Why can't I retire?

I hit the big 60 in September, I have a good pension and I have a dream of living in the country with cats and horses. While I was house hunting I was asked to help out with coaching undergrad students with their English, a 'part-time' job that quickly metamorphosed into Head of the English Department at a new university in Sarajevo. So I said I would stay for one year, while I househunted. Then in Jan I found mmy dream home in Normandy and decided I would move there over the summer following some renovation work. Story so far.

Now the Chancellor is begging me to stay on, and in fact kind of assuming I am by involving me in all next year's planning, including setting up a new course in Political Science (my original major), though I think he is stopping short of asking me to teach it! Meanwhile the house renovator in France has had an accident and won't be able to work this summer on my house, and I am in a quandary. My mother is 91 next month and wants me closer to home, though I can't plan my life around her and she understands that. The students have begun to ask me if I will teach them next year, and I don't know what to say. I don't need the (minimal) salary, and I am so looking forward to doing some things I want to do, including writing some coursework for another university, but I feel useful here and want to help this venture to succeed. It has got tot he stage where I feel I am letting them down if I go, htough I have already exceeded my original promise. It is so difficult to know what to do!

do what you feel is right even if thats sticking to your orginal plan and leaving the university. you deserve a break if you want one.

you made your plans clear so its not your fault if they are involving you when you dont know whether or not yo will be there next year.

ohh well, since your house wont be done this summer how about staying for another year?
Congratulations of being 60!

Jenny,

I'm sorry. I see why you are in a pickle. Part of you tells you to follow your dreams and the other part says they really do need me. If you decide to stay because you feel you are really making a difference and it's fulfilling for you then go for it. If you are doing it because they need you and you don't want to leave them high and dry - I'd leave. When I work a lot of hours and wonder if it's all worth it, I remember what I heard once on the radio..... "In the end. People don't remember you for how hard you worked. No one ever has on their gravestone Here Lies ______, she worked really, really hard"

I have pretty good luck with my intuition and I don't know if this is true of you. If so, I'd go with your initial gut feeling about the whole thing.

Sending decision vibes your way

Originally Posted by captiva

Jenny,

I'm sorry. I see why you are in a pickle. Part of you tells you to follow your dreams and the other part says they really do need me. If you decide to stay because you feel you are really making a difference and it's fulfilling for you then go for it.

If you are doing it because they need you and you don't want to leave them high and dry - I'd leave. When I work a lot of hours and wonder if it's all worth it, I remember what I heard once on the radio..... "In the end. People don't remember you for how hard you worked. No one ever has on their gravestone Here Lies ______, she worked really, really hard"

I have pretty good luck with my intuition and I don't know if this is true of you. If so, I'd go with your initial gut feeling about the whole thing.

Sending decision vibes your way

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Yeah. I like everything Chris says! (Must be her newfound wisdom on her birthday.

Jenny, I think it's time for you if you can afford to do that, why wait and feel deprived of enjoying what you want.
There are so many people that never realize there dream untill it's to late, and of course they simply can't afford to do what they want.
As long as you don't feel like you would miss the teaching and can afford to do it I would. Why not do it for you.
Why is it that we women alway's put ourselves last?

Jenny - as others have said - your instinct is worth so much. I would leave your current place on a high while you still feel good about it. Then you can look forward to another exciting chapter in your life. Because next year it could be "well you've got the Political Science course running really well, surely you don't want to leave now...." and on it goes until you look round and more years have gone by.

Some time for you to do what you want to do I think.

if you can find another contractor, then move away and be close to your mom and start 'relaxing' in your golden years

if you can't find another contractor, stay another school semester, meanwhile have the house remodeled and then move away

good luck.

Originally Posted by RarePuss

if you can find another contractor, then move away and be close to your mom and start 'relaxing' in your golden years

if you can't find another contractor, stay another school semester, meanwhile have the house remodeled and then move away

good luck.

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I was going to suggest a compromise, too - one more semester, rather than an entire year, and perhaps the house will be finished by then.