Mychemistryteacheroncegaveusavery
fascinatinganddramaticaccountofher
life.I'vealwaysbeeninspiredbyherstory,fromwhichI'velearnedthatlifeisaboutchoices
andthedecisionswemake.
Atage18,shestrokeoutonherown.Like
manyyoungpeople,shetraveledtomany
partsoftheworldtoexploredifferentculturesandlives.Shealsoexperimentedwithdifferentkindsofjobs
meanwhiletoseewhatshewantedtodoforherfuture
career.Duringhertraveling,shealsofoundromance.
TosettledownwithherSpanishboyfriend,shemovedtoSpainandendeduplivingtherefor8longyears.
Whatwasmoreamazingwasthatbychanceshe
gotintofashionbusinessinSpainandbecame
averygoodfashiondesigner.Sheevenopenedherown
business,whichwasveryprofitable.Shemadeacomfortablelivingthere.Shehadahousebythebeachandasuccessfulcareer,althoughshehadsplitwiththeboyfriendbythen.Formostpeople,thestorywouldprobablyendthere.However,onedayshesuddenlyrealizedthateventhoughsheseemedto
haveitall,shedidnothaveaformaleducation.Shedidnotevengraduatefromhighschool.Assoonasitstruckhermind,shemadealife-changingdecision,movingbacktoherhomecountry.
Shelefteverythingbehind,hercareerandwealth.
Everyonethoughtshewascrazyformakingsuchadrastic
decision.Butshehadmadeuphermind.
Afterreturningtoherhometown,shestartedgoing
backtoschoolagainatalmost30.Shefirst
gotherhighschooldiploma,thenwenttoacommunity
college,latertransferredtoanivyleagueuniversity
andgotherbachelortilleventuallyherPH.D.
Overtheyears,shewentthroughlotsofhardshipstocontinuehereducation.Afterall,beingasuccessfulbusinesswomanwasahugecontrastfrombeingapoorstudent.Attimesshehaddoubtsalsowhethershecouldmakeit.Butshefoughtthroughthechallengeslikeanail,andfinallyhereshewasachemistryinstructor.
Sowhatkindoflifewasshelivingasateacher?Shehadasmallhouseuponahill.ShemarriedanEnglishprofessorandhadateenageson.TheyhadnoTVinthehouse,shesaid,sotheycouldspendsomequalitytimetogetherasafamily.Didsheregretherdecisionofcomingbacktoherhometown?Shejustsaidshewasgladtohaveproventothosewholaughedatherwrong.Everythingshehadnowwasworthyofthesacrificesshehadmade.