44 year old grad - what could I do?

alyth

Anselm wrote: »

In my opinion, go to China. You never know, you might not be with this partner in another month and China offers some fantastic life experience. And if you find you're both serious, what's to stop you seeing each other in scotland or.China?

For sure I am hoping to go out to China, relationship or not - I was I guess just questioning what were my options if I were to stay in Scotland - whilst the guy is lovely, no man is going to stop me following my dreams. I've had some wonderful suggestions and thanks to everyone for posting.

I'd love to be a researcher in some way, I worked in law for years and was lucky enough to be given projects to work on as well as being a PA. I've been googling around at different companies and sectors in Scotland today thanks to some of the suggestions given, and my options are definately a lot better than I had thought .

gibson123

More and more chinese people are coming to Scotland to visit, with your knowledge of history why don't you carve a niche for yourself as a Mandarin speaking tour guide. Contact some of the operators and see if you can pick up some ad-hoc work and build up a clientele for when you graduate.

Infidel

Don't count your chickens until they've hatched.

Besides, these days it seems most people's relationships are done through the use of social networking.

Continue your plan. China awaits............

alyth

gibson123 wrote: »

More and more chinese people are coming to Scotland to visit, with your knowledge of history why don't you carve a niche for yourself as a Mandarin speaking tour guide. Contact some of the operators and see if you can pick up some ad-hoc work and build up a clientele for when you graduate.

that is sort of along the lines I am thinking of - it's a couple of years down the line but with some of the suggestions I've been given via this thread coupled with chatting to a couple of friends and a bit of research, I'm thinking freelancing is an option perhaps in teaching/tourism/research. Of course I need to get my degree first! But I am passionate about history, I can bore forever on random Scottish history facts, I'm a member of numerous historical societies as well as Scottish/Chinese associations and the Confucious Institute and attend events so I think I might be able to build up a contact base both in Scotland and China.

We met for supper tonight and talked over a lot of stuff - including my options, I'm happy with this guy - more than, it came totally unexpected, but who knows what is going to happen in 2 years time, either with the relationship or economy and that's why I questioned my ultimate goal which I have probably been unhealthily concentrating on.

Dunroamin

In case you hadn't considered this.

http://www.stga.co.uk/About-STGA/Guide-Training/Blue-Badge-Training/

alyth

Dunroamin wrote: »

In case you hadn't considered this.

http://www.stga.co.uk/About-STGA/Guide-Training/Blue-Badge-Training/

OMG I have never even heard of this - I live in the wilds of Perthshire and only go down to Edinburgh perhaps once a month - thank you so so much for providing that link, I really appreciate it - and I graduate in 2014 so it could work out date-wise :-)

As always, thank you to everyone who has helped me by their posts - whilst my China dream isn't going away - having talked it over tonight I think I need to go out there and teach for one year, if nothing else to get it out of my system, my adoration of China, the advice you have all given me is invaluable and made me realise that staying in Scotland isn't going to mean working in a call centre!