Gambles

Despite the title this post has (almost) nothing to do with poker. However, it does explain why I've been quiet (again) for any actual content over the last week or so.

It's time for registration for Summer and Fall semesters. I've been trying to juggle availability with scheduling, because I really want to finish in time to walk next May. This means I have to take Marketing in the Fall (ugh) so I can take the Capstone course in the Spring. Aside from that, I need 15 other credits, 9 of which must be in CIS. There are enough classes available from a Programming standpoint to meet the requirements for my concentration.

(Next step: hacking into the Matrix.)

I've come up with two possible caseloads.

One involves one class this summer (Database Programming), and then three each in the Fall and Spring. I'll finish in time, but this means resuming those nasty student loan payments for the summer as I won't be enrolled at least half-time, and taking nine credits combined with full-time work sounds a bit scary. Not anywhere near as scary as 15 credits and 2 jobs, but scary nonetheless. The classes are available to make that work, and I already got clearance from my advisor and from work for that track.

The second track has also gotten clearance from my advisor, and from the program director. It involves taking six credits in the Summer, and then either two or three classes in each of the Fall and Spring semesters. However, I need to get clearance for the program from work, as it is a unique situation.

Oh, and it'll cost an extra $5,200 on top of tuition costs.

It's an option I've been meditating on/thinking about/praying about for about a week or so now. It's an opportunity that probably won't be available to me in the future, and is unique for what it offers prefessinoally and emotionally.

I'd also get to undo one of my biggest regrets from my undergraduate days.

Apparenty, in my research last week, I found out that there were still opportunities to engage in a study program in the Far East. Specifically, China and Hong Kong. Yes, I know Hong Kong is now part of China, but it's easier to refer to it separately.

Though the deadline has passed, there are still spots open - if the deposit and fees can be generated in time. Aside from the gambles of hoping Visa's IPO increases by 2500% (now up only 6% from this morning's purchase price) or pulling off a miracle win on a poker table (which won't happen easily with my single-digit bankroll), it might be very difficult to do.

It's a two-week program abroad where students will visit several companies in several cities throughout China - Shanghai, Chungking, Beijing, and more - before wrapping up in Hong Kong for additional study and visitations.

I am really excited about the opportunity, but it will require a lot of obstacles to be overcome - work, money, and being away from family for a longer duration than ever done before. This isn't like going to Vegas for two days - this is going to the other side of the world for half a month. If I did solo travel more regularly and hadn't JUST started full-time work again, I wouldn't have such reservations. Who knows, I can log in remotely to work from home now - perhaps I would try to do so from Guangxou Province.

China and the Orient have been at the top of my "want-to-see" list for some time, so I am really looking forward to the possibility. Besides, there isn't anything else going on in China in August. It would be funny if I ended up being around this one and NOT visiting Vancouver in 2010 as I'd hoped before (another location on my "want-to-see" list).

Has anyone reading this participated in a Study Abroad program? What did you think of it?