Back from Brisbane

You may remember that last year I claimed I was going to be living and working in Australia (and regularly travelling back and forward to England). The plan wasn't very well thought out, but it was in motion - to the extent that I obtained an Australian working VISA, and shipped a large bag of belongings to Brisbane.

Why did I decide I was going to Australia? For a pay raise, to finish my PhD and to train at one of the best Aikido dojos in the world.

My bag departed for Australia on 22 March 2010... and it arrived back home a year later on 11 March 2011!

It contained mostly scuba diving gear, books and clothes, and seems to have made it's trip around the world journey without incident!

Why did I decide not to go? Helen was staying in Exeter, I never enjoyed working for my boss, and I couldn't face the environmental implications of 'commuting' back and forth!

To be honest, my main motivation for doing a PhD was as a safety net to feel good about myself, i.e. "I must be smart - I have a PhD". I thought that this effect would be further amplified by transferring from an average university (Exeter) to one that was internationally recognised (Queensland).

Another aspect of my old job and the PhD that I welcomed was the feeling of - "this is what I am doing... for now". I've always found it quite comforting the idea that a job is just temporary and that I could delay working out what I am really all about until somewhere further down the line.

Now it feels like I have reached "further down the line", my ego has no safety net, and it is time to do more living.