Step 1: Teaching an "Old Diva" new tricks.....

As I stated in my last blog, I'm going to live my life out loud this year (and hopefully for the rest of my life). And I'm starting with learning something new.

I have often said if I could be a professional student I would. Now that I'm an adult I have found the joy that can come from learning and exploring new things that I didn't appreciate when I was younger. Of course, as an adult, I now get to choose what I study and what classes I want to take. Perhaps the public school system might want to rethink their archaic practices.....like that'll happen. Anyway, I digress, I was asked if I would consider being one of the first aid officers at work a couple of weeks ago. It would involve general first aid to anyone (customer or employee) in the bank that happens to need it. True, one of the reasons I was asked is because the other girl I work with can't handle the sight of blood or even hearing about it and our other co-worker is elderly and about to retire doesn't feel capable or up to the task. But, what ever the reason, it'll still look good on my record at work and it's a chance to do some extra training.

When I was training to be a flight attendant with WestJet, we had to go through the first aid training as well. I naturally passed with "flying" colors (a little airline humor there ....hehehe), but it has been about 7 years since then, so although it won't be exactly like starting from scratch I'll still have lots to learn.

The other new thing I'm about to learn is Low German....... Why???? you may ask. Well I'll tell you why, there are a lot of Mennonites that bank at the Scotia bank and I thought it would be helpful to be able to communicate with them and help them feel more welcome and accommodated at the bank. Many of them don't speak any English and the one's that do don't speak it very well. I've been in a foreign country before and been unable to understand everything that was being said around me. I felt lost and frustrated waiting for someone to fill me in. And by the time I was filled in the conversation had moved on and I was lost again. It was an awful feeling, and I can see the same feeling in my customers as they stand there, smiling that uncomfortable smile, waiting to be told what has been said.

These two undertakings begin next week. Monday & Tuesday, I go for first aid training. On Wednesday I start my German classes, which will run until the beginning of March (I think). These are just the start of the classes I plan to take this year. So I'll be posting updates on my progress as I go.

A lot of people think that once they reach a certain age they are too old to learn anything new, or that they have "done their time". I think that's very sad. I believe that when you stop learning you stop living. Every day and every thing should be a new learning experience. I read an article in the Readers Digest about an 88 year old woman (who had to quite school in 6th grade) that went to University and took night classes. She spoke at their graduation ceremony and announced she couldn't wait for the next classes to begin and she planned to have completed them by the time she was 90.

So, it seems you CAN teach old Diva's new tricks. And this Diva is going to keep learning for as long as I can. Let the adventures begin!