Experiences and People that Influenced My Life

Experiences That Influenced My Life

Everyone has experiences that influenced their lives. For me, there are some very special people and events that made a significant contribution to my college education and my commitment to help make the world a better place. I consider these people and events a blessing, as it has shaped my view on education and the world. One major event that shifted my concept regarding the difference education plays on people was, when I had the privilege of traveling to the Amazonian forest of Ecuador. This trip would have not been possible without the persistence of my grandmother, a teacher, who has contributed immensely to my education. Thirdly, Coach Pond, my fifth grade teacher, has taught me why teachers greatly impact the world and how their work can change a life.

My life was changed at the age of eighteen, right after I finished graduating from high school. At this point, I was not entirely convinced teaching was a profession I wanted to pursue even though when I was little that was all I wanted to be. My grandmother and parents advised that I go on holiday, as I was not working. I decided to go to Ecuador, as my parents are from there and I haven’t seen my family in two years. After my first week there, my grandmother asked me if I wanted to see where she worked when she started student teaching, as she has just retired. When my grandmother told me we were going to the amazon forest, I was completely shocked. I never imagined that a city gal like my grandmother once taught in the amazon for four years. I was nervous as what I was going to find when I arrived, as I have only heard horrible stories of people dying of malaria or being eaten by wild animals. The tour guide assured me that this was the least of my worries. I was confused by his comment, as I did not think I would see anything worse than a big lion trying to eat me. The moment we drove into the first village we were visiting, I understood his comment.

Amazonian Communities 

Being raised in Northern Virginia, I was used to building, cars, and a lot of noise. Now, I am not ignorant to the conditions other people live around the world, to see it first hand was another thing. The first image I have in my head and one I will always take with me is children who were carrying a child. In America, while teen pregnancy is still somewhat looked down on, in the forest of Ecuador it somehow seemed to be a “trend”.  Later I found out, that the younger you have a child the more value you hold to your family. We were only in this particular area for about two hours, but in those two hours I made the connection that no education means continuing a cycle of poverty. This is found to be true all over the world if you really think about it. While they did have an educational system it was falling apart. This was due to the lack of importance they put on education. This was because they did not see an immediate reward to it. Boys were needed on the fields to help with harvest not in a classroom for six hours. Girl needed to bare children and do house work, not aspire to take on a man’s role or know more than him. Lack of supplies was another big factor on why education was not seen as important. It is very costly to build multiple buildings with electricity that allows for an effective learning environment. It is as simple as girls not always having proper sanitary supplies for their menstruation. Preventing them from going to school for up to two weeks and falling behind.  There were so many other factors that contributed to why education was not made a priority that it really made me what to change all that. I left that place feeling helpless at first, then realizing that if only they had someone to look up too or fought to change their situation would they have a different life. This inspired me to commit to wanting to be a teacher, significantly changing my college education. I was mad that not everyone was given the educational opportunities I was. Due to mostly their gender and the role they played in their community. I immediately told my grandmother that this was such an emotional experience for me. She in return told me, that this is a battle she has been fighting as an educator for the past forty years.

My grandmother, my sister (left) and me (top right)

My grandmother was the reason why I was able to experience going to such an underprivileged part of Ecuador. If I would have not taken such a life impacting trip, I would not be in this class. After our trip, I still had about two weeks left of my holiday. Those two weeks reinforced even more my commitment to make a change, even if it only impacted one person. For two weeks I asked her everything about her experience as an educator.  I had no idea the amount of work my grandmother did outside of her city when it came to trying to establish an educational system throughout her country. She strongly believed everyone needed to be educated and worked with non-profit organizations to get funding for school to have basic needs. I was able to see that being a teacher was not only a job that stayed in your classroom, but one should transcend outside your classroom walls. She was committed to making the world a better place by going out of her way and doing all she could, even if this meant working long hours. She told stories on how she would tutor students on weekends if they were falling behind. Even my mother recalls meeting her best friend through my grandmothers as she was tutoring her on a Sunday at their home. It amazes me that she would go through such length to make sure she was being the best teacher she could be. To this day, her passion lives through me.  It has contributed significantly to my college education in that I do not just see this as a “degree” or a job.

My Grandmother graduating College

Another teacher who greatly influences my life including my college education and my commitment to the make the world a better place is, my fifth grade teacher, Coach Pond. When I think of Coach Pond, I think of encouraging, happy, loving, and caring. There is a reason why she has been Teacher of the Year, and this is because she cares. It is very hard to find someone who is so invested in the success of the people around them and will truly bend their back to make sure that you are doing the best you can. She made learning encouraging and inviting and never did she make me feel intimidated or afraid. Her motto was that she was there to coach us along not to teach us. It amazes me that I can still remember the feelings I had around her, even so many years later. I think the key to her success in reaching her students and impacting their lives revolved around her wanting to know you as an individual. This is a feeling I hope to one day transmit to my students and those I teach.  She encouraged me to contribute my gifts and knowledge so that other may also benefit from them. What is the point of having a gift, if we do not share it? We need to use our abilities, gifts, and talents to help contribute to make the world a better place.

 

One of the many activities Coach Pond had us do. In this case we were learning about Greece. So instead of just learning about Greece she transported us into their world, Greek Wars...Experiential Learning at its finest. I still remember most of Greek history!

People I have met, events and personal experiences have shaped truly shaped me. This was all due to some experiences that influenced my life that included having the privilege of traveling to an underprivileged part of Ecuador with my grandmother. Whose dedication to making sure she did all she could to making sure people had the resources needed to have an education and her passion for teaching. As the same for Coach Pond, who made me want to learn and follow her example on how simply caring makes me want to go out in the world and do the same. Even if that means only making a significant contribution to one’s person college education and their commitment to help make the world a better place through their experiences.