By late summer, the chairwoman, Dr. Shockley, hired me on part time at CSU - Monterey Bay to teach an introductory business computing class. I guess one could say I've 'somewhat' settled down in the Monterey, California region. Just when I thought I left school, I'm on the other side of the podium! On the first day of class this is what I was thinking "OMG, what am I going to say/talking about/do in the next two hours? All I've ever done was give 10 minute MS PowerPoint presentations." I managed to learn how to teach, I think, because from the student projects, the majority of the students learned something. Transference of knowledge maybe an inherent trait for parents, but I tell you my cats only listen when they want to.
Suffice to say my part-time teaching contract at ends January 3, 2011 and I will become a free agent again...that is unless I'm rehired (I'll know on that day). The semester has ended, papers and presentations are just about all graded, and I need a rest. Not fun having laryngitis during the week of finals.
Although I look forward to teaching again part-time, but my heart is still set on pursuing my social entrepreneurship ventures: (1) Online community based network (TBA soon), & (2) Coffee / Tea venture in Ethiopia. An interesting thing happened while I was deleting files teaching at my other adult ed class -- I came across the brochure from our Ethiopian coffee partner! Wow. Imagine that. Amongst all the computers in the huge state of California, I just happened to be in the right time, right place to find where the brochure was created 3 months before I received my first copy (created March, received June). It traveled all the way around the world and back, only for me to discover it in the same exact spot of creation. I must be doing something right or just maybe I really am following my passion.
Now to get this kicked off the ground: Coffee is ready! Starbucks and Peets bought the last batch from our Ethiopian partner, so we must have something good. Another story: So, there I am, at my local Starbucks, buying a traveler coffee box for my CSUMB students 8am class/Monday. It's the day of our Excel Exam (mid term if you will). As I wait for the box, I look up and low & behold -- a bag of Ethiopian coffee, organically certified, and from the Limmu region is sitting on the shelf. I'm cracking it open on Xmas but Jimbo, if you're reading this, I'll send you a picture. Holy Buckets!
Tea -- under development. Sample leaves are at our master blender. In addition, we are in need to have the coffee leaves tested for ORACs (http://www.antioxidants-4-life.com/superantioxidants.html). My partner, Jim, is back from Ethiopian, after having completed a six month internship with OxFam (I believe). I look forward in furthering our development early next year.
My old project team, AYZH International, has become a business and has won numerous awards. I am very proud of this team (http://www.ayzh.com) and my education that has brought me to this point.
In retrospect, I could not have gone through this year without the love and support of many friends and certainly my family. Countless Internet hours, faxes, and heartache were spent searching for a job. Next year, I'll be using a much different active search method.
Although January 3rd starts off with my hula class and hopefully a job, I look forward to this entire year in anticipation to do a little bit of good for a whole lot of people.
Mahalo, and thank you all from the bottom of my heart!
~Janell
