Stephanie,
Having a fascination with other cultures is a sign of an intelligent individual. Certainly there are countless books that you could read to fulfill that interest.
Pursuing anthropology as a profession goes far beyond the dream. For starters, there are virtually no jobs for people with MAs. The main employers were car companies and ad agencies, both of which have been hit hard in this recession.
The PhD program is a 6+ year commitment in an academically-rigorous program, including two years of coursework, comprehensive exams, a year or more of field research, and a 350-page dissertation. A potential grad student generally has a specific idea of what he or she wants to study--for example, one student is studying the effect of a tourist program on a certain remote region of Tibet.
With a doctorate in anthropology, you can teach on the college level, lead research programs, work at an NGO, and so on. But since you would now be applying to programs starting in September 2010, your future profession would start in 2017 (or, more likely, even later). Can you wait that long?
Sorry to be so straightforward, but you need to know the truth. If you still are interested in anthropology, let me know and I can arrange for you to visit with some professors and grad students.
Wishing you the best of luck, Mark
Way to sell the program, Mark! 350-page dissertation. Won't graduate until 2017. Virtually no jobs. This might be one of the funniest e-mails I've ever received. After making me laugh out loud, it did give me a reality check. School is a big commitment. And I've never really been great with commitment. Or decisions. Or niche work. Or homework. Which means on to my other ideas for capitalizing on my cultural interests.
that rules.
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