journal #189.

it's a big day for me today.

graduation day, it is.

my feeling is different than in the past when i graduated at national technical institute for the deaf with a degree in computer science. why different? i enrolled at ntid in 1996 and i didn't graduate till may 2003. you wonder why, yes? i had 8 different majors. i changed many different majors for few years and i finally graduated in may 2003. was i happy? no. because i wasn't sure what i wanted to be in the future. after i graduated, i looked for jobs and jobs. i got nothing. when i cook for lunch or dinner, i played around with spices, herbs and you name it. i, all of a sudden, enjoyed it. i realized it was fun to cooking. my friends recommended me to go to culinary school and i did think about it lately. do i see myself as a chef in the future? i decided to watch all cooking shows and i realized this is what i wanted to be. i finally found a dream. before i had many dreams. now i followed dr. martin luther king's famous quote - i have a dream. i found my passion. now i know what i wanted to be. a chef. i wanted to become a chef. not a deaf chef. a chef. i am deaf and my career is a chef. don't label me as a deaf chef. just don't. thank you.

when i enrolled at school for culinary arts program and i declared myself to my classmates that i am a chef of the future. in the future i will become a chef and i will make that happen. i studied this program for nine months and i truly loved it. i enjoyed it so much. i am only one deaf student in the program and i have 2 interpreters. now i am graduating today and my feelings are mixed. i mean, i am happy that i did it and i accomplished my nine months program. i made it thru to graduate with a degree. at ntid, i changed a lot of majors. so today i will be sad, happy and you name it. i know it will be emotional day for me and all of us as well. because i have good classmates, my interpreters and of course, the chefs, too. and to our wonderful director of program, karen.

karen, thank you for having me to be one of culinary student. thank you for the greatest memories. thank you.

here is a picture of my infamous quote:


that was my chef hat and i put my nickname on it - chef of the future. i am pursuing my dream to become a chef.

i am not a chef but i am a chef of the future. i love that title. :D

well, i have few hours left to go.


have a good weekend, my fellow friends.