The Next Move

It’s official, we’re moving to Chicago in June. 

It’s funny how this blog has changed since I started it.  At the beginning, it was a little story living off by itself and I was trying to get my friends and family to read it.  These days, it’s integrated into Facebook where I have hundreds of connections including people from Seattle and London, my family, long lost school mates, professional colleagues, and pals around the world.  As soon as I say anything here, everybody will get a little update and the word will be out.  In this way, the blog has to some degree become the Hernandez family newspaper.  Because of this I couldn’t really talk about our coming move until proper communications had been made at work, as I didn’t want to embarrass my boss who was waiting a bit to make the announcement.  Now that this is out of the way, I can write about it.

 

Why Chicago?

The choice to move to an even colder place than London may mystify those who’ve heard Reba and I gripe about how “next time we’re moving somewhere warm”.  That plan is still on the table, just not in the short term.  The immediate plan is that I am going to get another degree: a Master’s of Science in Computer Science.  As it turns out, the University of Chicago is the perfect choice as it has a 1 year MSCS program for people with non CS undergraduate degrees (like me), and is highly ranked among world universities. 

 

Why Another Degree?

I felt that I would be better placed to get management roles in technology if I had a technology degree to complement my management degree, and that I would be a more competent technology manager if I understood the fundamentals of the science more deeply.  And, As Dan points out, I have also developed a dangerous love of learning. 

 

Is This Really Necessary?

As I found out when I told people I was going to do an MBA, there are a variety of views on this subject, ranging from “why on earth would you subject yourself to that”, to “a degree won’t help you, your career is all about your professional experience”, to “that sounds really cool, I wish I could go do that”.  There have also been plenty of people who simply wished me the best of luck and shook my hand.  Ultimately, I suppose another degree isn’t strictly necessary, but is instead something I want to do and think will help me professionally.  As I found out with MBAs, there are generally two opinions about MBAs among managers (a) people who don’t have them think you don’t need them, and (b) people who do have them think you do need them.  I figure that in a short life, the best policy is to do the things you want to do and avoid regrets (thanks Gibby).  So, I will go. 

 

The Plan

Right now, we are procrastinating the plan, which seems to have mostly involved practicing saying “DA BEARS” and reading about Discrete Mathematics.  Broadly, we’re going to try for some last trips to Europe with my mom in May, a couple of weeks in Seattle in June, and then make the move to Chicago.

 

Longer Term

Chicago is almost certainly a 1 year deal.  Barclays is allowing me to keep my job, and while June 2011 is a long way off, we may well end up back in London.  Since the details of what I do for living are rather dull as well as the private business of my employer, I will leave any speculation on my future role at Barclays at that.  In many ways, Leaving London is just as hard as leaving Seattle was.  We have a lovely group of friends here in London and have settled into a comfy lifestyle that involves lots of European holidays, London black tie events, and some pretty decent big city living.  Just like when we left Seattle, some of the people who are closest to us here weren’t too happy to hear about our departure.  I take this as a tremendous compliment, even though it’s a bit uncomfortable at times.  I hope we are making the right decision, but I suppose that if I wasn’t just a bit nervous, it wouldn’t be a new adventure.

 

The Hernandez saga continues!