When I was 53 and in the wake of a devastating divorce, I decided to go back to school. I have always been interested in politics, so I studied public administration. This was probably a mistake. It certainly took me decades back financially. And I ended up getting a job back in my old career, teaching English as a Second Language.
However, the upsides of going back for a second master’s degree were many: I regained my destroyed confidence. I learned a lot about how the real world works. I was able to give a presentation in Washington, DC, at a government agency. I helped design an economic development program for rural Tennessee counties, and I visited China on an exchange tour, having the thrilling (to me) experience of listening to a talk by the man in charge of the Chinese import/export miracle boom in Shanghai.
Although I teach English still, my interest in policy and politics is unabated. Various ruminations on those topics are in the “Policy and Politics” section of my website.
Em Turner Chitty 