Revelations, Tokyo and a Definate Course of Action for the Short-Term (Probably Maybe)

I strongly suspect that I need some outside perspective. I just spent 24 of the past 48 hours on a bus contemplating my post-Japan plans/options, exploring my (career) goals, defining the values that are most important to me, and really thinking about the kind of life I want to have and what I'd like to contribute to the world. It was pretty heavy stuff.

It turns out that 36 hours alone in Tokyo was just enough time to interview with the assistant director of admissions for an American International Business school and realize that I must do a joint-degree program, specifically involving the two-year economics program at his school. On the basis of that realization I've made a few important decisions about my future:

(1) I'm shooting for History PhD program (or might consider a master's program if fully funded which is unlikely) AND a master's degree in economics. No, you are not hearing things. Yes, I said economics. No, I have never formally trained in economics or mathematics in university. Yes, it will probably be a tough sell and will require a lot of hard work and preparation.

(2) It no longer matters to me how long the process (of school, applications, etc) takes. I just need to get past the point where these things are even an issue so I can focus on whats really important, like doing some interesting research, maintaining great friendships/relationships, working hard, living life. Interesting...in a lot of ways the life I hope to build for the future is exactly like the one I have right now here in Ikata. Isn't that a lovely thing to be able to say?

(3) I'm going to study - and eventually master - Japanese and Russian at school. And the people who discouraged me from pursuing Japanese (yes, there are such people) can just go back under the rock of negativity from which they crawled out. Hey - In ten years I may even try my hand at Chinese...

(4) The option to study Russian for a few months in St. Petersburg after leaving Japan looks better every day. If I'm not accepted into my first-choice international econ program I will probably wait a year before going to school and instead spend a few months in Russia. Truthfully, I'll be required to spend much of my first year studying the language anyway and right now my priority is travel. So, it seems like the right choice.

(5) Yes, travel. I'll have to spend at least a year doing research in Russia in order to produce a thesis. With the double business-degree option I'll have the opportunity to spend an additional 1-2 semesters abroad at exchange schools. This is incredibly exciting. Did I mention how important travel is? I once had a fleeting notion that I could camp for two years as a graduate student in order to use my rent money for international travel during holidays. Don't worry, approximately 30 seconds later I admitted the plan was not at all viable. Still, a person who would even entertain such a silly notion should make choices that will allow travel to be a realistic part of her future, don't you think?

Ok, so with all of this decided the game plan is to prepare for the GRE, apply to my first-choice economics program and two closely-related programs at other schools, continue to make progress on my other grad school application materials even though I may not actually apply for another year, save as much money as possible for Russia, and gently ease my family into the notion that best-case scenario I'll be in America next year but probably not in Chicago.

ｹｰｷですよ。