Philly Dreams

philly skyline

I’ve been asked, “If you could live anywhere, where would it be?”

Hands down, every time, it’s Philly.  I fell in love with this city in 2002, when one of my college girlfriends invited me to stay with her for Thanksgiving break.  A Cali girl, all sunshine and smiles, left her heart in the City of Brotherly Love during that trip.  And let me tell you, it wasn’t a gentrified trip with tours and lattes.  I was in the hood okay? North Philly, corner stores, hoagies and a lot of interesting characters.  My friend took me to her old high school where, for the first time ever, I saw metal detectors in a school.  Like really? Where am I?  But it was great, looking back I am so glad I have these memories.

But in 2004, my love for Philly got really real. I’d become a Christian the year before, and “discovered” CHH (Christian Hip Hop).  Guess where my fave artist at the time was from?  Philly of course! Ambassador and Cross Movement introduced me to lyrical theology and I fell deeper.  I remember the day exactly, Universal City Walk, at one of those CD stores (lol) and I picked up, “The Thesis”. CHANGED MY LIFE.

ambassador

At some point I decided that I wanted to go to bible college for my Masters, and with the support of a good friend, we went on tours and talked to her pastor who graduated from the university I was considering.  Obviously that didn’t happen BUT, the greatest contribution Philly gave me is my husband, Rob.  But that’s a story for another time.

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Hey Philly, I just want you to know…I love you.

I want to teach!

In 2006 I graduated from California Baptist University with a bachelor in History. I got the degree, but it was not where I imagined I’d be when I graduated from high school. I attended Hampton University in Virginia my freshman and sophomore year of college. Initially, my major was Business, because that is what my mom wanted. After going to a business class once and looking at the required courses…I was like, NO. AND they wanted us to play chess? So I decided to become a teacher and entered their 5 year Education program where I would get my BA, MA and teaching credential. BET! My mom was not having it, but hey it’s my life. We couldn’t afford it but I’m thinking, this is a deal and I can do my HBCU thing. 3rd year, financial aid did not go through, and I was STUCK in Virginia not knowing what to do. So with the little cash I had to make the initial payment, I caught a plane to Georgia to stay with my Nana until I figured things out.

Fast forward 10 years after college and I’m a married stay at home mom living in the Midwest, homeschooling my 7-year-old daughter while my son’s at the neighborhood school in Kindergarten.

After one Midwest winter homeschooling, I’m like dude, totally not made for this.

I had a crisis and decided both kids are going to PUBLIC SCHOOL. Private school is ridiculously expensive, and I’m not giving them my money (I mean OUR money) to teach them the 3 R’s. So what am I going to do at home with kids in school? I cannot be posted in the crib looking around at my immaculately clean house. I don’t want a desk job doing admin. I don’t want to teach fitness part time. So I decided to do what I never thought I would want to do. Go back to school.

So I’m now almost halfway through this program; Masters in Secondary Education and Teaching Credential. I want to teach high school history. I know you’re like, history is boring. But I love it, and I know I can make it fun. I want to teach jaded teens history.

Am I crazy? Maybe. But I know I’m made for this and much much more.