Jennifer
Growing up working class in Liverpool, UK, I was expected to become like most of the women in my family. Few qualifications, little or nonexistent work history, dependence on male partner for financial security, kids by 20.
I didn't. I'm the first woman in my family to go to university and become professionally qualified (teacher) I speak three languages (Spanish, French, German) I'm about to undertake a major social research project with a friend which will see me academically published, and I'm also an entrepreneur in the process of setting up my own Fair Trade retail business. I'm hoping to make it a social enterprise once the research project is completed.
One thing I am particularly proud of is something that happened when I was 22. A man my own age I met abroad wanted to marry me, he was model handsome, very wealthy and I would have wanted for nothing. A man many less independent women would have snapped up. I chose to say no, return home and start university because I knew I wanted to stand on my own two feet and support myself in life. I also did not want to be in a foreign country with no profession to support myself if things were to go wrong with him.
Last year I was teaching abroad for six weeks. My boyfriend of two years broke up with me via text three weeks into my stint and told me he didn't want to see me face to face when I got back to break up properly. (Yep - bastard, I know!) So the last time I saw him was at the airport departure gate in June last year...I was completely devastated at the time. My student and her family told me I could go home if I wished as I was so upset. I refused and remained there, determined to complete my teaching obligation.
I was so proud of myself for staying and learned from both of the situations I wrote about above that no matter what life (or men) throws at us we women are much stronger inside than we think we are! We just need to give ourselves the chance.
Country: United Kingdom
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