. When he started, it was just for fun and he thought to himself he could do this for a living because he was so good. The problem arose when it was his prime source of income. When he became frustrated with a piece or just didn’t feel like working on something anymore he had the ugly realization that if he didn’t keep going the bills wouldn’t get paid. Having to rely on your hobby/interest to support yourself can turn them from a joy into just another obligation.

Make sure you just don’t have a raging case of the-grass-is-greener-it is before you quit.

No point in carrying on doing something you don't like doing. If you have a dream to do something else, do it. Don't listen to the people telling you to stick with a job you don't like. You've already recognised you'd be having regrets at 50 if you did. Do what makes you tick, you'll eventually get a fee for it if your passionate enough.

Your young enough without responsibilities to throw caution to the wind and take the risk. Just think you could have a wife and kids to support, meaning you'd have to stick with a job you dislike.

reply to post by woodwardjnr


Thank you pal. Its good to hear what people have to say, even if its not what you are expecting or wish to hear. One has to look both sided of the coin, its hard sometimes to do so by yourself, so this helps.
Yes i also think this is the time to do it, because noone knows what tomorrow may bring.
Right now i can do it because i have noone to support financially speaking.

Yet im not thinking of not working at all, or working just a few hours a week as history professor.
I think on doing something that i like for 8 hours a day.
Due to diferent reasons the job im in right now doesnt give me the chance to pick up a course. Thats why im thinking of looking for another one. I still think on working and studying if i quit this job.

Welcome to the adult world where, one way or another, you have to support yourself. And just look at you! You managed to get a degree in a subject that makes you employable! Imagine that! You can actually get a job based on your university education. You COULD have obtained a degree in history, for example, which is pretty well worthless in terms of finding you employment, unless you want to work in the Argentine equivalent of fast food.

Now, it's true. If you really, really, really love history then you can go back to school for a PhD, assuming you qualify and can get accepted, and assuming you can hack graduate-level school politics, and after a MINIMUM of five more years you may find yourself a newly-minted PhD in history who can compete with all the other history doctorates for the few positions available in academia where you can have a professorship. It's a long, hard haul, but I applaud you if you want to do it.

However, one way or another, you are going to work at least an 8-hour day. It may not be in an office with a time clock with an official start and end time, but you will be "engaged" in your work full-time. And if you want to get ahead in your profession, you will be compelled to do more than just show up for class. Not only will you have "duties" such as committee work, you'll keep official "office hours," and you will need to publish in your field to get noticed if you want to be anything other than an assistant professor with no tenure.

Look at it this way: You've been on vacation your entire life. Oh, I know you've had to complete school assignments and all. Anyone who has been under the gun to turn in a term paper knows all about pressure! But basically someone else has put bread on your table, whether it is your parents or the government and taxpayers by providing you that wonderful "free" education in your country. Face it: You've never had to come up with tuition money. It's been what we call a "free" or a "full" ride paid for by someone else. Wonderful! I'm happy for you! You've been blessed!

But now it's time to buy your own bread and support yourself instead of compel others to do it for you. So get with the program and stop whining about having a job. Lots of people would love to be in your shoes.

reply to post by payta

The only immediate question I have is...is there a lifetime career with a history degree other than teaching it....if you can find a teaching position?

Im respectfully saying its prob not a lifetime money making pay-your-bil career, rt? I may be wrong but...