|
Follow Journal of a Future Teacher on social media!
This post is a sister to the short story, “The Waiting Game.” To read an in-depth reflection of waiting for an ultimate decision, please read the short story here.
"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood.
And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far I could To where it bent in the undergrowth." (excerpt from Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken") I’ve been hiding something from you. For the past year, I have been making plans behind the scenes while biting my fingernails in impatience and anxiety. It’s time for college seniors to announce their post-graduate jobs, adventures, and graduate school placements. So, in the spirit of celebration, I will end this post with a similar announcement. However, first I’d like to glimpse into the path to get here. To begin, let me revisit the stanza of Robert Frost’s famous poem, The Road Not Taken. My soon-to-be-college-graduate feeling of uncertainty is articulated eloquently in these few lines. I shared the same vision of two diverging roads and the inability to see through the undergrowth. When I started to piece together my future after graduation, I stood in only the yellow wood with no sense of direction. Where am I going to work? Where am I going to live? How am I going to start my career?
As the months passed, I researched opportunities that soon transformed into the two roads laid before me. One road was my dream –a dazzling possibility. The other road, the alternative, was predictable. As my friends started to forge their own roads and piece together their futures, I remained at a crossroads: waiting, uncertain, trying to see which road showed more promise and clarity. But, as you might imagine, looking down two roads at once is difficult. Similarly, planning futures at once is nearly impossible. Ultimately, the choice of which road I took was not mine. Unlike the poem, I dealt my cards and entered the infamous waiting game. So, with that introduction, I guess it’s time for the big reveal! (Unless you’ve already heard the announcement. Spoiler alert! Check social media.) (Drumroll, please). I was selected for a Fulbright ETA (English Teaching Assistantship) Scholarship to Uruguay! In March 2024, I will teach English and serve as a cultural ambassador for the United States for eight months. When I first heard about the Fulbright Program, I immediately related to its mission of cultural reciprocity and global citizenship. As a grantee, I am committed to developing a mutual understanding between myself and my host country, Uruguay. For the past few years, I dreamt of teaching English abroad in a Spanish-speaking country. In this position, I will build relationships with students and colleagues founded on mutual respect, understanding, and curiosity. As a future teacher, I firmly believe effective educators are lifelong learners, active listeners, and curious explorers. Learning and teaching go hand in hand. I am eager to learn about Uruguayan culture and history and deepen my knowledge of teaching English as a foreign language. So, in a way, I am taking the road less traveled. I forged a second path of possibility. But I suppose everyone’s crossroads and forests look different. Like all emerging professionals, I will face more crossroads, barriers, and fog. And I will likely play another round of the waiting game. But for now, I cherish clarity and the gift of knowing what comes next. And my, what an adventure my future will be! Previous post
|
AuthorMeghan Hesterman (she/her) is an aspiring educator, storyteller, and traveler. Through regular posts and commentary, she candidly reflects on her evolution as an educator and young adult. Categories
All
Archives
February 2025
|
RSS Feed