(Or, Medicine Woman Finally Sets Off on the Beaten Path.)
For the first time in about 12 years, I find myself sitting in a room (that's not my bedroom back home, or the rec room here at Casa 3M) every day.
A woman stands in front of us, talking and explaining. There's a blackboard on the wall by the door, and a wooden desk in front of it. We sit in metal folding chairs at cafeteria-type tables in a U-shape around her. You can see the halfway house units through the windows at the back of the room.
For the first time in about 12 years, I have a spiral-bound textbook sitting in front of me with last night's homework written on one of the empty pages in the back.
I've entered a local program that helps the homeless and "at-risk" population of Chicago work our way (back) to stability and employment. We take a class, 3 hours a weekday for four weeks, and they provide us with a multitude of services and an "employment manager" who can help with bus fare to interviews and work, job leads (sometimes to more sympathetic employers), eyeglasses, certain kinds of dental care, voice mail, resumes and polishing them, interview skills, interview clothing, etcetera.
I've wanted something like this for a long time. My employment history is, well, spotty (to be polite as possible), and I used to equate job interviews with medieval interrogation.
The class is very impressive so far, and it's showing me how to clean up my act to a point beyond what I did when I began to transition. I straightened up a lot, but this class has shown me that I not only still have a long way to go, but it's showing me how to get there.
The focus is on interviews and self-presentation, but there's also goal setting, self-esteem, communication, and money management.
It's basically Life 101 for those of us who either A) have never dealt (or had to deal) with life in a responsible manner and have got bit in the ass for that, or B) somehow landed in a bad situation.
(For those wondering or just joining us, I fall soundly in category A.)
So I guess I'm hoping the whole project will help me get a job as a pharmacy tech so I can pay off my horribly delinquent leftover student loans and get back on track to pre-pharmacy coursework. (Prerequisites I'll be taking elsewhere before going to med school.)
A spreadsheet the teacher handed out says the average salary for a pharmacist in Chicago is $100,000 a year, and that the potential for that to increase is very good.
That's more money than I could ever possibly want or need, but I can always send some leftovers to the right places. Mom will retire, that much is for sure. I also have a few organizations to thank for helping me while I'm down.
I'm on my way. Dr. Milla, Medicine Woman. For reals!
Kingsley Amo
P.O. Box X.
Begoro E/R
Ghana W/A
00233
Dear Sir/Madam.,
APPLICATION FOR EMPLOMENT AS A FUCKER.
I am kingsley amo from Ghana in the western part of Africa. I am 19 year old. I wish to apply for the employment to be a fucker i.e to become a member of ur sexy club . l like watching sexy movies and all the time feels sexulity when l visit ur sexy website.
Plz. l want to be become amember of ue sexy club i.e to l am ready to work for u , soo that it will earn me money to enble me to solve some family problems. this problem has become aburben on me . I am the eldest son of my parent and the bread winner which makes me the heir apparent. Beacause of that all my younger brothers and sister under me look up to me for asssistance .
Since then l hve been try ing to find some ways to alet u know that . i am very ,very and very serious to work for u .So if u are also serious for me , u can contact me on my cell phone number which is XXXXXXXXXXXXX or email me after reading this letter.
I am motivated to submitthis application . To meet your approval.
Hear from u soon..........................................
Yours faithfully,
kingsley amo.
Posted by kingsley amo at August 21, 2008 02:57 PM
You were on the "beaten" path a long time ago.... ;)
Hey sister. I LOVE YOU!! Im proud of the road your on. You've come a long, long way. Just keep your head up and know Im always here!! I miss you, hope to see you soon.
Alli
Posted by Alli at September 16, 2008 11:56 PM
Milla,
First off, you are a wonderful writer. Your prose flows. Second: I share some of your history having been homeless, unemployed, living on the fringe. Life is slowly showing signs of normalcy, but it's a very fragile place.
(Or, Medicine Woman Finally Sets Off on the Beaten Path.)
For the first time in about 12 years, I find myself sitting in a room (that's not my bedroom back home, or the rec room here at Casa 3M) every day.
A woman stands in front of us, talking and explaining. There's a blackboard on the wall by the door, and a wooden desk in front of it. We sit in metal folding chairs at cafeteria-type tables in a U-shape around her. You can see the halfway house units through the windows at the back of the room.
For the first time in about 12 years, I have a spiral-bound textbook sitting in front of me with last night's homework written on one of the empty pages in the back.
I've entered a local program that helps the homeless and "at-risk" population of Chicago work our way (back) to stability and employment. We take a class, 3 hours a weekday for four weeks, and they provide us with a multitude of services and an "employment manager" who can help with bus fare to interviews and work, job leads (sometimes to more sympathetic employers), eyeglasses, certain kinds of dental care, voice mail, resumes and polishing them, interview skills, interview clothing, etcetera.
I've wanted something like this for a long time. My employment history is, well, spotty (to be polite as possible), and I used to equate job interviews with medieval interrogation.
The class is very impressive so far, and it's showing me how to clean up my act to a point beyond what I did when I began to transition. I straightened up a lot, but this class has shown me that I not only still have a long way to go, but it's showing me how to get there.
The focus is on interviews and self-presentation, but there's also goal setting, self-esteem, communication, and money management.
It's basically Life 101 for those of us who either A) have never dealt (or had to deal) with life in a responsible manner and have got bit in the ass for that, or B) somehow landed in a bad situation.
(For those wondering or just joining us, I fall soundly in category A.)
So I guess I'm hoping the whole project will help me get a job as a pharmacy tech so I can pay off my horribly delinquent leftover student loans and get back on track to pre-pharmacy coursework. (Prerequisites I'll be taking elsewhere before going to med school.)
A spreadsheet the teacher handed out says the average salary for a pharmacist in Chicago is $100,000 a year, and that the potential for that to increase is very good.
That's more money than I could ever possibly want or need, but I can always send some leftovers to the right places. Mom will retire, that much is for sure. I also have a few organizations to thank for helping me while I'm down.
I'm on my way. Dr. Milla, Medicine Woman. For reals!
Posted in employment, hindsight, misc by Milla | Comments (5)
Kingsley Amo
P.O. Box X.
Begoro E/R
Ghana W/A
00233
Dear Sir/Madam.,
APPLICATION FOR EMPLOMENT AS A FUCKER.
I am kingsley amo from Ghana in the western part of Africa. I am 19 year old. I wish to apply for the employment to be a fucker i.e to become a member of ur sexy club . l like watching sexy movies and all the time feels sexulity when l visit ur sexy website.
Plz. l want to be become amember of ue sexy club i.e to l am ready to work for u , soo that it will earn me money to enble me to solve some family problems. this problem has become aburben on me . I am the eldest son of my parent and the bread winner which makes me the heir apparent. Beacause of that all my younger brothers and sister under me look up to me for asssistance .
Since then l hve been try ing to find some ways to alet u know that . i am very ,very and very serious to work for u .So if u are also serious for me , u can contact me on my cell phone number which is XXXXXXXXXXXXX or email me after reading this letter.
I am motivated to submitthis application . To meet your approval.
Hear from u soon..........................................
Yours faithfully,
kingsley amo.
Posted by kingsley amo at August 21, 2008 02:57 PM
You were on the "beaten" path a long time ago.... ;)
Posted by Connie at September 11, 2008 03:33 PM
*ahem*
Uh.. I...
*blushes, squeals, runs*
Posted by Milla at September 11, 2008 04:36 PM
Hey sister. I LOVE YOU!! Im proud of the road your on. You've come a long, long way. Just keep your head up and know Im always here!! I miss you, hope to see you soon.
Alli
Posted by Alli at September 16, 2008 11:56 PM
Milla,
First off, you are a wonderful writer. Your prose flows. Second: I share some of your history having been homeless, unemployed, living on the fringe. Life is slowly showing signs of normalcy, but it's a very fragile place.
Keep up the writing, whatever you do. Thanks.
Alyson
Posted by Alyson at December 20, 2008 11:07 PM