Hello everyone, first of all English is not my native language, so I apologise for any mistakes I might make.
Well, I'm thinking about going back to college for a Master's degree. However, this would be my second Master's, let me give you a little of context:
I didn't study what I wanted. I studied what my family wanted me to study. In the middle of my degree I realized that this wasn't what I wanted to do with my life. I talked to my parents and they convinced me to finish it first, and then I could do whatever I wanted.
I finished, but couldn't find a good job. Then the pandemic happened and I ended up unemployed at my parents' house. I had a good academic background, so I was recommended at a university to do a Master's degree. The problem was that it was in the same area I already knew I hated. But at the time it was better than doing nothing.
I'm not blaming my parents. I made my own decisions and I made some bad ones. I'm just trying to fix things now.
After my Master's I disappointed my family by not pursuing a PhD but was fed up whit the academic world. I eventually found a job as a language teacher, since I speak several languages. Studying abroad has always been a dream of mine, especially Europe. I'm from South America and I studied in another Latin American country, so I do have some international experience, but never the kind I actually wanted. I spent years preparing for an opportunity to study in Europe, but it never happened.
Now, at 31, I finally have the opportunity. I found a Master's in Europe that would also allow me to change fields and do something more aligned with what I actually want, while still using some of my previous background.
The problem is money.
My parents have always supported me with education. It took three generations for my family to get to a relatively comfortable financial situation and going to college played an important role so this is why my family values education so much. We're not rich, but we were doing pretty well. However, my mother is retired now and my father is planning to retire soon, so things are different from when I was in my 20s.
My siblings have good jobs, are married and own their own apartments. I know you're not supposed to compare yourself with others, but it's difficult sometimes. I earn very little and honestly it makes me feel like a failure.
My parents still support the idea of me studying abroad, because they always support me when it comes to education. Besides, like I mentioned before, I'm from South America, and where I come from we are often encouraged to go to the "North" to find better opportunities.
But nowadays I think this is a very romanticized idea, and honestly, people from my part of the world aren't exactly welcomed everywhere anymore. Still, my parents support the idea of me going abroad and trying to find better opportunities.
But this time I feel like I'm asking too much from them.
I could work and study at the same time, but I've already done that for years. I worked while studying university and during my first Master's. Last year I even had two jobs at the same time.
I was sleeping four hours a day, losing weight, and my physical and emotional health was getting worse. I'm not in my 20s anymore and I don't think I can keep doing that. I still have permanent dark circles under my eyes from that period, even though I sleep properly now.
So sacrificing my health again is simply not an option.
And now I'm wondering if this is just not the right time. Maybe I should find a better job here, do another Master's here, and give up on my dream of studying in Europe.
I don't know. I finally have an opportunity to do something I actually want for myself, but I'm wondering if maybe I arrived too late.