Balancing Work and Family Life

Meetings at work ...and reading session and play time at home with my daughter

My current work designation is Head/ Principal (that is how it's commonly called)  of Senior High School of a State University.   The work assignment was given to me last April, 2016.  I was up for the challenge.  The months of April and May were spent preparing for the opening of a new school year 2016 - 2017 - hiring new faculty, facilitating orientation - the senior high school program, manual for operations, designating faculty members for subject area coordinator.  I also ran meetings, big assemblies, extended training with a team of speakers/ facilitator to the state university external campus, monitoring implementation, wrote many letters requesting for approvals, faced interview in a television network, joining meeting called by the mayor's office and so many more.

The main point is, my life changed as fast as that from a university professor in the field of psychology (though I am still handling the subject) to the nitty gritty of leading the senior high school.  Thus, the usual, going home from work has changed from leaving home so early to coming home at night.  The pressures at work has consumed me that at one point I had to decide to be off from work for a day just to take a rest and just be with my little girl.  

There are sacrifices to do.  I have to always remind myself to balance work and family life.  At my end, I feel that when I am home, it means really home and not touch any of my work.  There are weekends when I just have to linger with my husband and daughter ...mostly with my daughter.  Though I have time with my husband sometimes watch movie together and eat out.  But I always think bringing along my daughter and of course really doing it.  

I had to make time.  To consciously make time for my family.  My daughter is such a sweet girl and I feel her when she just wraps her arms around me, clings for few minutes and totally feel her longing of my presences.  The brief moment we have and my husband is such a beautiful ...so wonderful time that I could simply be lost and forget about work. Thank you God for the simple love and gift of family.

Truly balancing entails conscious effort but it is never such a struggled stride.  Just a transition from the busy work to the most comforting loving home you gave me and my family.:-)

STUDENTS' ACCOUNTABILITY

I wrote the article below months ago which I decided not to post yet due to lack of meat in its content...here goes...

https://ethicsandsociety.org/2016/01/19/recommendations-and-resources-exploring-faculty-responsibilities-toward-students-in-distress/

One student approached me in panic about not being able go take his midterm exam.  The first reason he presented was due to being late during the exam so he did  not push through in entering the classroom.  I told him about valid reasons that are being considered.  And he added " oh i brought my sibling to the hospital".  That part i thought he was already lying.  And I said, "the answer is No".  

In the afternoon, he visited me at the office and brought a copy of the student handbook of the university.  He must have thought I did not know the policy.  Truly, I felt insulted by that but still, I got his copy and showed it to my colleague.  I felt his panic though, I still said "no".  Policies are there to guide, yet in the  end, it will always be the teacher or instructor's discretion to allow the student to take or not.  What was not tolerable if I may stress my point on my resistance is the obvious lies being piled up to make it appear convincing.

Another incident yesterday during my first period class was with another student who came inside my class who I hardly knew to belong to my class.  I immediately blurted upon her entry " are you my student?  you don't look familiar",  She stated that she was only absent for a week before the midterm.  But I could not be wrong.  My class is relatively small.  There are less that 40 of them and some are absent.  Since she did not take the midterm exam,  I could not allow her to join that session so I told her to meet me after the class at the office.  

When we talked, the best and striking part was seeing her reaction when I showed her the attendance. She gave me that pale face with a look of disbelief and embarrassment.  She only showed up during the prelim.  From that she blurted " i thought ma'am you are not checking the attendance".  Since I caught her in that lie,  She still asked to take the midterm exam.  And I finally ended our discussion with the statement "my decision is final, you are dropped in my class".  Though she uttered reasons such as she worked up to 12 midnight and that it was difficult to come by as early as 7:30 am, I had to be firm with my decision.  She piled up her lies until she was plainly caught with he facts I presented.

The above are only few of those challenging cases I have encountered, apart from forging of signatures during signing of attendance, enumerated excuses and reasons why not certain things are done.  It would all boil down to taking responsibilities and facing the many challenges of student life.  Excuses and explaining loses the strength and chance of growth.  What these students are afraid of actually is the pain when not being admitted in classes or when teacher says NO to their requests.  They just want to get what they want at the fastest, easiest and most convenient instance.  They just want to get things their way not adhering or submitting to process of the arduous discipline of education.

What can I do then?  I will just have to say it plainly...there are times when I would have to say NO no matter how painful it is to tell my students...THERE ARE RESPONSIBILITIES TO FACE...AND THEY NEED TO LEARN FROM THEM...

PS...the first student I shared...still I gave him his chance for the exam...we discussed...and told him..he did not have tell stories to convince me...the TRUTH is more than enough ...:-)

My Little Girl's Summer Fun

dang-justaboutanything.blogspot.com

No matter how busy work is for me, I always find and make time for my family, my daughter in particular.  with great leap of joy in my heart that she has started to make friends with neighbor kids (sophie, zy, enjo, pau and tanya), I thought of the many ways to create that venue for these children to have fun.  such as swimming, biking, running around, eating together, walking around the streets, etc.

We have also agreed to a one weekend barbecue and swimming gathering with all of them as agreed by all of the mothers  which  I thought of it as a perfect idea as this would expose more my daughter with socializing with friends.  We also agreed on what food to bring since it would extend up to lunch time bonding.

From mikaela's first experience,  I did not allow her to stay in the water long since I observed her to be so cold already.  I knew then that the she could only sustain few minutes with her teeny winny cutie two-piece bikini hmmmm...She really looked skinny in it.  Anyway, that's what she looked like in that swim.  I knew she need to put on more flesh...what I can do with her feature...she is all vege diet rarely blended with meat.

Anyway, the weekend that we agreed to have that party gathering was postponed as some of her friends could not make it due to health condition.  I pray that all of them shall be well by the next weekend to push through with the fun fun time with my girl and her friends...:-)

Less Material Possessions is More Freedom

http://tinybuddha.com/blog/path-freedom-stop-controlling-defining-yourself/ - by Falan Storm

I got the title from my 3-minute retreat material (www.loyolapress,com).  Let me quote further the article which states that “  Sound strange? (the title).. when we depend on God for what we truly need, we discover an inner freedom, which is God’s gift.  Recognizing our dependence on God frees us from working so hard to accumulate things that we can’t take with us when we die.  The only treasure worth working for is the Kingdom of God.  Nothing else matters.”

Truly the statement is strange yet  I found great treasure of truth in it.  With all the “lies” going on around us everyday such as getting more and be popular, be in the spotlight by highlighting all our accomplishments, I get to feel a momentary happiness at being acknowledged.  I am not even certain of the word “happiness” if I could ever use it with what I feel.  I just feel strange at it. 

The drive to do something at this time in my life has a lot to do with my little girl.  I feel like working so hard to secure her future.  She is just 3 years old and I am not even comfortable talking about death as it means  permanently leaving her. You see I have to gather my courage to state death.  But looking at it makes me think more of simplifying life. 

But how could less material possession mean more freedom? As I look at it, more of it means attachment.  More of it would make us more attached to earthly life…and fear death more.  Simplifying life would mean unattached and so we can just leave anything anytime.  It would also mean trusting God more to take care of those we left behind. 

That’s the greatest freedom of all.  And we can all the more be free to extend ourselves without really focusing on giving material things.  As it is true that any gift is a symbolic representation of the self.  But then still the greatest giving that the bible stated is the gift of self.

When my mother died, I thought of God as being punitive.  I thought He took away the one that I love so much.  Yet at the moment, my mother’s death turned out to be that “seed of heroism”,  a shedding of a blood for the one she loves.  Her death turned out to be the greatest growth and purification of my person.  From her death, I learned to live life acknowledging the fact that our life is not permanent.  I looked forward to living my life well as my own mother lived her life well training and shaping us in love and sacrifice through her mission - motherhood. 

We didn’t have much of materials possessions.  My mother’s simple desire was to own a small house and see her children finish their studies.  When she died, she did not have the second one in me yet.  I was then struggling over her death that I thought of dropping out of school.  But then I felt her everytime I would think of giving up.  I thought of a mother who never gave up on praying and hoping despite physical distance.  I felt her strong faith in God. 

Her last statement before her death “ please take care of my sons and daughters” was still her concern prior to her last.  Yet at this time in my life, I know in my heart, that she truly stored her true riches.  Her letting go and embrace death was her total surrender and submission to God’s will for us as a family.  She did not spend her days on earth storing materials possessions.  She spent most of her time loving us so heaven can be hers. 

She had to go as God commanded.  God found her so free to go…:-)

Reference : 

http://www.loyolapress.com/3-Minute-Retreat-heavenly-treasure.htm?displang=en-US&utm_source=3mrlist&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20160229&utm_campaign=3mr&utm_term=button

My First Book "Preparing You for the World of Work" Now For Sale

It is my desire to launch the book...as of now...this is all I could to introduce the book:-)  ...the photo of the soft launching for my students

Yes...my first book entitled "Preparing you for the World of Work"  is now for sale.  This is a dream come true...an answered prayer... and a desire fulfilled...despite the many challenges I encountered in producing the book.  When I showed a copy  to some colleagues prior to this declaration, I felt the soaring inspiration to simply let it out...It was an overwhelming grace coming from God...Amen. 

The following is THE INTRODUCTION of the book :  

When I taught Career Guidance for one semester in the Graduate school, I was desperate with leveling topics to our culture.  At the end of that semester, I thought of writing one.  I lined up inclusive topics in the table of contents only to end up with the feeling of a ”lack of meat” in its content.  It was still highly technical, that I could hardly relate with it.   

I left it untouched for almost five years only to realize that my own experiences with different workplaces would be my springboard to picking up that same dream to write.  This time the writing would be filled with experiences, insights and simplicity so as readers may easily grasp the simplest and basic life ingredients that they might be able to use as they plunge into their respective workplaces.

So thankful to my models :  Alfie Jay D. Alforque and Kristine Camille T. Macesar
and to the very talented cover designer :  Maria Cecilly S. Enerio and the smart editor Ms. Christine J. Arjona:-)

There is one major twist though, this book will not really go into the technical of career path and choices.  Instead, it includes good values and the preparation for the world of work. 

  

Aside from relating this book to the Philippine setting, this is a product of those moments of desperation relative to the many challenges I have encountered in the workplaces I have been in both the academe and the corporate.  Thus, this book also intends to help – beginners for their start up, those that have engaged themselves already with work and the older and more experienced ones in their practice of their profession.  Truly an ambitious pursuit yet I cannot just wonder the rest of my life and look back and say ”what if I pursued publishing that...”

You may think that I am an expert myself.  I do not claim of any sort.  But if you would ask me if I like what I did with my jobs,   I had the passion, and I felt  I soared and expanded my horizon in all aspects of my person.  

I was also a neophyte  to leadership in a big corporation handling training and people development.  I can hardly boast of any track record with leadership. I would readily cover my face if I would face upfront with “seasoned” ones.  So you may think what I am up to writing a book with my background?

To simply answer that, I am writing based on experiences with work and with my extra, ever expanding vision with what I saw and learned from my workplaces.  The disposition to open myself to any learning experience brought forth this piece.  As a trainer, I have compiled a great deal of notes on different topics from where participants of the training have responded to and fully participated in by bringing out their own experiences that added new insights to what I have. 

Soon enough I thought  what can be more helpful than putting everything together - notes and experiences in a book that anyone could run to if he needs anything that could help shape and guide his path to the practice of his own profession that is deeply grounded on good values and formation.

Again, this book is simply written.  Language used does not have the jargon in any field.  When there is as quoted, it is simplified so as to reach out to a vast number of readers.  Moreover, this book does not attempt to compete with those written with the technical terms in Human Resource or Career Guidance. 

  

The highlight of this book is on FORMATION OF VALUES.  Since everything that I saw to be very essential to working highlights commitment to work,  personal attitude and people we are relating with everyday.   Everything boils down to character from the simplest individual to those taking the highest position in any organization. 

So hop in and journey with me as I open the doors from the preparing the self , engaging, grounding and grilling to the ultimate goal of truly serving God through others...without counting the cost.

As the beautiful blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta put it, ”Many people mistake our work for our vocation.  Our vocation is ...the Love of Jesus.”

For orders Contact us at :

I poured my heart out in this project...I am confident by the help of God's grace that will soar high wherever you are in your own career...God bless you all!  My love and prayers...

Glenda "Dang" Demata- Libed:-)

The Grace Called "TIME"

http://patrickschreiner.com/?p=12406

I was searching for answers about scattering my energy in so many different ways that I felt exhausted and misdirected.  At first, I felt like I have accomplished many things as I ran through my checklist ( that is the planner in me that can't help without jotting down things to do in a day).  Still I felt like I still lack the time to do many things.  

Today, while discussing with a colleague named Suzy, she simply stated "perhaps you can ask for the grace of TIME".  That statement was like a spark in the middle of a long search.  Months have passed and I felt like everyday, I lack the time to write.  I did what I had to do at work but I always felt at the end of the day to have lacked the time to write for this blog site.  

What made me write in the past was that sort of "6th sense" in me to be able to assess an experience during the day that is worth sharing.  And I seemed to have lost that part when I could easily position myself in front of the computer and simply ...write.  So I became a "walking writer" inside my head running words as if I was writing them.  Everyday, is like a repetitive silent discourse running inside my head.  It was kind of noisy inside.  I always thought of writing them but to my dismay.  I always landed in bed tired and woke up the following day with regret at not doing it. 

Today, thus is a strong resolve to go back to writing.  My friend Suzy simply defined that grace which I need to have - "Time".  I felt like I wasted so much it months back.  I thought I did what was essential.  I did my job at work ...I think ...so well...as I see it...but God wanted to engage me more (as I see it since I felt bothered with not doing it) with His work at sending message...This time, I feel I am doing it right...

My prayer to God from this day forward is that He will give me that grace ....called "TIME" to focus on the essential part of this mission...:-) Amen...

PS: My thanks to Ma'am Suzy for that spark of "wisdom" today.  Perhaps you my friends could ask the same to God for yourself ...:-) what do you think and feel about it? 

My Blog Site Turns 5 Joyfully Hopeful Years

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=belCJJjut1A

I actually forgot posting this.  I wrote this article months back to acknowledge an initiative that I thought would not reach as far as 5 years.  Actually it brought me tot ears realizing that writing was actually my passion and I have not really acknowledged it until more than 5 years ago when I got inspired by a Jesuit priest Fr. Frank Savadera, SJ. 

Years passed swiftly.  I never expected it would "survive" and reach 5 years  (last August 2015). It was a simple journey of an unexpected hmmmm or shall I say "accidental" writer who just wanted to express some significant parts of the journey...which may and can perhaps be a message of inspiration to others.  

You may  ask "what do you mean by huge success?"... Well, my blog site never received highest point / rate in terms of those who drop by here and read.  Mine does not have the perfect grammar and sentence construction as you may have discovered them in my writings.  Mine is not even consistent in terms of publishing my writings regularly.  Moreover, as far as I know, nobody has written (except some few close friends- my "mutual admiration club" hahahhaha) a formal review about the contents of this site so that I would know how it affected them and some people.

Success thus, refers to the truest and sincerest self I had / have that does the writing despite the long moths of silence and the persistence to still stick with the journey of writing.  Success at my end does not follow some standards from the perspective of others. Success simply means just being my true self who captured some moments of sparks in a day and translated them into words.  However others perceived this site is no longer my concern.  There may be times that I thought of turning this one "off".  But still the grace remains to allow silence to occur to make my heart ripe to go back to writing.

I still thank God more than anything in this world to have still reminded me that I still have "this work" to do to continue writing to put my daily journey into writing.  

To me and to this blog site...HAPPY 5 YEARS  despite posting this late...there will be more to come...keeping it alive still by God's surprises and daily "crafting" and grilling through my heart.  

Thank you God!!!!!

The "SMALL and SIMPLE"

 

 http://www.123rf.com/photo_12033028_parenta-s-hands-holding-baby-s-hand.html

I like the most “small and simple”.  It makes life a lot easier.  The irony is that, I have the most tendency to do complicated things.  To plan out complicated ways of doing things.  To multi task so as to accomplish so much within just as short span of time.  And I always find it so tiring pursuit.  Still, a lot of times, I do them over and over again until it breaks me ..health and wellbeing combined.  I become rugged also with how I think until I noticed yesterday that I struggled with they way I said things and presented ideas to my students. 

Actually, I got the title above from a youtube Christmas movie.  A phrase stated by a mother entitled “Tis the Season for Love”  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVfayCmlfyg).  The story goes with the idea of chasing one’s dreams in the city as Broadway performer yet there was a struggle with getting the spot in the show.  When the main character decided to go home for Christmas, she found herself so at home and felt peace with what she was doing.  Special love interest brought her closer to search of finding herself.  And, the idea of the “small and simple “ came in as stated by the mother. 

“The Small and Simple”.  Yes, this one hit my heart so hard.  It always brings me back to the basic.  First application that I thought of is with my students.  I always tell and remind them about using simple words when they deliver their report.  The simple words that would make them be understood by their classmates since they have the tendency to move away from the essentials of the content. 

Second, is in facilitating discussions during workshops, trainings, conferences, etc.  I have to prepare a guide to focus on what is again essential.  I also have the tendency to “roam around” and drift away from the topic.  My skill in facilitating springs from the inner / gut feel that discussion may go far if I don’t do something to refocus or lead the discussion to the right direction.  I just have the inner sense about things to simply focus and look at the simplest and basic.

Lastly, being so busy at work, always reminds me that I have a family to go home to.  A husband and a very playful girl that waits for mommy to play and snuggle with.  For more than 5 months in my current job as a university instructor, exposes me with varied things on the job.  I felt the soaring excitement from day 1 until the moment.  But beyond busy work life on the day to day basis is a reminder …always a reminder that the smallest and simplest that I could do is to go home to my family and just be myself.   The “small and simple” for me is that which is so close to my heart.  Family.  The “Small and simple” …that is where my heart is….FAMILY.

From My Family to Yours...MERRY CHRISTMAS...LOVE...LOVE ...LOVE

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas

I just hosted a Christmas program.  What struck me prior to that was the line “perhaps there are others who may be needing us rather than expecting that we would receive something”.   I stated similar line in the opening part of the program.  And I further stated that “without Jesus being born into this world, there would not have been Christmas…December would have been  ….hmmm sort of boring”. 

This Christmas, I declared not to buy for myself(except for the shoes that I thought I should buy or else I would be on that stage with a broken strap wedding sandal which I thought I could recycle during the hosting…harhar).    It feels different to just give even with just the little that I have.  My husband is quite contented with simple things.  We just decided to give… we wanted to feel Christmas by giving.  We also decided to join “simbang gabi” almost every night (anticipated dawn masses) with our little girl. 

Though we were not able to complete it, but we like this Catholic devotion so much.  I felt Mikaela’s spirit soaring high every time we got inside the Church.  She would laugh, clap hands, dance and sing or shall I say hum music or sing words…I did not understand heahahahha.…and raised her hands during the singing of “our Father”…She was having the grandest time.  She …hmmm including myself…we made friends with our seatmate family…mostly the children…

Truly, I prayed for the grace to stay simple, humble and focused this Christmas.  To embrace friendship, love, kindness, generosity, forgiveness, healing and sacrifice for my loved ones.  To simply make others happy.  I always prayed every year for Christmas to be different…from how the world sees it. 

Lastly, the world would have been boring without Jesus in it.  Let us make this beautiful day… A TRUE LOVE DAY …to go out from our comfort zones…and TRULY LOVE. 

From my family to yours…MERRY CHRISTMAS! LOVE…LOVE …LOVE…:-)


PS:  I know i have not reached out to a lot of friends, relatives and some family members for the past months or years...but they mean so much to me...I feel so blessed that they came and became part of my journey...I am praying for all of them...:-)

My Little "Bookworm"

my daughter's fancy...books:-)

Among other things that my daughter is interested in, it is browsing books where she spends a lot of time more than playing with dolls and others toys. She cannot read yet. Furthermore, he could only mumble few words. But then, again it is books that  she mostly engage herself with.  

I would not just call it "genetic" (harharhar).  It started with the "OA" ( as in overacting whehhehe) mom in me just wanting to engage her with books as early as her fetal stage (now i can see your face shocked hahhahah).  I read stories to her as early 5 - 6 months inside my womb.  And when she came out, books are within her reach..inside her crib (with my 'supervision' )and on the floor so that she could just get anything everytime she feels like reading them.  

...And so while we watch TV at home, I catch her on the floor with her books.  Or when she seems to be so silent inside the room, I would peep and would see her reading not just those simple story books which she browsed at 1 to 2 year old.  Recently, she is browsing Catholic magazines (oh my) and books like "health and home" ( i guess she likes them... she looks like she is so engage in it).   She gets to choose what she likes to read.  She tears some of them and goes back to reading them despite the looks.  She just "reads". 

Well, at her very young age, I could not exactly tell what her impressions are since she does not verbally express them.  When I get to interfere at times, she would signal to dismiss me.  She just did not want anyone to interrupt.  She looked like thinking hard at a distance.  Though she would point some photos to me which for me is like asking me what they are.  So I would tell her about them until she would pull herself at one corner and continue with her sort of "reading" session.  

As a mom, of course, I am so proud of my "little bookworm" girl.  I get to engage her with some other activities though to balance things such as make her watch her favorite ABCD video and nursery rhymes and play with toys.  But toys usually fly up in the air and land somewhere else.  With books, she is so engaged and shall I call it so at peace and settled...

Other than that, she has neighbor friends who she spends some time in the afternoon to play with.  She would run, dance, pick tiny flowers, laugh and giggle with them, etc.  But then again...when she gets home...she would immediately pick up her ...books:-)

...way to go for my little bookworm girl:-)

Greatest Fulfillment of all...being a Mother ...to Mikaela

with my little lady Maria Mikaela

If there is something that brings a lot of joy to me.... it is being a mother. Coming home from work every single work day in a week is a leap of expectation at those beautiful, sharp innocent eyes of my daughter.  As I enter the door, I would reshape myself into a high pitched clown calling her name with body movements such as dancing, shaking of body, waving my hand...and kissing her on the forehead.  A lot of times, when her nursery rhymes are played, I would sing and dance  which she gladly join with.  

And...ooops...even with the intense desire of embracing her, I just can't do that yet, not until I clean up and change my clothes. You see, I always arrive home really hungry, but a lot of times, I forget that just to be with her...hmmm spend time feeding her while I eat, and then dance like a ...again a clown and I love it when the house is bathed with her giggle and laughter...with tears...it truly heals a tired, overworked body ...:-)

After dinner, I see to it that I will be the one to change her clothes ...preparing her for bed...But not just straight to bed.  I spread her toys on the bed including books...I see to it that it's reading and playing time with her until the prayer before bedtime.  

One time after praying the rosary as a family, she stayed in between me and my husband while uttering and repeating the words : mama, papa and baby with her giggles... My husband followed by saying..."she has a concept of ...family". Another time after praying, she brought my hand to her lips and kissed it, place it on her cheek and kissed it again and put it on her forehead and kissed it again.  That gesture ...simply brought me to tears...just the simple joy and fulfillment of being a mother:-)   ...Just the little girl...a beautiful angel that came to us at God's perfect time...

PS...one day...in the future...she will read this...no matter the circumstance...at every step and stage of my daughter's life...she could always come back and read this...that when she came to us...she completed the concept .."family".

Profound or Not...I still call it...a "Love Affair" ...

https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613465134

This writing is something very profound for me...and simple...  You see after an intense experience of  months-long live out retreat themed after the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the society of Jesus, life has never been the same.  I felt like I have renewed my commitment with life... with God himself - feeling, seeing, doing things with new depth and meaning.

Just recently, a friend( who is still in the process of knowing who and what I am like) asked me if I am religious.  I hastily answered "let's just call it...a love affair with Jesus". I guess i shocked him with my answer.  I felt the same hahha. I felt truly nervous with that. But I can never deny the fact that what I had and went through in the journey was a beautiful friendship and love that I felt, not focusing on the so called tragedies but the presence of a God that simply wanted to make me see more of him.  Now that is something profound.

Whatever my friend meant with being "religious" still I connect with the relationship that I felt growing despite the challenges that I encounter every single day.  Establishing that friendship... hmmm a love affair is in itself a grace that I continue to feel.   Well, if I could only take out my heart and feel less I would do that.  But the thing is, I am never the same.  When God found me back in his arms, I felt like he was telling me..."I will never let you go treading that wrong path, squandering your energy into something else not "useful".  

And so even if that "love affair" meant intensely feeling life...feeling God's heartbeat in everything...I will never trade that for anything.  At the moment, I feel I found the greatest treasure of all...GOD.

I invite you to reflect with me?

1.  Where are you in your journey with God?

2.  Do you feel him today?

Listen...listen...listen...

God's grace be with you!:-) with all smiles and love:-)

The Unexpected Shift - from a High School Teacher ..to a College Instructor

My discussion with a group of mechanical engineering students

Today, I feel the hunger of writing...of going back to what i love dearly...writing...writing...and writing.  I was consumed for work lately.  I just transferred work last month, June 2015 - from a high school teacher in a public school to a Psychology Instructor in a state university.  I admit I had so much to adjust with from work distance from where I live,  new work load, the bulk of readings to do from where I need to review more, prepare notes, powerpoint presentations, checking of papers, etc.

I feel though so blessed, as I did not really expect that fast transition.  I felt my silence from my previous workplace.  I finished post graduate studies with a festive celebration within my family but not really in my previous workplace.  I just embraced silence in the waiting mode as to what and where my new career would bring me.  When a dear friend last summer poured out her heart when she felt the weight and pain at not being acknowledged for a particular position, I felt the same possibility at my end (though that was the least I had in mind as I was thinking of family first after the very busy final years in the graduate school). The thought of shifting to another job did not really occur until she opened up the idea with me.  

I really hesitated at first.  I felt at first just to embrace silence, contentment and to simply be at peace.  To go home to a family is more than enough already for me.  Yet the possibility of shifting to the tertiary level was just my way of journeying with her.  My submission of that application (though I already submitted twice to the same university almost 3 years ago), was only a gesture of "just being with a friend".  But when I received a txt message two weeks after  that I was considered for hiring, I was more than shocked.  

I went to the state university still with the idea that I was going to undergo the interview process.  Little did I know that it was really and truly for hiring already.  The next scene was, I was facing a group of Vice presidents, deans and the human resource head of the university sharing their excitement of joining them as a full time employee, the opportunity of studying abroad and being assigned to a position in the university and the excitement of being engaged in the culture of research ( as mentioned by the prestigious leaders of the university in front of me that time) were overwhelming.  Furthermore, I no longer underwent the interview, teaching demonstration or the exam process.  I had them years back (except the teaching demo which I never had) so I thought they carried all my scores in the past.  

It was  mixed feelings after that.  There was that challenge to immediately tender my resignation or submit letter for transfer the following day which shocked my former colleagues.   I was given a teaching load immediately in the university, had to comply with the requirements for employment while I immediately had to hold classes the following week..  I was given the employee ID and had the biometrics for the log in and out of employees...and so many things which truly consumed my energy. 

Oh, I was just so glad that the subject that I am teaching (Applied Psychology) is like reviewing only things that I have studied (of course hehehe) and some of the topics I already facilitated in training/ workshops.

Truly, I like what I am doing right now.  I may be adjusting with the transfer / long walks from one building to the other but I take so much pleasure being part of the life of my students (or vice versa...hmmm hoping they appreciate my presence in their lives).

Well...long way to go for the new college instructor who is trying to make a difference ..again ...where she is..

Thank you dear God...for the unexpected shift...:-)