Jennifer Bugeja:
CLASS OF 1977
Merivale High SchoolClass of 1977
Ottawa, ON
University of Ottawa - English LiteratureClass of 1992
Ottawa, ON
Algonquin CollegeClass of 1986
Ottawa, ON
Glebe Collegiate InstituteClass of 1981
Ottawa, ON
Woodroffe High SchoolClass of 1979
Ottawa, ON
Jennifer's Story
Life
In 1994 I dedicated my life to Jehovah God and became a Jehovah's Witness. This has changed me in many ways that has made the quality of my life 100% cleaner and free of problems. More importantly, this decision of dedication has given me an eternal friendship with my creator, which I cherish deeply. So, even though I've been single all my life, and it looks like I always will be, I will always have my Father's eternal friendship, and a hope of eternal peaceful life on this earth, regardless of what happens before the new system begins.
I met the man of my dreams and lost him. I am happy I found him though, because it helps me believe that love is possible among humans, with much work. That work involves being unselfish and thoughtful towards the other person, which results in a peaceful and loving and lasting relationship.
I am still working on my career, although I have had an interruption, but it is not the number one priority on my list. It is merely a means to an end, which is to live independently and without complications. Right now, I am working two part time jobs; one in retail, and the other as a teacher at the local college, so I have the best of both worlds, and I am able to keep my main focus on the real future in the new system. This one will be governed by Jehovah, not imperfect cruel and selfish humans.
I look forward to a better life in the new system that is to come soon, a world free of Satan's influence, resulting in a society of peace and harmony among mankind worldwide.
School
My first year in kindergarten was with Catholic nuns who wore brown habits. We the kids had a brown uniform with a brown spotted tie, or so I recall. I remember this large plate of sprinkled round flat chocolates. I remember wanting to take one of those chocolates. I somehow remember all this as if in a dream. My next year of kindergarten is a bitter recollection. It was another nunnery, but this time I seemed to have an enemy. The teacher/nun disliked me, and never missed an opportunity to hit me with a large wooden ruler on my head during nap time, whenever she heard me whispering to my neighbour, but my neighbour never got hit. I was frequently late coming to school, dreading my teacher's cold looks of dislike, and smiles filled with derision and contempt.
My first grade was a welcome relief. This time the teacher amazed and delighted me with her instant camaraderie, even a large measure of affection and admiration. She made much of my reading skills with the other teachers, and I basked in the attention. My second grade teacher was similar to my kindergarten teacher. I was wary of her, especially when she brought in my father to tell him about my careless way of coming to school. She liked to hit her students too. Third grade was much better. My sister had been in my teacher's class before, and the teacher expected more of me, and I was happy to live up to her expectations. I loved to read and write. Math was not my favourite though. I barely scraped through Math. My sixth grade was the worst. I was taken out of the class that I had been with for the better part of five years and was put in with a different group of kids. These were of a different breed, a class of their own. They chewed gum, had shorter skirts, talked back, and didn't do their homework. They always seemed to be in possession of inordinate amounts of candy, and had a rather overly worldly outlook beyond their 10 years. They made fun of me and seemed to think I was foolish and naive. I was determined to make the grade with them. I worked hard at learning the skill of double jumping at recess, and was allowed finally allowed the privilege to play with them. I helped them with their assignments when they asked me, but I always felt their unveiled contempt for my innocent eagerness to please.
College
I decided to go back ...Expand for more
to school in 1981, when I took an evening high school course to finish my one missing credit to get my high school diploma. Feeling disgusted with myself for having failed grade 12 General High school math(which is why I was 1 credit short of my diploma), I went to college upgrading to redo my math. This required testing at each reviewed level. I stopped one test short of the grade 12 level (again!:P)In 1984 I enrolled in a General Arts and Science 2 year diploma course, where I learned how to study and work independently, and gradually raise my marks to an acceptable entry level for university. I was accepted at the University of Ottawa to start classes in the fall of 1986, the year my father died of cancer.I spent 6 years at Ottawa U getting my English honours BA as well as a BA in Theater Concentration. I then enrolled for the MA program at Carelton University, which took me 3 years to complete, in June 1995. In 1998 I went back to college for a one year post graduate course in Teachers of English as a Second/Foreign Language, which I graduated with honours in 1999.
Workplace
I am still working on getting my dream job - to teach English Literature in University. I may never get there. I did, however, achieve a teaching position not too long ago. I really loved it. It was my first real job. I spent most of my life going to school, so my job experiences were the kind that helped me support myself between and during semesters. I worked at a dry-cleaning/cataloging place once, and was actually fired - albeit nicely. I always had a hard time with numbers, and in this job I had to handle two cashes. It was a somewhat harrowing experience. I was not prepared for all the things I had to deal with. That was actually my first REAL real job. It was also my first time being fired. I really did do my best, even spent all kinds of hours without pay so that I could learn the job really well, but.....it didn't work.
After that, I was hired by the college where I had graduated from the TESL program. This was where I had wanted to work all along. I was hired as a private tutor with an international student from UAE. It was a great job. I was paid $22 an hour and made my own hours and lesson plans. I developed a great relationship with my student. The next job was as substitute ESL teacher. I "lucked out" according to my boss, when one of the teachers as this small semi-private government funded school decided to go to greener pastures and work in university. I was offered a full time placement there. I was thrilled. But after a year, my boss decided I was not a good fit, and seemed to think I should switch careers and go into administration. I was appalled.
I moved to Alberta and started a new life. I have gained experience here in retail as a cashier and stock clerk, and customer relations at a dollar store for two years. Unable to get full time hours here, I found a full time cleaning job with better pay hours, and working conditions, although it was a night job. That summer of 2003, I applied once again to the local schools and the school district, and was asked for an interview with the Lethbridge School District to work as substitute teacher's assistant. I was happy to get back in the classroom, but soon found myself learning a new set of skills, including dealing with a demoted position from teacher to TA. That rather unhappy situation lasted almost 3 years before it was cut short by a rather nasty couple of people. Happily, although I had to get a retail job, I was soon re-hired by the local college for a summer program, which evolved into a part time ongoing position as ESL instructor with Spanish-speaking foreign workers from Central America. I am now working at targeting international university students to tutor in ESL. I am just beginning to learn how to market myself. This is going to work!
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