Why I'm leaving my job
People are slowly finding out that I'm leaving my job at the end of September. Most people don't ask why; rather, they ask what I am doing next. Unfortunately, there are many assumptions that these people make based on the reputation my department has for being a tough department to work for, full of cattiness, politics, and stress.
All of these things are true, mind you, but they are not the reason that I am leaving. I don't have a problem with any of those things in my department--at least no more than I have with a mosquito bite. I have learned to deal with the ways in which people work and can be effective regardless. The reason I'm leaving, actually, is for my education.
A few weeks back, I took a credit-by-examination test which allowed me to skip a prerequisite and have access to a few more classes I'd like to take. Subsequently, in addition to my Asian Philosophy, Critical Approaches to Literature and The Religious Quest courses I have added Electronic Publishing and Internet and Web Design (courses I probably could have CLEPed as well, but should probably review). I now have a max load of 18 credits, which is practically impossible to do with a static full-time job.
Additionally, I've been looking at graduate programs. One that has really caught my eye is the Design program at California College of the Arts. I'm not going to go into why this is so attractive to me; I'll merely suggest looking past the preconceived notion of what an academic design program entails and focusing on how important design is to experience and the representations of both our technological futures and our cultural pasts. The program requires a portfolio of works, obviously, so I hope to create something worthwhile through my freelancing between now and then. While this job deals with communication, design and intercultural issues, what I would have done in this position could not have been submitted as part of my work. So, I'll go it alone.
That being said, this job was not for me. We are adaptable creatures, able to adjust to whatever is given us; that does not mean that what we can accommodate is our ideal. I am grateful to my director for remembering my work in times past and offering me a position even while I was still living in Korea. I will continue to be appreciative as both he and my direct supervisor have wished me well in my endeavors, knowing that this was not my final destination.
One day, this organization will open its doors to a new breed of individuals, committed to the cause and armed with multi-disciplinary, holistic talent honed through a plethora of experiences. When that door opens, I hope to be one of the first to re-enter.