As most of you know, Gregg and I moved to Lancaster so that I could start teaching at Millersville University this fall. But the worst part of being an academic couple is that, in a world of scarce jobs, two people have to find jobs close to each other. While finding an academic job seemed challenging enough, finding two jobs close to each other seemed almost impossible to us.
However, Gregg applied to a few schools for one-year positions starting in the fall. Some were closer than others; some would have allowed us to live together, others would not. A month or so ago, he got his first job offer: from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. We were both ecstatic and upset. Ecstatic because it was a good school, it paid well, it required only one prep. Upset because West Point is 4 hours from Lancaster and it meant we would have to live apart for a year. We talked about it, round and round in circles for hours and finally decided to accept their offer.
While we were waiting for the formal letter from West Point, Gregg got another job offer. This one was from Temple University in Philly. Philly is an hour-and-a-half from Lancaster which is a long commute and a lot of money on gas but at least we will be together. Temple also agreed to give Gregg a Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule cutting down both on driving time and the amount we spend on gas. The classes at Temple require more prep but we decided to accept it anyway.
This experience taught me a lesson. Life is all about choices but if you know what your priorities are, those choices may be easier to make than you think. Temple was better for our relationship; West Point was better financially and academically to the extent that Gregg would have more time to finish his dissertation. But we are very happy that Gregg has a job, we can be together and that our first year of being an academic couple is in a place which we have loved thus far.
Oh, and as Gregg points out, Temple is the biggest rival to UMass – a piece of information which makes me root for Temple even more.
2 comments:
Congrats to Gregg. That's wonderful news. As somebody who also does a long commute to prioritize a marriage, it's honestly not that bad.
I send my congratulations as well. MWF schedule will help a lot. And being together is really the most important thing isn't it.
Post a Comment