When I was younger I had a lot of dreams of what I wanted to do when I grew up. I came up with many different ideas ranging from Veterinarian to Astronaut, Doctor to Lawyer. While I didn't have the typical girl dreams of growing up to have the perfect wedding or to find the perfect man, I still figured some of that would happen for me. I also never dreamed of being a princess. I was way to tomboyish to be thinking junk like that. What is the practical application of pretending to be a princess anyhow? So few women in the world ever even become a princess let alone are born into the opportunity that it just seems silly to this day.
Anyhow, as I got older and went to college I still had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up. I couldn't wait to be all grown up, but what to do was completely a mystery to me. I started college thinking I would be an aerospace engineer, then I switched gears towards being a doctor. I realized quickly that I didn't try very hard at school so these options weren't really feasible. I finally picked a degree in History and a second degree in Spanish. It seemed like a good fit since I love telling stories and I could speak Spanish pretty well already. I started asking around at the career center about what I could do with these different vocations. Turns out the person working that day believed I would be best suited for teaching.
I thought about this for a while and I guess I wanted more. Why? Was I above teaching? (the answer is quite simply absolutely not) Was I not ready for the commitment of my days and nights to a bunch of kids I didn't even know? The answer was that I wanted to get away from home. So I found another avenue, the military and the ROTC program. I did two years and I was given a career by Uncle Sam as a Navigator. I moved to Texas and started training a month after graduating college and began thinking that I might want to do something else with my life. What?!?!?! Really, I began asking what else I could do both for the Air Force and in general.
After a year of training I moved to Omaha, Ne and spent six years working as a Navigator. I deployed a few times to different locations and made a home with my husband. We were fortunate enough to get pregnant and now have our two little crazy people which completely changed my world. So I again began to ask, what do I want to do when I grow up? Finally it hit me... I have no clue, but whatever it is I can do it. I considered all the above mentioned items (well minus aerospace engineer and astronaut) again and still couldn't come up with anything. Then I thought about the fact that in the military the part I liked the most was when I was teaching. I instructed younger members in the AF in the exact job I was in at the time. I loved it. I enjoyed watching people get different concepts and figure out how to do their job better or just differently. I was passionate about my job and about doing it well so it came easily. I could really do this... maybe.
Anyhow, as some of you know I left my "career" in the Air Force and became a stay at home mom. I am still not 100% sure what I want to be when I grow up, but I am hoping to become a teacher at some point. The plan is to wait until the kids are in school so I can spend as much time with them as possible during their younger years. I don't know if my chances are better or worse living in a small town, but I am staying optimistic. I also decided I want to get a post baccalaureate in Math and work on getting certified as well. Who knows what will happen, but I have my entire life to decide what I want to do so I better keep asking.
I don't think most people really know what they want to do. Everyone just gets a job and lives with it.
ReplyDeleteI love being a secondary Math teacher. It is the best job ever. You don't have to grade really long research papers but get to help kids with a subject that is needed in everyday life.
I can't wait to go back to teaching once my kids are older and in school! I do like being home but I miss working with people who can wipe their own bottoms...haha.
There are so many out there that have no idea what they want to do so you are definitely not alone!! I can't make up my mind either :o)
ReplyDeletefyi...we are very partial to Omaha b/c Rob is from there and his whole family lives there!! We almost decided to move there but decided not to b/c of the crazy weather!
Nikki, I think you would be, scratch that, ARE an amazing teacher already! Nobody knows what they want to do when they grow up because I don't think we really ever grow up. I just know what you can do as a teacher because look at my husband. He's a rockin' nav mostly to your credit and so he has had many opportunities come his way because of it. Your being an awesome teacher for him has helped him be an awesome teacher as well.
ReplyDeleteYou already spend every day teaching anyway. Look at your wonderful little babies who are so smart beyond their age. That didn't come out of nowhere. I think any kid would be lucky to have you teach them and parents would be thankful their kids have a teacher who gives a damn about their success. Maybe IF we ever have babies we'll move to WA just so our kiddos can have Miss Nikki as a teacher! After all, it worked out well for their Daddy!