Right now I am currently doing my practicum at a group home for adolescents. It has been a very interesting experience. In most places if you don't come home the first day excited about what you are doing a little red flag goes up in the corner of you mind. I was not jumping for joy coming home after my first day. It was a very different experience for me and I wasn't sure that I was going to enjoy myself. When I came home the following day I knew that I was going to love it. I do not know what made me change my mind, and what put that little red flag to ease, but I knew after that first week that working with adolescents in a similar setting was absolutely what I wanted to do. I have learned more during my weeks there then I have in both my other two placements and the majority of my classes. I have learned about adolescents, some of the difficulties they encounter and the things they delight in. I have learned many things about myself. Things that I would have never thought. I have grown to love the adolescents that I have been with. There were times where my heart would go out to one youth or the other as I could see that they were struggling. I would pray for them, and myself that I would be able to do the things that would help to ease their pain. Other than the love that I have for my family and friends I don't think I have ever experienced the ability to love like I have. The ability to love teenagers that others did not want, or did not think they were capable of looking after. Growing up I have heard over and over again about how "bad" teenagers were and how difficult they are. I will be the first to admit that yes, it is never going to ALWAYS be easy, but being with these youth have taught me more than anything. They are such wonderful human beings, just trying to do what they think is going to make them happy. Ultimately, is that not what we all want? To be happy? Some of us might see that in order to be happier later in life we need to avoid or sacrifice certain things, but we all just want to be happy. Some of us just have been blessed to know what will give us the greatest joy eternally and what will give us temporal joy.
Anyways, after being in my placement I didn't want to go back to school. I just want to go and work with all these kids (which is an option). So I think I have decided what I am going to do, but now where? Do I move back to the beauty of an island or to I go back to where I know I will have somewhat of a social life, and less chaos. Since I definitely do not have all the answers I am going to leave it up to the Lord. I have been leaning one way, and then the other. I definitely do not want to make this decision on my own.
Come April 25th 2013 I will have a college diploma and my new life will begin. To celebrate this new transition I am going to start a new blog. Though I am terrible at blogging I need a little "ME" time, as my instructor put it, to avoid being burnt out. I made this blog to talk about my move to Alberta and that step in my life. Even though I may still be in Alberta I want this new transition to be that, a new transition. I will be living with new people, new job, and with all the things I have learned over the past two years, hopefully a new me. I am trying to think of a new blog name. So if anyone has any suggestions, let me know! Though I do realize that there is a very small amount of people who actually read my blog posts.
I am sure that many of you have been through this transition and understand my problem. Wish me luck, and some prayers would definitely be appreciated.
Have a wonderful night.
-Amanda
