Smelly Swiss Dilettante

Where are you and where are you going?
henrik
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Re: Swiss PhD student

Post by henrik »

Whichever it is, I hope you can make the decision and stick with it, good luck with that!
I was in a similar situation (with the income disparity not quite as big, but big enough), went with the low income / high engagement option, and still occasionally find myself needing to re-justify the choice to myself (and others who care enough to ask). I think reading about people's progress and impressive savings rates here might be part of the problem:)

I don't believe there is a universal measure for "value to society", it's relative, depends on culture and what not. You might see being a lumber jack as valuable and useful, some might view it as killing nature. Like you and Jacob though, I have a very low tolerance for activities that I myself, according to my values, perceive as pointless or counterproductive.

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Jean
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Re: Swiss PhD student

Post by Jean »

My last option for an apprenticeship as a lumberjack in a bikable distance won't work.
Relationships with the other people at the place weren't good enough.
So I'im going the complete opposite way.
I'm applying for internships in finance and for a master of financial engineering.
Don't know if the master is necessary, but I have to apply now. I hope to get an internship. If I get one, it'll be paid greatly, and I'll be able to know if it's a good direction to pursue.

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Jean
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Re: Swiss PhD student

Post by Jean »

I applied for a master degree in financial engineering.
I'm extremly interested in the field.
I just have some troubles evaluating the job prospects.
I read it isn't ideal for a quant position.
Any opinion on this?

jacob
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Re: Swiss PhD student

Post by jacob »

It is specifically directed at quant positions. The degree was created because quant positions could only be filled by people with hard math skills who were then expected to learn the financial stuff on their own. (The other way around doesn't work as well.) The MFE is intended to fill this void. I forget if you already have strong quantitative skills. If stochastic calculus seems comprehensible to you, you can learn the finance stuff on your own. No degree needed. You just have to find a way in. The MFE is one way to get foot in over someone with a science degree. However, ask your science professors. It's quite likely that quite a few of their former students are working in finance now.

Job prospects are cyclical. Sometimes there's a lot of hiring. Other times, there's a lot of firing. Also keep in mind that there are very many different kinds of quant positions, kinda how there are many different kinds of "doctor positions" in medicine.

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Jean
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Re: Swiss PhD student

Post by Jean »

Thanks a lot! That's exactly the info I wanted.

jacob
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Re: Swiss PhD student

Post by jacob »


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Jean
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Re: Swiss PhD student

Post by Jean »

Thank you.
It seems very usefull.
I'll read it.

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Jean
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Re: Swiss PhD student

Post by Jean »

I'm acepted for this MFE.
Has the job really become dull as you said in another post?
I know I'll enjoy the degree, but maybe my picture of the job is inacurate.

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Jean
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Re: Swiss PhD student

Post by Jean »

Well, i still have the same question for jacob (has being a quant become uninteresting). I'm still planing to do the mfe. I did some scouting to live in a nearby forest. I plan to ride my bike back to my homearea every week end (about 100km one way), which should keep my body fit enough to rely on it for mountaineering.
I'm now living in a trailer next to other people. Most of them are close friends. Things are great. I'm done with unemployment benefits, but i saved a lot from it, and my expenses are now bellow the net income i'll get from the house(about 500 a month).
I will start letting the house to a young guy. He is very happy about it because the rent is cheap there is a garden for his dog to run and its in his home area. I'm happy because he shouldn't cause me any trouble, and i'm now fire. Plus, his gf is very smart, she already thought about biking to school (despite the distance being above what is deemed reasonable), and she might pressure him to take advantage of the low rent to save and aim for fi.
In addition, i read one of david deida's book. I am now much less frustrated about women i can't have. I am in addition much less ashamed of my drive toward them.
I also started writing poetry, which is the kind of thing i hoped to happen by depriving me of distraction.

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Jean
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Re: Swiss PhD student

Post by Jean »

Some update. And request for advice.
This summer has been great. I was in Canada one month with a friend, and came back to my trailer. Relationships with other people at the place were I live are great. They are now practically family to me. We spent the whole summer climbing, hiking, scavenging food. Probably my happiest time since childhood. My motivation to go to the school violently dropped. I went there on the first day, classes are ok interesting. Living alone in Lausanne really sucks. 4 hours a day in transport sucks too. I don't see any reason to do this master except that I can. And my parent would be disappointed. And I lose the opportunity to get good grades and show the world how smart I am. I'm finally happy in my life now, and although this degree looks like a great opportunity, it seems extremely stupid to break the balance I managed to create at home.

So, Do you think I'm a fool to give up on this degree before even starting? Doing it from home is not an option.


And to Jacob, could you please rename this topic into "Smelly Swiss Dilettante"
Last edited by Jean on Thu Oct 13, 2016 10:37 am, edited 1 time in total.

Noedig
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Re: Smelly Swiss Dilettante

Post by Noedig »

Jean

So.... what did you decide? Any advice in October would be after the fact, so I won't give any, other than to point out that you seem to be switching plans a great deal, hopefully persisting with each course of action long enough to be really confident that you understand why it is not for you and what might be better, before giving up. Falling heavily in love is another massive distraction.

I truly hope it is working out for you. Finding out how and with whom you want to spend your life, is even more important than planning for FI.

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Jean
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Re: Smelly Swiss Dilettante

Post by Jean »

I choosed not to do the degree. I went to classes one day. I saw that I was able to understand everything, give smart answer to the teacher´s question. I also saw that I don´t want to commute everyday or move to an other city. My friend network has too much value.
I don´t regret it now. Things are working out very well.
I´m already FI now (I rent a house, tenant is nice and happy, me too, I get money, and spend little enough from it to feel safe). I applied to the degree because I feared to get bored.
But this summer was extremly not boring, as I said.

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Jean
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Re: Smelly Swiss Dilettante

Post by Jean »

I live in my car. got it for 500.-
My tenant is still paying his rent. He doesn't cause me any trouble and even makes me gift. I only have 53'000.- left on the mortgage, now at 2.65% (instead of 1.4%) because it's too small to get a fixed rate. But I found someone who would have interest to lend me this money at 1.5%.
I met someone great. Lot of projects.
I play crusader kings 2 a lot. I love making strategies.
I'm doing fine, but I spent so much time playing this game... It's very satisfying, but I sometime think I should invest this freetime in something else.

FBeyer
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Re: Smelly Swiss Dilettante

Post by FBeyer »

Just so you don't feel completely alone: I play a lot of Offworld Trading Company and Overwatch at the moment. Games are working out great as relaxation currently.

Jason

Re: Smelly Swiss Dilettante

Post by Jason »

If I'm understanding this correctly, you are Swiss, extremely educated, very lazy, own a home but live in a car, value current friendships, obsessed with utility and play video games.

Just trying to get a feel here.

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Jean
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Re: Smelly Swiss Dilettante

Post by Jean »

That's quite accurate.
But i'm not obsesed with utility , it's just there are thing in the world that could be better, and I have so much spare time. Or maybe I should repay this mortgage quicker?
I don't have any positive constraint, so I just do what I feel like doing at any moment, but sometime there is some guilt.
Playing video games is not bad, It's just that it's enough to feel good, without the need to do anything else.

Jason

Re: Smelly Swiss Dilettante

Post by Jason »

I understand. I indulge in Fail Videos. Douchebags crashing sports cars, idiots falling through the ice. Seems Europeans are always destroying houses by cutting down trees in the wrong direction.

Guilt is a bitch. But what's that expression "If men could find solace in their own chambers, their would be less cruelty in the world."

Something like that.

Stahlmann
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Re: Smelly Swiss Dilettante

Post by Stahlmann »

Jean wrote:
Tue Jan 31, 2017 6:57 pm
...
How hard is it to "get in" to Switzerland?
I am keen on: mountains+"social system" that can share (no extreme income distribution, but still I can save and then move to East Europe).
I would be interested in working as mechanical engineer.
I know German, but this German accent.
I thought about tackling Germany, gainig there experience and finally landing in Switzerland. I heard that the accent barrier is pretty big.

One of my acquaintes from my local at the moment is working in one of the biggest companies in the world, but in Switzerland. It was combination of good politics, good marks, good understanding of the science (we speak about technical uni, so there is this difference between two last qualities :lol: ).

I kindly please for longer reply :D .
If people from Austria are reading it (from the newsfeed), they comments are also welcome.

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Jean
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Re: Smelly Swiss Dilettante

Post by Jean »

I made a lot of different song.
I even had a gig Idea, which I would know how to sell, and for which I see the value it has for other humans.

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Jean
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Re: Smelly Swiss Dilettante

Post by Jean »

It has been a long time.
House rental is still doing great. My tenant is great. Last week he said "we always picture the master in the big house and servants in a small house in the garden, but here it's the opposite" I think he is learning how his need are keeping him from being free. I had similar feeling of inspiring people quite often during the last month, and it really feels great. I really believe that using less is the only hope we have as a specie or individuals. All those who fail at this aren't going to live.

I have been working on my house and started to build a tiny appartment in the garage. It's awesome to see how fast it progress. I can find a good balance between going forward with this project, meeting friends, getting stuff from the internet, etc...

I made a two week stay in a community farm in november. It was great. They work a lot, but once my house is remodeled enough to yield enough for me and a family, I could totally see me working in this community. I would like to be a part of a community, because it makes me happier and owning a part of a food producing unit with those very great people would be a good way to feel safe.

I'm still thinking about studying medicine.

I made two albums, they are here for you to listen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-F57mblL3w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwbIbwR24rQ

It's self doxing, but I'm unemployable, FI, armed and not treathening, so I don't think it's a problem.

I feel a terrible urge to travel to the US. I would like to go to Isle Royale and the Black Hills and a few place in between. Isle Royale will only be accessible from may, which sucks, because it will be right when I should work on the house a lot (because i'll have my permit and nice weather).

My value providing project is to go around and ask people a lot of questions. I could work a lot during the next month and fly to chicago in may if I did enough work. I find it stupid to fly. I'm really torn. If I fly, I would like to interview one person every other day. Some forum members between chicago, the black hills and the transcanadian highway could be a good idea. I want to orientate my questions around spirituality and religion, but on a very personnal level. I want to proof peoples self consistency. I wan't to know how do they feel the divine. I'm not going to be hostile. I wan't to know what creates the divine or a connection to it in humans. I would be especially interested in interviewing native americans. This is because I'm personally very interested in our prechristian religion, and as native american have been forced out of it much more recently, some might have kept more from it in their household tradition than us, and as they are much closer relative to us than african, I might remind more of it than when in Africa (whose spirituallity fellt totally alien to me, altough interesting, and it was great to know for me that they haven't really succumbed to christianity). I realise that what I wright might be offensive to some, but I hope that someone will recognise what I mean and point me to interesting persons. I would also be very intersted to interview abrahamic believers and atheist. I will probably judge the people I interview, but I won't be mean. I'll just ask question and try to find consistency in people's beliefs.
My agenda is to have Europe covered in forest again so we can live again.

I really would like to brige the gaps between leftist ungrowhtist, right wing pagans, and erers. To me it's all the same goal, and it's different parts of the solution to avoid chtullu when he'll fall upon us.

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