h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Right. Since this is hopefully the last semester until I have my BSc and need to decide what kind of a Master's to go for, I've been thinking a lot about what I want to do with myself.


I've come to the conclusion that in ten years I'd like to be:

- Working in a small architectural office, with maybe up to five or six people. I'd like to be doing residential planning - not villas and luxurious high-rises for the super-rich, but plain old everyday houses that work and can stay within a budget. Preferably in the general direction of re-using/renovating old houses. (Which makes most fellow architecture students look down their noses at me. No ambition!) I have no desire to become a "star architect", though.

- At the same time - maybe two days per week - I'd like to either:

a) Work as a lecturer at a university somewhere, preferably teaching architectural history and/or theory.

or

b) Write for an (architectural?) magazine or work for a publisher. Or perhaps at a museuem, or writing (children's) non-fiction.





Now, the question is how to get there... I have to pick a direction for my Master's. And a location. So, the questions to be answered are:


- What area should my Master's be in? Architecture? Architectural Theory? Art History? Journalism? Something totally different that I've not thought of?


- Where shall I do it?

I'd like to get out of Germany, but stay in Europe. I believe that I'd be happier in Northern or Eastern Europe, both climate-wise and people-wise.

Since, for various reasons, by Bachelor's has taken more than the regulation time, I'd prefer not to spend a year learning a new language first, so I'm looking for somewhere that offers courses in English, or perhaps German or Dutch, but I'd prefer the "everyday" language of the country to be one I don't know yet, so I can learn it through immersion.

Because of the ongoing health issues and the probable outcome of that, I also have to be somewhere with a good and affordable medical system, in or near a city with a fairly large hospital. And I'd prefer not to finish my education in debt, so unless it's *really* worth it, or there's a good chance of getting a scholarship, countries that charge exorbitant tuition are out.




So, any ideas or advice from this varied and international bunch of Researchers?

Sorry, I have no idea.

Whatever you decide, though, I hope it will all turn out well.

Sounds all very good. But I have no idea where one should go.

Not TOO far away!!

I did say I'd stay in Europe...

Great ideas - but I don't have a clue where to go to, because I 1. don't know which languages you don't speak and 2. where you can study at a good University.

As for the future job - why not combine working in the field you want plus write articles?

You mean just keep writing for hootoo, matodemi?

I'm more or less fluent in German, Dutch, and English. I learned little French and Spanish in school, but have forgotten most of it, so those would be up for grabs.

Spain is too southerly for my tastes, though. Greece and Italy also really don't entice me at all - and if it's France, it would have to be Brittany or Alsace or something.

what about belgium????

you could learn flemminsh (the name always remind me of someone with a throat condition)

Flemish is really just Dutch with a silly accent

Anyway, Belgium doesn't exist...

http://zapatopi.net/belgium/

Ahem. Back to the subject at hand.

or Luxembourg? Multilingual is nice, isn't it.

And yes, you could write for hootoo, but I think even without studying history of art or architecture will make you able to write about it.

The best thing you could do is probably keep an eye on the advertisements for the kind of job you'd like, and see what kind of areas they are looking for people to be qualified in.

As for where - I know you've spoken about Sweden before. Northern - check. It also has a good healthcare system (free), and as far as I'm aware university tuition is free there, which isn't common these days.

Definitely one to consider? I have no idea what languages courses are offered in there - you'd need to check uni by uni, probably.

Good luck with whatever you decide - I'm fairly sure you will make a good crack at anything you turn your hand to, to be honest.

what about denmark or any of the scandanavian countries???

Your plans for working on renovations or brown field sites is good

Not sure about the masters, whether something history related or more like a course I just found googling which connects architecture and environment, would be better.

Move to Edinburgh, learn scottish (and then gaelic ) and do the masters in what Loonycat said!

I'm not sure how long you have to have lived in scotland for to be counted for free tuuition but i think it's either 18months OR 3 years. it was a while ago that I was listening to the radio programme about it.

Gosh, so many options! I'm the worst person to ask for advice when there are options available...

I like the idea of working for an architectural office or as a lecturer, though. No idea where you should look, but I think I like the idea of going where the ideal position is. Especially if you're fluent in three languages!

If there's anything I can do to help let me know- otherwise I'll be here with lots of encouragement and very little actual advice.

Mala, here is a page with links to architecture studies in the Netherlands. Maybe there's something you'll like amongst it.

http://www.b9.nl/architectuur/opleidingen.htm

Gaelic might be fun - it has the advantage of being something exotic to have on one's CV The environmental angle is interesting, and will probably yield good jobs.

But somewhere in Scandinavia is definitely a good option, I think. Must read up on it. And the Netherlands, too.

(Oh, and where I end up *working* could be totally different from where I study. The more, the merrier )

Kind of a chicken and egg question - I have to see what's available where I go, and go where the things I'd like to do are available.

Come to Torquay. This is my advice to everyone, but to seems to be more pertinent when people talk about architecture.

We have a town centre that consists mainly of beautiful Victorian architecture. It's stunning and would be a tourist attraction in its own right if it were not for the fact that we've modernised all of the ground floors. Weirdly, you miss all the great stuff until you walk through the town centre and notice the gargoyle stalking you from the roof of Millet's.

It annoys me intensely, actually. It's a beautiful town when you look carefully.