September 11th Abroad

I write the date on the board 9-11-13.
9:59 AM, no announcement, 10:28 AM no announcement. Nobody says anything all day.
(it should be noted there is no PA system so they can't make announcements anyway) kinda weird.
Now it is almost dismissal and I can't help myself. I had to ask the students. "Did you know that today is a very special and sad day in American history?" "It is the day the twin towers fell and many people died."

"Yes, yes, we know!" "Al-Qaeda did the attack, right?"
These kids are between the age of 9 and 11....not even born yet.
We had a brief discussion and they didn't really know how severe it was of course when I told them thousands of people had died. Through previous classroom discussions however I learned that about half the class has been to NY. They have been to either Central Park, or the Statue of Liberty.

Although I did not lose anyone directly on this day it also has much meaning to me. It is what prompted me to become a teacher.
I was home that day watching Good Morning America on TV and booking a wedding. I had my own photography business at the time.
I remember saying to the bride, I will have to call you back something weird just happened on TV.
When the 2nd tower fell I remember specifically thinking "aren't there people in there?".....there MUST have been people still in there!!!....Oh NO!!! What is happening?!!!

I was married at the time. Actually I had gotten married on August 24th, ..... September 11th happened, and then I turned 30 on September 18th. Those 3 monumental events in a 3 week period proved to be life changing for me.
One night at dinner I said to my husband at the time. "I'm going back to school" "I want to be a teacher."
And that was it.
I remember thinking, life is too short, something can happen at Any time....I want my 4year degree. (I only had an Associates at that time.
The next semester I was enrolled and on my way (after not being in school in over a decade).
I was nervous, scared, thinking "me a teacher?".....I don't even really like school. lol

And so now it is 12 years later.
It is 12 years later and I'm in Africa teaching for 2 years!!!!
Never in my wildest dream did I think I would be here.

I came home and tried to find coverage on the TV about it. It was like if I didn't I wasn't remembering.
It was like I was disconnected from it all. Thankfully, on the ride home teachers started sharing and talking.
Many teachers I learned are Not from America, but from England, and Scotland.
We had a small sharing. We did not forget. Nor will we ever.