-
Sixth Grade
I remember my teacher asking a new student if he had moved to Sandstone because his dad worked at the prison (a common reason for newcomers). He replied, "No my dad is in jail and we moved so we can visit him." I can only imagine how my teacher felt, and I remember that it was a good lesson for me in making assumptions about others and their situations, as well as vocalizing those thoughts. -
Basketball camp
I remember being at basketball camp with a friend who lived in the cities. I remember realizing that some things I learned from my coaches (which could have been seen as aggressive) back home was not the type of basketball that the girls I was playing against were used to. The coaches didn't bat an eye, but some girls found my style a little too 'in your face' I think. How you play on the court does not necessarily mean you are the same way off the court. -
Exchange student from Paris
Our new exchange student had just arrived, and while the first few days were okay, she started to cry and was depressed for weeks. We soon realized that perhaps there was a translation difference between the words 'town' and 'city.' She had come from Paris to Sandstone, where there isn't even a stoplight! I'm sure she was in culture shock! -
J-Term Trip to England
While having dinner with my host family one night, we got onto the conversation of cooking. I said something about not caring to cook much, and my host father said, "How will ever find a husband?" I explained that that was not an expectation for wives in the US. As much as I loved England and my time there, I was very happy that I lived in a country where women were not subjected to certain expectations in order to find a mate. -
Ex-husband's conversation with his mother
When my ex and I were engaged, he told his mom he was no longer a Christian, but Agnostic. It was an incredibly difficult conversation for him to have with her. Even though I don't necessarily agree with all of his views, I really respected his honesty with his mom and I know it was a process for him. -
Home Visit
I will never forget the home visit we made (as part of our Title I preschool program) to one of our preschooler's homes. We knocked, and after about 5 minutes, we tried the door. It was open, so we ventured in, thinking maybe they just didn't hear us. The house was a mess, dirty silverware in the living room, the TV on, and things left on the floor that shouldn't have been there. We had to call DFS and they followed up. It was an extreme situation for me and very eye-opening.