I’m fully authenticated! All of my documents are approved and sent in for immigration to review.  Now it’s a waiting game. How do you tell a teacher to wait? This is not something we do. We have to know what’s happening at every moment. After all, how can a classroom be effective if you don’t know what’s happening  at any given second? Nevertheless, all the events leading up to this have taught me valuable life lessons.

Marauders- Nothing says love like “lemme have your stuff.” I have never seen so many friends and family scramble to get their hands on my “things.” Originally, it was hard for me to sell and give away my things. I understand hoarders now. You look at your possessions  as memories and moments, but when it’s time to let them go you see those that want them as buzzards circling , watching, waiting to feed off what you’ve left behind. You feel they won’t love your things the way you have, and they won’t! I sold my things and gave them away, mostly to strangers.  Strangers were more appreciative than family and friends who felt entitled to my possessions. It truly hurt my feelings to see loved ones more concerned about what I could give them than they are about me! HELLO?! I’m leaving the damn country! This is a lesson others have learned earlier in life. I’ve come to realize the later in life you learn lessons the more they hurt. It’s easy to bounce back when you’re young.

Moving- Renting my home was waaay to easy. Seems kind of scary the way it happened. I found the perfect renter. I made it adamantly clear to my property manager and renter; this is my home and I’m not just trying to turn a profit i.e don’t mess my shit up.  I’m all moved in at my friends’ apartment. I moved  from a 3 bedroom 2 1/2 bath and loft to a tiny bedroom with an inflatable twin bed. I have no qualms about it either. I sure do miss my pillow top queen size mattress, but it’s cool. I’m in a really good place.

Motivation- In the little moments I’ve had to myself in this transitional stage I’ve had minute bouts of panic.  Will my amazing teaching skills (toot toot -tooting my own horn) translate in another language?  Will my strong personality get me deported?  Who is going to do my locs (don’t scoff, it’s important!) ? What the hell have I done? Oh my God! I’m not only leaving the south, I’m leaving THE UNITED FREAKING STATES! But these questions are quieted as quickly as they come, and  I remember that my name means “conquerer of all things.” My mother did not know this when she chose my name; she just liked the sound out it. Little did she know what she was unleashing into the world.

-Teaching While Black