Student to Teacher

L-R: Ashley, Holly, Katie, and Me at
Berea's December 2011 Graduation.

Less than a year ago, I was this person -->

A happy-go-lucky student only interested in friends, food, and passing grades. Little did I know the events that would follow would change my life.

With May came graduation. That "Yes! No more school!" feeling but also the "Wait! I don't want to leave yet!" sensation. There were tearful goodbyes and lots of hugs and promises to keep in touch (which I've at least mostly kept!) It was a joyful flight home, my thoughts on my lovely new degree, the things I could do, and the places I could go.

That amazing week start quickly turned into the worst week of my life. No one wants to get the fateful news their parent has passed away. Exactly one week after graduation, this was indeed the news I received. I must say I was lucky, though, that my granny and older brother were in town visiting that weekend and my younger brother and I didn't have to go through it alone or make all the phone calls.

Since finding about my impending employment abroad, people have been asking what my mom would think. I honestly think she'd be happy and sad, but ultimately proud of me. She'd be sad I'm leaving for a year or more, but happy and proud I've found a way to follow my dreams. I've wanted to be a teacher since first grade. That desire hasn't wavered, though the desired grade has changed though the predominate one is high school, maybe some early college. For most places in the US, it requires and education degree of some kind. To get a Masters around here, I have to have classroom time and money - neither of which I have.

When Leandra offered the knowledge of a position near here, I grabbed at it. I was low on options, living off my friends and family's generosity. This was something for me to do on my own, to finally get on the path I wanted to be on. I don't know how you would go about finding and contacting a school normally since I had Leandra as my go-between, but the paperwork is the same.

And that I'll go into tomorrow.