Thursday, March 19, 2009

Sorry, Mom!

My mom just emailed to say she misses my blog updates and pictures of her grandbabies. I do, too! Issues with my camera must wait, though. Other priorities are higher on the list. I will now tell you what I've been doing all week.
I had a wake up call this week. Realizing that living here is too expensive for us and wondering how to get us out of this situation, a light flicked on in my head: Sarah should get a good job in a town with lower rents. So I searched CA.gov for jobs with the state. There are many. Soon, I noticed I am missing only one qualification: a college degree. Many of the jobs require either a degree OR a few years experience in a specific field. I need to go back to school! I thought. My next idea was that I should study something that is in demand and has the potential for growth and of course, something interesting.
So next I researched "best careers" and then narrowed that down to "best careers to get with an Associate's Degree" and I looked at a few on the list. In California, Skincare Specialists are number one on the list, which projects growth of 60% in the next 8 years. That didn't interest me, though.
A few numbers down I saw, Environmental Engineering Technician. I know "Technician" is one of those terms that sounds fancy but it really isn't, just like "Administrative Assistant". I found out what kind of work an EET does. It's kinda vague but I get it. This is something I am interested in and I know I can do it. Investing two years or less at a community college to get into this career seems pretty fair.
Then I found this school: Los Medanos College in Pittsburg, Ca. No other community college I've seen so far in California has such an attractive-looking program in Environmental Science. Check this out. I feel strongly that this is where I'm meant to go.
If I'm broke, how am I going to pay for school? My grandma said she's help me pay for it. She has made a lot of things possible for me in my life. I'm grateful for my grandparents and the great relationship I have with them.
Of course, both Jose and I are going to have to get regular old jobs up there in the meantime, which is what he does now, anyways. He does real estate, too, but that isn't producing any income for us at all.
Oh! Also, the college offers childcare for around $100 per month! I would just have to enroll in some little parenting class and volunteer 1.5 hrs a week in the childcare facility on campus. That is wonderful!
Can you tell I'm a little excited and maybe even hopeful?

3 comments:

Iris said...

Sarah-I am excited for you. I know it's always fun to learn something new. I think it's so wonderful that your grandparents are there for you. I wish Isai would take advantage of us offering our place for him while he goes to school too.

Good luck!

Sarah Jane said...

Isai doesn't know what he's missing. It has taken me about a decade to appreciate and realize what college can do for me. When I was going to college before, I racked up about 50 units of study and then quit JUST before obtaining my AA/AS. I had no good reason to quit, only that I lost sight of what I wanted to do.

Going back now is going to be even more of a challenge, especially because I'll be taking courses I NEVER thought I was smart enough to take. Exciting and scary!

SarahW said...

Very nice blog.. It's great to hear the you want to get a degree. I believe that you can find some useful information in the bizymoms Pittsburg community website that might help with your studies. good luck & all the best