Background..Foreground..and Everything in Between

Growing up I didn’t have many friends. I was diagnosed as a “gifted” child by the age of four. I spent a lot of my earlychildhood taking tests so my private schools and tutor services couldunderstand how my brain worked. I didn’t get along well with kids my age; Iattribute that to being an only child. I dealt with older people a lot betterthan my classmates. Teachers and students picked on me for being different. Atone point the abuse from my teacher and the kids in my catholic school becameso volatile that my parents transferred me to public schooling. My parents gaveme everything they could, and more. They fed my passion for the Ocean and lovedme unconditionally. My parents got me through the bullying and hardships of “beinga kid”. I feel very lucky to have such a supportive and caring family.

Myfamily has made me who I am today. I am a Marine Biologist working towards mydegree. I help run the Oxnard College Marine Center and Aquarium, which I amvery grateful, to hold the title of an aquarist before the age of twenty isuncommon and it’s a fantastic job experience to have. I am also the SalesRepresentative and Photographer for my Mother’s company, Prime Business Forms.I don’t particularly enjoy the sales business but it’s a helpful skill to haveand I appreciate being able to work with my Mom. I am closer to my Mom than anyother being in this universe. We have a bond that I have trouble describing, Ifeel like we’re soul mates. Sounds cliché, I know, but it’s true. She is mybest friend, no one knows or understands me better. People have told us that weeven seem to have our own type of communication between each other. She is theone thing I love more than the Ocean, which if you knew me; you’d know that’s ahuge deal.

The Ocean is my life; it has been since I decided to study the ocean when I was six years old. I will earn my Bachelors degree in Marine Sciences with a focus on sharks and conservation. After all, I’ll have nothing to study unless we are able to conserve what little shark population we have left. I will be out in the field, getting sweaty and salty, studying the big beautiful beasts. I hope to lead my own research team at some point; I’ve always been the bossy type. I want to get married and have a child, or two. I have a feeling I’ll be one of those quirky Moms that home schools due to all the traveling my job will entail. I look forward to finding out what my future holds.