I try to figure everybody out. It's just my personality. Inquiring mind wants to know.
You haven't met Iampheng yet. She's a Ph.D student studying education. Man I love to see you exchange wit with her. It be interesting. She's the witty-type, just like yourself, George.
Btw, speaking of football-related things, during my time in private school, my PE teacher, who also sub English when my english teacher had to go play school principal, was a famous football player! His name was Ron Baines, and he played and coached for the Cincinnati Bengals during his younger days. Real nice guy, intimidating to look at but a world class gentleman. His daughter was kinda cute too.
Look him up.
Even though I was a Buddhist monk and everyone treated me a lil special, he always made it a point that I"m no different or better than anyone else. A great teacher, I will never forget him. He made me clean up after class just like anyone else and nobody dared did that!
I remember I really discovered who I am at this school. This academy made me who I am today. I am so grateful for it. They instilled in me core values that I can never get elsewhere. It was this institution that made me realized that a positive and loving environment is a necessary ingredient for academic excellence. Our school scored really high on the state's scholastic tests. We had a lot of school pride, to say the least, especially my principal. I had a close relationship with him and many other teacher there. Especially my science teacher. I had his house number and I called him whenever I need help with my homework. Most of the time, he's outside gazing at the stars with his telescope, go figure.
Seventh-Day Adventist Academy, if I had a son or daughter, I'm sending them there.
It's sad cause all my peers are either corporate sector or law school or tech. I'm a total failure compared to my class. I carry a big shame about it too. When they try to contact me on fb or reunions, I shun them cause of my shame.
I became a 4.0 GPA student at this school. Trust me, a Khmer person is not dumb. They knew I was an ex-gang member, I had tattoos on my left arm. Nobody cared. They gave me love cause they were doing God's work.
I was never a successful gang member by the way, I was really soft. In fact, I got beat up many times for being soft. I never shot anyone, hurted anyone, all I did was drop out of school and my mom was concern enough to relocate me.
So that's my whole life, brother. I am a man on a mission. I just want to make my teachers who spent their time and energy on me, proud. I just want to graduated college before I die so I know that those teachers didn't waste their time on me.
- from the heart
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