子曰：三十而立。這句話對於三十歲的魚子醬跟鳳梨酥來說別有一番意義。出生於小康家庭，自小過著不虞匱乏的生活，也順著期望的畢業於國立大學英文系，在竹科工作，並時常出遊各國。對許多人來說，這樣的人生雖不到令人稱羨，但也該算是一個很好的人生立足點。然而， 對於魚子醬來說，而立之年的來臨卻激起了對自己的人生歷程的反思，自己已經確定了人生方向了嗎？十年之後真的可以不惑嗎？這些八股的老儒家觀念在這個價值觀變動快速的社會裡卻顯得格外的令人省思， 因此也令自小在台灣長大的魚子醬起心動念想要繼續進修自己，給自己更多的機會找到可以四十而不惑的立足點。
去美國，這是第一個直覺的念頭，魚子醬跟鳳梨酥的的英文都不錯，工作六年也都一直持續的在用英文，應該沒問題吧！現在回想起來，當初的這個簡單念頭外加一點天真的衝動讓我們在短短一年後走在圓夢的路上，也不知是天助自助者還是傻人有傻福。
但是怎麼去是個問題，再怎麼說念研究所也是一筆可觀的花費，竹科的薪水也沒有多到可以讓人一擲千金不手軟的程度(是真的)，已婚的三十歲七年級生再怎麼說也不可以跟家人伸手要錢啊！獎學金！又是一個很簡單念頭加上傻勁般的衝動讓魚子醬跟鳳梨酥來到了美國中西部的熱情土地！
以下就是我們在而立之年放下安逸的一切前往美國逐夢的故事，希望對於也是在抉擇的關頭的你/妳能夠有點有點幫助！
Confucius said: At 30, I stood firm; At 40, I had no doubts. Firm at a
standpoint of his life progress and attainments, no doubt as he excelled
in his knowledge and wisdom through the 10 years from the standpoint he
had chosen. It is a significant age for both Caviar and Pineapple Cake
at the age of 30. Both born in middle class family with well provided
childhood. Both graduated in prestigious university majoring in English
and got decent jobs in the IT industry in Taiwan with promising career
path. To many people we may not have life that's envious but certainly
it is somewhat a standpoint in life to continue on. Yet for Caviar the
age of 30 was a wakeup call to review and contemplate on his life that
passed. Is he ready at his current standpoint to stand firm for the
coming 10 years? Is he on the path of his own will or has he simply
followed the path that laid before him? The classical Chinese teaching
pushed him to get out of his comfort zone and explore the opportunities
that are still there to seek.
Go to the US and get a
master degree! This was the first thought that came to our mind. Caviar
and Pineapple Cake were both fluent in English and 6 years in the IT
industry kept both of us exposed to English speaking environment. That
shouldn't be too hard. Now that we come to think of it, this simple idea
and naive passion surprisingly got us this far to the US. Whether it's
god's blessing or the result of our hard work we are very grateful and
glad that we made this step.
But how to get a master
degree in the US is a big question. The cost of living in the US and the
tuition for graduate school can be overwhelmingly high and even though
we worked in the IT industry for 6 years they sure didn't pay us enough
to be carefree of the financial aspects (It's true). For a married
couple at their 30s it is certainly not an option to ask our family to
support. Scholarship! That simple, we get scholarship and then we can
go! Another simple idea and naive passion that lead Caviar and Pineapple
Cake to the hot land of the mid West.
This blog will be our story in the US and our pursuit of happiness, after we laid down our past at the age of 30. Hopefully it can be somewhat helpful to you readers if you happen to be at the same point of life.
Good luck for everything there in the US!
ReplyDeleteThanks Grace!! You too in France!! :D
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