My Gift and What I Do With It

My gift is empathy (O.K., some people might laugh). I feel that difficulties in my life have been like mean teachers, but they taught me things, and I often seem to get lessons on understanding others. My students are culturally diverse, and also come with the baggage that all adolescents carry. I have not always responded to them in the best way, but I try. I went to live in France when I was 22 under the best circumstances. It was my choice, I had a comfortable life, and I was a student on a grand adventure. In spite of having studied the culture and the language
it was all difficult for me at first. I didn't understand a lot of what people were saying because they spoke so fast. I didn't know a lot about just getting through the day. I can't imagine how frightened and bewildered my students must be to be in a country that they may not have chosen to come to, and to live with poverty and discrimination. I can't make everything right for them, but I can greet them warmly everyday and let them know that they matter. I can try to teach them what they need to know to get by in this world.