The Roads Almost Taken

I was thinking about the paths that I almost took, academically speaking. I was just realising all of the times when I almost specialised in something entirely different from Weimar German history. How did I get here? (And how thrilled am I to be here? Oh, plenty.)

1. Of course, I started off as a Canadianist. It helped that I took several classes on modern Canadian history from one of the greatest professors ever. In fact, I chose to do Canadian history honours in order to work with him, but then he went on sabbatical and I ended up with Dr. Honours Advisor. Dr. HA, although I learned so much from him (especially about clarity in writing), was much more an economic and demographic historian than a social historian, which I was at the time.

2. I started off as a social historian. That's right: I treated history as a social science. You should read my honour's paper, and see the charts in the back. I barely recognise myself, back then. (It's the fault of my earlier training: the Canadianists back home are strong social historians.)

3. I was very tempted by Early Modern British history, for quite some time. I can't tell you how many (History and English) classes I've taken on the subject; it's out of control. In fact, I first decided to go to grad school because my awesome original department head (and early modernist and very old, very British, and very good for the ego, because he always tells everyone that I'm intelligent) convinced me to look into a possibility of working with an Early Modernist in the English department (now Karl's fabulous MA supervisor). I didn't end up working with her in grad school, but I did take her Interdisciplinary Approach to 17th Century England course (oh, the fun I had) which led into a summer job helping her design a new course. As a result of that temptation to go Early Modern and to work with Dr. Karl's Supervisor...

4. I came very close to getting an English degree. I am a couple of credits away from one, actually, which is a constant thorn in the side of a lovely English prof who was always trying to recruit me. (She's a bit of an English evangelist.) But...

5. Dr. B convinced me to try German history, just after Dr. Original Supervisor convinced me to take graduate studies. I had a lot of fun in Dr. B's Third Reich course and I loved the kind of research and writing that is typical of modern German history. It was probably all the more attractive because I was beginning to find the work I was doing in Canadian history to be a bit dry (although I would never have admitted it at the time). I thought that somehow I would get my MA in German history and come back to Canadianism, being enriched by the methods of European history. Apparently, I found a good fit and haven't come back in any larger way than having Canada as my minor field.

6. Then I wasn't planning on going for a PhD, or at least right away. I was looking at marrying Chris, and settling down in some small town in Saskatchewan, as he built up his teaching experience. I thought I could perhaps teach in the regional college near Eatonia. Then, after being convinced by Drs. B and Department Head that I'd lose momentum if I didn't start the PhD right away (it's true) I considered getting the PhD from the U of S in Saskatoon, until I learned that I wouldn't be able to specialise how I wanted there.

And that's how I ended up in Victoria, and why I am only now learning German. I don't regret the path I took: the English training helps me with interdisciplinary studies; the Canadian specialisation keeps me employable and has gotten me plenty of publishing credit; and the Early Modern history has helped me teach European history survey courses (that cover a ridiculous length of time). (Okay, and I find it fun that I have at times had large swaths of Hamlet memorised.)