Learn. Teach. Inspire.

In order for everything in my life to flow in the right direction, I have to be on top of things at all times.  Ever since the beginning of graduate school, I have balanced work and my studies in a way that works for now, but I always have to be aware of when I scheduled what.  At the same time, I also have to work in some hours for leisure (like to write this blog entry!).  How do I inspire myself?  What makes all the time and work I invest in my activities "worth it?"  

This semester I have some hard classes.  One reason I decided to only go with four is that I have my capstone course, heavily research-based and directed towards a master's thesis.  Secondly, I have other courses on which I want to lend extra focus, as they will be valuable for future studies and work.  The third reason is still up in the air, but I'm also in an advanced seminar that examines the politics and economics of counterinsurgency policies, a multifaceted study that integrates a lot of things I haven't even learned yet.  In doing so, there is a good chance that this 12-credit semester could be much harder than the 15-credit behemoth I had last semester.  In the end, should everything go as planned, I will have a much broader knowledge of things that will propel me into a rewarding career.

As many of you know, I work as an English teacher while getting my master's degree.  I teach English as a Second Language (ESL) for a company called Open English, which was founded in 2006 as a means to help young professionals who don't have time to access a traditional brick-and-mortar school.  I've been at this job for about a year now, and it has truly been a godsend, in terms of providing hours and wages to live a normal life.  At the same time, it's a job:  I have to figure out what my students are doing right and wrong in a very short window of time, and help them to do it better.  While I don't make the emotional connections that most teachers make with their students, as I cannot see their faces while I teach, I still have to provide them with the best product for their money.  If my students don't walk out of each class learning at least one new thing, I haven't earned my paycheck.  Each hour I spend with them is an investment both directions:  not only do they want to learn English, but I also want to bring English to these people to better connect with the world.  I'm basically investing hours and hours of labor to better connect the world, serving as a conduit to better understanding.  Balancing this job with my studies can be difficult at times, but the biggest reward (aside from the money) is keeping my Spanish and Portuguese language skills sharp to be able to do research outside the United States.

As I teach and learn at the same time, it eats up a lot of my schedule.  That's where inspiration needs to find its place.  Sure, I can put a lot of my work off to the end of the semester:  however, I made that mistake last semester, and I still haven't forgiven myself for all the stress I went through in the month of April.  I lost a lot of confidence, faith, and trust in myself, and I can't let the distractions of everyday life keep me from the final prize:  an education and a healthy amount of credibility.  Therefore, I turn back to faith, something that sticks with me even when I don't do a good job of sticking with it.  Some verses from Scripture for the day:

Proverbs 18:15 - The heart of the intelligent acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

1 Kings 3:5-9 - In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said: Whatever you ask I shall give you.  Solomon answered: “You have shown great kindness to your servant, David my father, because he walked before you with fidelity, justice, and an upright heart; and you have continued this great kindness toward him today, giving him a son to sit upon his throne.  Now, LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant, king to succeed David my father; but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act— I, your servant, among the people you have chosen, a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted.  Give your servant, therefore, a listening heart to judge your people and to distinguish between good and evil. For who is able to give judgment for this vast people of yours?”

A final thought:  the pursuit of knowledge is a long process, but it should never end at its acquisition.  Knowledge is to be shared, enriching the world to move towards better understanding of their surroundings.  Make yourself into a door that revolves, rather than one that opens and shuts:  always be accepting of new users without continuously moving, being of no value to anyone.  Be a conduit to bring about liberating the world.