Asking the "right" questions
As a professor, I am often approached by students wanting some form of career advice-- especially when they plan to take a major leap in their lives, by going abroad for higher studies for their Master's or PhD. It takes me back to my own times when I took this major leap in my life, and my professor, very strangely, didn't seem very happy. I had expected him to congratulate me when I told him that I had won this prestigious fellowship to study in one of the most prestigious university in Europe. And his lack of enthusiasm, made me hurt and defensive. At that time, I had haughtily and contemptuously believed that he was upset with me because I'd decided to go abroad and build my own life, rather than registering for a PhD under him. Such was my delusion that his comments had completely missed their significance. Even though he seemed less than enthusiastic, he had discussed at length with me about my plans and I had asked him a lot of questions like: which field of stu