Written by: Admin_SheEvo
When we are children we are told that we need to go to school and university in order to succeed. It was advice that I took to heart throughout my life even when going to university after finishing school was not an option due to lack of finances and bad grades. As a way to make ends meet, I took up whatever random side jobs I could until I ended up working as a secretary at a law firm. There I saw people my age and younger working in careers they loved and had studied for at university. Seeing what life could be like, that I could actually one day afford a car or a house was the inspiration I needed to rewrite my matric in order to get into university.
When my new marks came out I was happy and excited to see that not only did I pass, but I actually got really good marks. This allowed me to apply as a teacher at the University of Witwatersrand. My application was successful along with funding and a bursary. As someone who had had to wait several years to finally go to university, I told myself that I would not waste the opportunity and that I would study as hard as I could to ensure I was successful in my pursuit to be a teacher.
The first year of my studies was the hardest as I had to adjust to university life, studying and being one of the oldest in my class, I also had to deal with negative self-talk. But I kept reminding myself that I was here because I wanted to. And that no matter what I had to keep fighting. This type of thinking helped me not only pass my first year (and the following years too), but I was also one of the top students in my class.
During the graduation ceremony, I remember standing there proud of what I had been able to achieve with very little support and I was ready to step into my new life as a teacher. However, God had other plans.
After applying and waiting for 6 months for a job I decided to apply for the honors teaching program. In part to keep me busy but also so that I could maybe have a better chance at getting teaching posts. After being accepted I embarked on another year of studying with the hopes that the advice I had gotten as a child would indeed be true. That with a university degree I could finally live my dreams and become a school teacher.
As I studied and completed my honours, I had a recurring fear that even with all my hard work, late nights studying and sacrifices I had to make I would not get a job as a teacher. My fears were confirmed when even after completing my honors I struggled to find a teaching post. Out of options and in need of a way to pay my bills, I took up a job as a sales associate. However despite the bad luck I had been having I kept applying and going for interviews at different schools.
After almost a year I found a teaching job at a semi-private school. It felt surreal when I arrived on my first day of work knowing how long and how hard I had to work to get there. But as the days and weeks went by, the years, tears, sacrifices and ups and downs were worth it. Now I get to walk into a class and stand there proudly knowing that I got myself there. And while the road was anything but easy it was worth it, to finally get to do what I love.
