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Two independent comments were made to me within a couple days of one another a little while ago. They were made by two good friends of mine... one in Europe and the other in the US. One asked me to address a question on my blog: "All that education you've had ... is it paying off?" The other marveled during a skype conversation at how far I've travelled and the work that I've done with "only" a bachelor's degree. The really interesting part is that both of these people either very recently finished or very soon will finish a PhD. :)
Anyway, it got me thinking (more) about education. Most of the IDE staff in Ethiopia - what I would describe as middle-class Ethiopians - seem to be studying for some sort of advanced degree. Whether it's a Masters in Architecture from Addis Ababa University or a certificate in Purchasing and Logistics from a local institution, the pursuit of another piece of paper is a major priority here. In the couple cases I've witnessed, it's also been worth it. I've seen newly-received degrees leveraged for a higher salary and a new title, or even a higher-paying job at a different NGO.
It's similar in Nepal, though I noticed it in a different way. One of the first things to strike me when walking around Kathmandu was the number of advertisements saying "STUDY IN THE US, UK or AUSTRALIA". There it is big business to get kids into foreign universities, and parents shell out big bucks for the chance to send their kids abroad. Again, it's all about that upward mobility... gaining a better life for you or your family.
And yet I find it difficult to relate. I realize I am in a very privileged position to see education as a means to accomplishing the things I want to do in my life, in a manner completely unrelated to money. Yes, I'm planning on starting grad school at MIT next Fall, but any increase in salary I might garner from a Masters degree didn't play into my decision to return to school. I'm going to grad school in order to take the next step towards a return to teaching. Why? Because I enjoy teaching.
Anyway, back to the question that was posed to me: is the education I've had paying off? I would say yes, in a way. An undergraduate degree is a key to a first job, and maybe a second job. Beyond that, it's what you make of those first two jobs that determines what you can do next. My first two jobs were direct results of me going to MIT. My job at BMW was through the MIT-Germany program, and my job teaching at Olin College was through one of my professors at MIT. It was those experiences that got me in the door at IDEO (finally), and from there I'd say my education became overshadowed by my work experience. The MIT name still shines out on my resume, but now it's more of a medal in my trophy case than a symbol of what I'm capable of. My work experience and the stories I tell about it assumed the leading role a few years ago.
So yes, the education was worth it both in terms of what it taught me and in the doors that it opened. It was so good that I'm looking to go back for more. :)
On to the photos...
Motorcycle adventures. Jason and I have gone out on a couple of short Sunday rides lately. This one was a few weeks ago, but we got to play in the mud because it had just rained. The following week, The Horse got a bit of a booboo.
I needed cupboards for my kitchen. Shelves just wouldn't do, so my dad and I wandered through the wordworking section of Mercato on a Saturday morning. Just as I was beginning to give up hope, my dad pointed out a very wide display case with sliding class 'doors'. It looked like it had been sitting in the pile of stuff outside the woodshop for a couple of years, but we had them pull it out so we could see it anyway. We thought it just might work...
I've since repainted them and (with my dad's help) hung them up in my kitchen. I'll get some pictures of the finished product posted sometime soon (don't have my card reader with me at the moment).
Work stuff... I tested out a few pressure treadle pumps a few weeks ago. Quick lesson in treadle pumps. There are two main types: "suction treadle pumps" and "pressure treadle pumps". Both types are capable of sucking water up from below the level of the pump. Only a pressure pump can push that water out through a hose. A suction, or "suction-only" treadle pump just allows the water to overflow from the top of the pump.
Parting shots...
For more updates go here.
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