28 days to go

We're 28 days from the planned flight to New York City and from there to Cincinnati. Nothing is finalized. Uncertainty reached its peak. An ultimatum was given to the University and things are looking down. To be continued...

The pendulum continues to swing

After the previous post, things took another turn. Suddenly, the someone at the university remembered to open the position for application, I applied, and several e-mails were exchanged regarding the visa application. And then, when things started to clear, D received her visa, and we both sent our resignation letters, another standstill. Thus, the pendulum continues to swing, and I wouldn't be surprised by any direction it will be pointing at when the time really runs out.

Meanwhile, preparations have started. We have already managed the following:

• Sort out the boidem, with all the boxes and packages full of my late grandmother's stuff.
• Pack the rest of my grandmother's crystals and services and load them into the boidem.
• D made me a mixtape with music that reflects her feelings about the move. (}{)
  
• Purchase vacuum bags for packing clothes and bed linen.
• Purchase new faucets for the ones that run in the kitchen and bathroom. That's preparation for renting the place.

There is still a lot to do.
If you know of anyone willing to rent a nice 3 rooms apartment in the middle of Tel Aviv, third floor with a lift, give us a ring.

Reshuffle

Since my previous post things have gone from bad to worse. Though the last word has not been said, it seems that our plans for Cincinnati are not going to be realized. I don't know where it is stuck, nor if there can be a solution for it, but time is running out. I think it is better to say that time ran out. I can't see how we can manage to do everything that still needs to be done before the start of the academic year on September 24. D has raised enough funds to show for the immigration officers, got her I-20, and awaits her meeting next week. Unfortunately, I cannot show any progress and therefore we'll most certainly cancel our plans.
One problem of this situation, besides the obvious disappointment and the inability to make decisions due to unknown factors, is the feeling of betrayal. I put my faith in a person, despite the knowledge that Cincinnati is not the best of towns, and that the university is not the best of its kind. After the past two months, I feel that my faith has been wrong and it's not a good feeling. Suppose that evreything miraculosly falls into place, do I still want to go to this place and work with this person?
This calls for a total reshuffle of our plans. We went to a meeting organized by MIT Sloan school of business, which made me want to become a part of MIT (although not that specific school). I definitely want to study for my Ph.D., because the reasons for doing so have not changed. I still want to open more opportunities, and have a glance at academic life. MIT can also mean that we will be able to relocate, via D's work, and then our financial problems be minimized. It's also Boston, which is probably the largest university town in the world, with so many fine institutions and chances for students. This time, however, I want to broaden the search and not focus on the one institution where I can find a place. This means waiting for another year, but hopefully the result will be better and more satisfying for both of us. With my scores and grades from the previous degrees I know I can find a good place to study.