Welcome to Easy As ACB!
I'm creating this blog in an effort to build a more meaningful representation of my life and ideas outside of popular social media. Here, I can clearly develop my thoughts, talk about what's happening in my life, and share what is truly important to me without taking up space on Facebook and Twitter feeds. Of course, I'll still use those, but I want this to become a place where those who are interested can find out the details of my life voluntarily. It will also be a great way to journal and reflect on my experiences. I hope you enjoy it!
First, let me explain a little bit about myself. I am from a town called Camdenton near the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. Other than my first few years before entering grade school, I spent my entire childhood there. In 2009, I graduated from Camdenton High School and left to pursue my undergraduate degree. I have spent the past four years at Truman State University in the small (but charming?) town of Kirksville in northern Missouri. Being passionate about helping people, the sciences, and the mechanics of language, I found myself studying speech, language, and hearing disorders with a minor in linguistics. I have also maintained my love for vocal music by singing in Truman's top choir for three years and focusing on voice disorders within my major.
Eventually, I want to go to graduate school to earn my certification as a speech-language pathologist with emphasis in the diagnosis and treatment of voice disorders. Until then, I am interested in traveling through teaching English as a second language (ESL). There is a high international demand for native English speakers to pass on English skills, so I would like to take advantage of that before I am tied down by a grueling graduate program or a family of my own. Furthermore, I have missed out on the opportunity to become fully immersed in a foreign language, so teaching ESL would be a great way to do that. This, however, is a work in progress, and I understand I can't plan out everything perfectly. I will do my best to make this happen, but I am flexible and open to other opportunities that may cross my path.
Currently, I'm preparing to make the huge leap from college student to "real-life" adult. It is both terrifying and exhilarating! I am less than a week away from graduation and already in the process of training for my first job as a teacher. This summer, I will be teaching for the Institute of Reading Development (IRD) throughout the St. Louis area. In just over a week, I will move into a house in the Webster Groves region of St. Louis. From there, I will be flown to Atlanta, Georgia to participate in a three-day training conference with the IRD. Classes will start on June 3rd and continue to early August. I get to work with a wide range of students from entering kindergarteners to current college students and adults wishing to improve their reading skills (plus every age in between!). I'll teach in several different cities throughout St. Louis, so lots of driving will be involved (read: buy me audiobooks!). For now, I have 6 days of online orientation to complete, 4 of which will occur during finals week. I can't say I'm looking forward to juggling job training and finals, but the extra work will be worth it.
That feels like enough of an update for now. I'm sure I'll have some parting thoughts on graduation, my Truman experience in general, my upcoming divorce from my roommate of 3 years, and all the frustrations that are bound to pop up during these next few weeks. Hopefully I'll have less serious posts so I can talk about my unending quest to become the ultimate Pokémon master or that one time my mom hosted a wedding ceremony for two pigs.
-Anthony
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