Diversity is important to me. I was diverse before I ever considered becoming a teacher. It has been through searching for new experiences that put me in leadership roles. Even after college, I couldn't answer when people asked me what I wanted to do for work. At 22, I wanted to do everything and nothing, but ultimately be the one who makes the choice to do what I want when I want. For some, this statement can be selfish, but that depends on what is wanted. I wanted freedom, feelings, understanding, and challenges. Sometimes I experienced one or all at the same time. When I said, "I'm going to be a teacher" it came after being a student in many diverse situations; living in Paris as a bartender; herding goats in southern Spain; working on a horse ranch in Montana; a Peace Corps volunteer in Turkmenistan; riding a bicycle from Istanbul to France; a surfing busboy on the island of Kauai; teaching at an orphanage in India; high school teacher at a juvenile detention center; 1st grade teacher in Nicaragua; and soon a father and husband.
We are all students and teachers of life. What made teaching so accessible to me was that I wanted to share. The more I shared, the more life shared back. Teaching and my passions have made a good team. They complement one another. The more I begin to get passionate about a subject, the more I am able to share. Teaching is not for everyone, and if it was there wouldn't be as many amazing teaching opportunities available around the World. I'm grateful to be a teacher and able to experience classrooms as diverse as me.
