Thank you, Asia series "Thank you, Humanities" (91 days left)

 "Thank you, Asia" series.  91 days left until we return to Wisconsin. 

Thank you, HKIS Humanities Department.

I wish everyone could say they enjoyed working with their colleagues.  I wish everyone could be with people who make them laugh and think and learn and grow.  I wish everyone had the opportunity to be with the amazing human beings in the Humanities Department at HKIS.  

These are the people that supported me in those first days of processing that my 14 year old now wanted to be called Adam.  Those were very rough first days as a mother of a transgender teen, and the women and men of the Humanities Department held a space for my shock and grief and pain.  They have collectively been this way for each other for as long as I know - in my experience, 7 years.

On any given day in our office space built for a department of 25, there could be quiet or lively conversation, banter, prank phone calls or rubber bands flying as easily as deep conversation about serious family matters.  Around the lunch table, I have enjoyed discussions about parenting, teaching, politics, politics, health and wellness, former students' successes, classic stories from the department -past, and more politics.

Over the years I have laughed until I cried both writing and performing the annual end-of-the-year skit. And more times than I can count, I have been told how to dress for some clan or group dress up competition at school.  

I know for a fact I am leaving a better teacher and a better human because of the good people in the Humanities Department at HKIS.  Thank you, all!

Dressed as Magnum P.I.

Dressed as the departing Chris Taylor (center)

The Wombies at Graduation

The wombies

Dressed as the Adams Family

Wombies at Graduation

Christmas gift exchange

Photos by Brenda Brayko © All rights reserved