User:Shandong44

Cultural anthropology and Chinese language and history were my first loves, and I started my undergraduate career in those fields. Later, as with many 60s people, I dropped out, and when I went back I majored in psychology, but with an interest in the newly-developed field of cross-cultural psychology. (Along the way I also picked up an AA in computer programming).

I entered a Ph.D. program in experimental psychology in the 90s, but left with an MA when I realized that a)none of my friends were getting jobs except (occasionally) as adjuncts) and b) academic research wasn't the idealistic search for "truth" that I had believed it was. What I enjoyed most was teaching undergrads, lecturing and holding group tutoring sessions. I also picked up some experience (good for my cross-cultural development) tutoring Russian-speaking immigrant in ESL.

Instead of trying to continue in the dying field of experimental psychology, I began a Master's in Public Health program, but moved to a different city before I completed it. I am currently trying to negotiate enrolling in the online MPH program of my state university's School of Public Health without having to take GREs again, but it appears I may be stuck taking them for a third (!) time.

In my new home I returned to psychology and completed an MS in industrial/organizational psychology - an area that is responding enthusiastically to the challenges of globalization and multicultural organizations. However, since I graduated just in time for the crash of 2008, I never found a job in the field. Now that I've retired I found that I have drifted away from being interested in psychological research, and have rediscovered my interest in public health and health education. My presence on Wikipedia has changed accordingly. Public Health is also something that one can volunteer in without having an academic appointment. I hope to use my writing abilities to inform people about public health and its importance, and why it's necessary to support it politically and economically in spite of whatever political wind is blowing.