I've moved three times in the past five years. I moved first for post doc 1 (city 1), which I hated...I fled months later to post doc 2 (city 2), which was fantastic and from which I got my dream job (city 3). By most measures, I've done well. I live in a great city, I have wonderful colleagues, I teach smart students, I do work that I love. Given that I've only been in my new "home" for a few months, I am quite well settled and have met lots of really lovely people. At the same time, I am staggered lately - now that I've "landed" - at the wear and tear caused by moving around so much, which has been hard both on my friendships and on what was my romantic relationship (honestly, it would've ended anyway, but that I chose to move certainly made the ending rather abrupt and emphatic). All my metaphors from this come from the plant world - I feel planted in soil that isn't sufficiently deep, I have rootshock, I'm worried the graft won't take, etc. (though I recognize that I've had agency in these decisions, I really do!) Anyway, all this to say, I want to affirm your sense that moving can be really difficult and that it can be entirely reasonable and rational to choose not to do it and/or to limit where you're willing to go. After all, it's your LIFE and that can never be only about work...
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Posted by twilight blue to academicsecret at 11/14/2006 11:29:00 PM
