Ate So Far:
Can of Diet Sprite (0 Cal, 0 Fat, 0 Carbs)
1/4 cup of almonds (180 Cal, 14 Fat, 6 Carbs) (Not my best meal but all I had that I could make without water due to water shut down)
Knitted So Far:
4 new rows! I'm shaping the triangle section of my Kri-Kerchief.
This week has definitely been one of ups and downs. When living on campus you are truly at the mercy of the university's policy changes. I don't mean small policy changes like "no more chicken soup on Wednesdays." I mean policy changes that are done without involving the student body that DIRECTLY affect the student body.
This is my mini rant as I had been fuming about this since I discovered the change to the point that I wrote stern emails to the higher ups at the university and am still hoping for a response.
Monday night I went to class for the first time (Last week I was driving back and forth with my sister trying to get my car out of the shop). I left class at 7:30 that night and waited by the bus stop that I always waited by to head home to the far west side of campus (classes are on the east side). I waited...and waited...and waited...for over an hour. I called the bus service 4 times, the first three times the phone rang until it automatically disconnected, the last time someone finally picked up. It was then, four phone calls and an hour later that I find out that bus no longer runs. Now for us who live on the west side of campus, we have to take the east campus route to an obscure stop and wait for another bus to take us to the west side of campus. That was upsetting enough being in a part of the city that is not exactly safe but then I discover this West Campus bus no longer stops at the dorms at all but stops a block away! Are you serious? Seriously?! So not only do I have to transfer between two buses at night in the dark but I have to walk home alone in the dark? This makes sense when we receive numerous emails about violence and crimes against UIC students? Policymakers! Listen up! Students who come to your university expect some reasonable level of security! Let's be responsible here! Dropping off students away from their dorms in the dark is not acceptable. What's even more nerve-wracking is that my dorm is directly across the street of Cook County Hospital. Cook County Hospital is not the swankiest of hospitals like Rush or University of Chicago. It looks nothing like it did in the show ER. Let's be reasonable, people please.
End Rant
So these lemons that are just growing through the week til Wednesday. Wednesday I had my first meeting with my internship adviser. I was understandably nervous being this is my first internship ever. I had no idea what to expect or what was expected of me. So I had my meeting yesterday and right away we start discussing what I would be doing. Originally I applied for my Masters to become a special educator. After the first year, it dawned on the professors and myself that being a teacher in a classroom may not be the best place for me. The professors did say that I could achieve success at school and learn all the techniques but my hearing would prove to be a challenge that could adversely affect my students. Had I been in a Deaf classroom with Deaf children, that would be a different case but children with Autism, Downs Syndrome, Cognitive Delays, and the like need their teachers to be fully aware, which includes hearing. I was sad about it but first and foremost I do not want to be a determent to any student out there. So it was time to figure what to do next. My internship adviser suggested I switch concentrations and look into careers in early intervention or transition services in which I would still be servicing children with disabilities, but in a different capacity. I don't need to tell you, dear reader, that I was all kinds of cool with that. If anything, this is more toward what I do enjoy which is consulting, educating, and advocating. I want to be the one fighting for my student to have everything he or she needs and be given every opportunity to be full participating members of society.
So back to the meeting...
We agreed that I would start investigating different agencies, interviewing students and professionals who work with children with needs, and starting a resource guide to early intervention and transition services as well as student input onto what they would like. I loved the meeting. I was so inspired and still am. This is doable and not only will I be able to accomplish my requirements but I will be able to learn so much from the students and other people. I just feel so blessed. I was in school so decorum is vital so I couldn't squeal for joy in the halls, so I did squeal for joy in thanks on Ravelry.
Now I still have the bus issue to contend with but the bus issue is so small when compared to the great light shined on my path and how I can serve Him. Since I've started this journey into knowing my God, I always was afraid that I would miss the clues on what was my purpose. Why did I loose my hearing? Why did I struggle so much in school? I just felt like I got some big answers and a big red arrow pointed "THIS WAY MELI!" This is how He can work through me...more so this is how He intended to work through me. How can I not be just bursting in joy and gratitude? I can't so now that I'm in my dorm room. *SQUEEEEEL!!!*
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