I've not done this before - blogging, that is. I do journal though. Many people overlook the power of healthy self-reflection.
So, what am I doing here? I wish I had a more direct answer to that question. I'm on a path and I'm not sure where it goes, but hey, at least I'm on a path. Some would say that puts me ahead in the game.
Well, let's start with the basics. I'm doing my Masters in Public History here at Western for a number of reasons:
Being a New Yorker, Canada has always been this giant landmass to the north that I know very little about. I'm an avid lover of cultural experiences and in the past I've found myself traveling hours and spending stupid amounts of money in order to "scratch the itch," so to speak - but it recently dawned on me that I really only had to get in my car and drive a few hours over the border to experience a rich culture different from my own.
I first was tipped off to the idea of Public History when I sort of strolled into my local historical society one day and asked if they'd like me to be their intern. It was completely unexpected. I did my undergraduate work at a small Jesuit institution in Syracuse, NY called Le Moyne College, where I received my BA in History along with my New York State Teacher Certification in social studies for grades 7-12. My focus for those four years was always how to make myself more marketable for the high school classroom - obviously, there's been an extreme turn of events. I loved the work I did at the historical society and thought that this field was something I could potentially be very good at.
At the end of this experience, if I could find something to do with the rest of my life that combined elements of public history and classroom teaching, that would be ideal - but like I said, at this point, I'm just on a path and I'm not closing myself off to any doors that may be opened during this experience at Western.
