Deadlines and missed deadlines, unexpected meetings, absences, doctor's visit, laaaaaaaaaate nights.
PLUS...I gave my first ever academic (?) lecture a couple of days ago. Yep. Me. Together with two colleagues, I've been asked to give a short (uber mega condensed) course on urban and regional planning to a group of architects. The very first lecture was one of the most nerve-wracking, stressful things I have ever done. It did not help that those architects are Mark's officemates. Talk about pressure.
But this -- teaching, that is -- is unequivocally also one of the most fulfilling endeavors I have ever undertaken. I've always (and often secretly) wanted to be a teacher. The problem was that I have always been the shy one, which everybody mistook for snobbish, sorry. I did try out, once upon a naive time, but I failed miserably because I could not get my words out.
Years later, I'm finding out how...easy it could be. Not a walk in a park, to be sure, just easy in the sense that it could come so naturally. I'm actually surprised, because sometimes at home I can't even get a word in edgewise -- especially with mama! Tonight was Lecture/Module 2, and it took a bit longer to finish (Planning Theory, what do you expect?), but I'm getting and more comfortable. Can't wait for the next one.
Len's right, it's like a drug. One of the best parts is thinking of ways to make the sessions interesting and fun. That and seeing people engaged in discussion, participating, learning from one another. I really think that I thrive in an environment of constant learning, so to be able to facilitate that kind of activity is heaven for me.
If the universe permits, I would love to be able to do this for the rest of my life. Hear me out, U. :)
