Crossroads

I've spent the past couple of days in FL (not so sunny this time around) with my bestfriend. She has relocated here for work and as she transitions to a new position and place to live, I can't help but think about my own position in life at the moment. I just submitted a milestone for my graduate project, meaning in just a couple of months I will be the master of something (depsite feeling there is so much more to learn). I have been conflicted on the next step and as I get this question over and over again, "what are you going to do next?" I confidently rattle off the two big plans I have and hope for while secretly supressing the other plan that is and always will be a possibility. As stated in the last post, i'm designing an education program for the shelter I work for. This program and the opportunity to implement this program has been something I have been sending into the universe with the hopes that it will become a reality. Although I'm excited about the aspect of teaching, particulary some of the more challenging students, my stomach does flips thinking about the opportunity to not only teach but to design, to create, to make change. I'm trying not to set my hopes too much on this job at the shelter becoming a reality because if it doesn't happen i'll be disappointed. I always like to keep a plan or two in my back pocket just in case and I will gladly step into a classroom on the first day of school as Ms.Wright and do what I can and give all that I can to my students. But something keeps telling me to just hold on because something is coming my way, I just need to be patient.

The other plan that has not really been mentioned and something that I have not really stated aloud is returning to Africa. A shocker for some and may be not, but something that is always and will always be an option and very viable option in my book. I know that I will go back one day, I know that my time here is only temporary but how temporary I have no idea at the moment. I may stay a year, 5 years, or 10 at this point all I know is that I will return one day, ready to embrace all the beauty that is there, the warmth in the sun and people, the contentment and peace once felt that i'm slowly creating here. So right now, i'm at a crossroads. What will be the next step, which door will open and where will I be led. Staying attunded to signs and feelings presented, something tells me i'll be in D.C just a little bit longer.

Excited.

I love what I do. If you're like most people in my life, you're not quite sure what it is I do and therefore have no idea of what I love. I love being in the field of education, more especially being able to design education programs that open up access to more opportunities for an individual that may not have access or were given limited access. As part of my masters I have been given the opportunity to design a project that I am passionate about and shows the skills I have acquired during my graduate experience. For someone who has only been in this field for a brief period of time, I am proud of the portofolio I have created and that I am creating. I have designed a range of programs that address various issues. I've designed programs for rural girls in Malawi, GBV(gender based violence) victims and communities affected by it in the eastern Congo, programs for Sudanese (particulary South Sudanese) refugees and IDPs (internally displaced people), female juvenile offenders and the list goes on. I have always been excited to be given the opportunity to examine an issue then figure out feasible solutions to those issues and design a program that addresses those issues. So why am I excited now? My current project (as mentioned, for my masters) is challenging and fun and exciting and gives me butterflies just thinking about the possibilities of this project and how I can take this project from paper to life. So what is this project that has me so hot and bothered? I'm designing an educational/job readiness/life skills program for the women's shelter I currently work for. I have been at this shelter for a little over a year (minus my time in S.Sudan) and something I have noticed is there is not a lot of program offerings for our residents that will help them transition into their next step. Now, i'm not saying that my shelter doesn't do what they're supposed to do, but given resources and what's already available in DC in terms of programs for homeless adults, my shelter focuses it efforts elsewhere. BUT we are moving and expanding our program which will result in an increase in residents. As we expand it time for us to expand our program offerings to become a more comprehensive shelter that approaches our residents from a more holistic manner.

There is a lot of work ahead of me to get this program done in time for my class deadlines but more especially making sure I hand over the best quality project I could to my shelter. I'm swimming in the work, but it makes it a lot easier that it's something i'm excited to be doing.


(My fingers are crossed that I will be the person to actually implement the actual program once the time comes).

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.....super excited!

Back in the game.

When it rains it pours they say, I believe it except when you have control over the rain. It no longer is rain but a shower and you determine the pressure, the temp, and the length of time it lasts. I knew that when I was sick, that would be my final hurrah to really relax and not doing anything because the shower is on, hard, warm, and long. As I create sticky notes on my computer to remind me of all the impending deadlines I have coming up, meetings I have to attend and social activities to keep my sanity, I realized that no one in their right mind would do something like this to themselves. In the next month I have to prepare for an exam, write a proposal for a dual degree masters program to hopefully be implemented at the university I attend, conduct an assessment and analysis of education/life skills programs for homeless women, conduct surveys and write up the rationale for the education/life skills program I am creating for the shelter I work for in addition to writing up an assessment of current offerings in the area and to top it off I still have another class I have to do work for and 3 part time jobs (don't ask).

I called my mom telling her how i'm going to miss not sleeping 7-8 hours a night and she told me to suck it up basically (got to love the honesty). She then went on to tell me she did it with 4 kids, a home to manage and a full time job and that I have done it before so this is no different and that I can and will do it.

So I sit here with color coded sticky notes starring at me with a smile on my face. Although I have one heck of a month ahead of me, i'm doing and working on things i'm passionate about and things that will help me progress in my career. So....

Let the games begin!