I have been such a delinquent about this blog as of late. Not exactly sure how, but somehow we are at the end of September. A season in the Northern hemisphere where the leaves change colors, and the temperature turns colder – comfortable days that make do with just a light sweater.
Season is similarly changing here in the Southern hemisphere. We have reached the end of the rainy season. Along with the changes of weather, I am reminded that my time remain in Cameroon rest less than a year. And with that, I have begun thinking of my next step in the world.
About a month ago, it occurred to me that I would like to return to school and pursue a master’s degree. I have wanted to go back to school, but the idea was always pushed aside by the more logical side of my brain to first work and reduce some debt before I incur more. However, true to my “live in the moment” self, the knowledge-craving, adventure-seeking side of me won yet again.
Just like the way I let go of a potentially lucrative career to join the Peace Corps, I’ve decided to pursue a graduate degree instead of entering the “real world” and find a job that pays. And just the way I sensed my decision to join the Peace Corps, I feel 100% positive and excited about this decision. Now, I just have to get into a school.
The programs I have decided on are along the lines of international relations with emphasis on economics. Here is the shortlist and I hope I somehow get into at least one of them:
London School of Economics (Dual MPA in International Development w/ Science Po)
Science Po Paris (Masters in Economics and Public Policy)
Geneva HEI (Masters in International Studies – International Economics track)
Columbia SIPA (Masters in International Affairs)
Johns Hopkins SAIS (Masters in International Relations)
Yale (MA in International Relations)
Of the 6 programs, 4 will lead me abroad once again. London, Paris, Geneva or Bologna (first year SAIS). My heart is leaning towards Paris or Geneva so that I can continue speaking French, or Bologna so I can learn some Italian. With my experience, I am not the kind of language learner who excels in a classroom setting. But you put me in a country where they speak the language, and I’ll have it down within the year.
Anyhow, so that’s the plan for the next step in a nutshell. I am currently inundated with esoteric GRE vocabularies in order to retake the exam in less than a month. Knowing French better has helped me somewhat with these vocabulary words! Besides these obscure English vocabularies, I’ve also been getting into quite a bit of Latin and my desire to learn Spanish is growing steadily. We shall see which language makes the cut to become my 5th!
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