From an early age, I knew I wanted to help people. I started off as a Nursing major, but quickly realized I have zero tolerance for handling bodily fluids. I continued to explore my interests and enrolled in some Fashion and Architecture courses, too. I took a Sociology course to fulfill one of my Gen Ed requirements and that’s when I was hooked. In my college years, I had really started to purposely surround myself with likeminded friends and those whom I could learn from. I am a firm believer that “iron sharpens iron”. We would hang out at Poetry night, go to Indie movie theaters to catch documentaries, attend rallies for activism, and volunteer when we could. I knew I wanted to be a change agent. After all, one of my biggest role models in life is my late, Great Aunt who was an immigrant, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. A lot of the topics discussed in that class were so fascinating to me and that’s when I decided Sociology would be my major. 

Over the years, I continued to work in Education.  My experience ranged from Pre School to Higher Education. I have had great experiences filled with triumphs, but also many less-than-favorable moments as well. There have been days where I wanted to give up completely on Education. This was a huge reason I hadn’t done much to further my education over the past ten years; I just didn’t see a future in it. I’ve worked in so many schools that were severely poorly run, with administrations that care more about profit than the student, and unjustifiable budget cuts to programs that could truly enrich the student experience. In 2016, I was at my wits end, but decided to revisit a dream I had since graduating High School—to live and work abroad. I decided teaching abroad would the perfect opportunity to see where my heart was in regards to being an Educator. I was blessed to land what ended up being my dream job—in Seoul, South Korea. I worked at a full immersion private Kindergarten, where the curriculum revolved around STEAM. My first day at the school consisted of no training, orientation, or any background on my students. Some would say, “I was thrown to the wolves,” but I was up for the challenge. I was the only foreign teacher in that school without credentials, so I was determined to demonstrate my capabilities, despite not having the formal training. This role helped me grow in so many ways. My students were incredibly smart and loving. We had so much fun together and seeing how much they improved in deferent subject areas was just the “icing on the cake.”