[thechat] Location, location, relocation

[Judah McAuley]

javier velasco wrote:
> My wife is applying for a scholarship, to do a PhD in the US (approx 4 years),
> obviously i want to go with her, and not waste my time. I wrote the local US
> embaasy, and they told me that if she gets the scolarship, she gets a J-1 visa,
> and I'd get a J-2 visa, and with that i can ask the inmmigration service for
> authorization for work. It sounds suspiciously easy to me...

I worked with a person in that situation.  I actually started a company
with him as a matter of fact.  His wife was sponsored by the World Bank
to get a PHD in education and he followed her and worked.  It sounded
fairly painless.

> I'm thinking of reaserching local job markets as soon as we have a definitive
> destination. I assume my best chance would be to have a contract upfront, but how
> possible is that? (unless i worked for a US company subsidiary, which is not the
> case).

Since you have a fairly specialized field (I'm assuming that you are
looking for IA work) you might be able to find a contract position ahead
of time that doesn't require your physical presence onsite.  I work from
home doing contract CF programming and that has worked pretty well.

> I'd love to study, but i don't think it's realisitcal to think we'd both be able
> to study in the same period of time, the same campus, and different subjects
> (ecology / communications). Also, once you're used to the flavor of getting your
> monthly cheque for your work, it's hard to give it back and become a student.
> Best thing would be to do both things, works and study.
>
> what do you think???

I admit that it can be hard to go back to school after working.  That
whole thing of paying others rather than getting paid.  But if you do
want to go back to school I doubt that it would be that difficult.  Most
doctoral candidates and post-docs have a tight working relationship with
their school and those schools that want them are pretty good about
finding places for spouses.  I've known several couples that have gotten
student positions or faculty jobs together at a college.  And it should
be too difficult to find a school that has decent programs in both
ecology and communications.  The school I went to (Universit of Oregon)
has pretty decent programs in both those departments.  I know the
ecology and evolution department well because I minored in that and have
been considering getting a masters or phd in it.  And the
journalism/communications department is fairly well thought of as I
understand it.

I'd say, figure out what you want to do.  If you really want it, there
is probably a way to get it done.

Judah