The Shy Shoe Shopper

Hi folks,

Here's a shout-out to teacher's and therapist's who are on their feet all day, every day!

The content of this post has a different "vibe" to my other posts - shopping for shoes. Some of you may squeal with delight when you hear this phrase. Others may dread the thought. I'm in the latter group. Ever since I was a little girl, I have always had long, skinny feet that have trouble fitting in shoes. My shoes would be filled with insoles, heel pads and slip guards. In addition, my feet "rolled in" badly so I had to find shoes that would fit my orthotics. My feet would often be in pain and blisters were frequent. I guess you could say I developed an aversion to shoes over time. If I could get away with wearing sneakers/joggers/runners all day, every day, I would. However, that is not realistic as sneakers are perceived to be too casual for some work environments, and of course, too casual for formal occasions like weddings. 😉

The other caveat is that I love wearing cute clothes! I find it fun to choose a different outfit each day for work that is cute yet comfortable. My outfits are on point, until it comes to adding shoes...

After 2 years working full-time in a preschool/outpatient facility, my poor feet are feeling the burden of walking, running, jumping, and playing hide-and-seek with toddlers and young children, all day, every day. I used to buy cheap $10 - $20 flats which soon wore out and became smelly. I did not want to be known as the "stinky Speechie". My mother believed in purchasing good quality running shoes when I was younger, as I was the "sporty type" all throughout school and wore running shoes almost daily. It has only just dawned on me that the shoes I wear to work everyday should be treated like those running shoes. For work. For travel. Even Dr. Seuss believed that feet are important:

"You have BRAINS in your HEAD.

You have FEET in your SHOES.

You can STEER yourself in 

any direction you CHOOSE."

~ Dr. Seuss

So, today, here I am at my computer Googling "comfortable shoes for work" and "recommended shoes for teachers". I am coming across many brand names I have never heard of before, but am slowly getting used to some of the lingo. So far, the best online site that someone told me about is 6pm.com, which I'm sure many of you have heard of. It looks like they stock a huge variety of brands that are selling at discounted prices, and shipping is FREE (yay!).

In the meantime, I am making a resolution to look after my feet and invest in a good quality pair of shoes for work and travel. I currently have a bunch of items in my cart, and am trying to narrow it down to two. Teacher's and therapist's, what shoes do you recommend? Are there any brands that you swear by?

Have a great week!

Maree

Meeting Dr. Temple Grandin

Hey, folks!

In December 2016 I was honored to meet Dr. Temple Grandin, an expert in Autism and Animal Science.  I attended a conference held by Future Horizons, Inc., in Tampa, Florida. Speakers included Dr. Temple Grandin who talked about Autism and her sensory-based world, Eustacia Cutler (Temple's mother) who talked about what it was like raising Temple, and Dr. Jed Baker who entertainingly talked about managing frustration and anxiety.

Meeting Dr. Temple Grandin

I have so much admiration and respect for Temple, not only for sharing her insights into Autism, but also for her research and design advancements in the livestock industry. I grew up on a cropping, sheep and cattle farm (a.k.a. "ranch" for my American readers) in Australia, and I know of a farming family who are successfully using Temple's cattle handling system on their farm in central N.S.W. Australia.

If you are a parent/guardian of a child with Autism, or a professional working with children who have Autism, I would highly recommended attending a Temple Grandin conference or reading one of her books. I am currently reading "The Autistic Brain" by Temple Grandin and Richard Panek (my signed copy!). Another book I would recommend to those who care for a non-verbal child on the Spectrum is "How Can I Talk if My Lips Don't Move?" by Tito Rajarshi Mukhopadhyay.

Overall, the conference and these books are highly informative and resourceful, and I am looking forward to carrying over some of the pertinent skills and information learnt to improve my treatment approaches and therapy outcomes.

Have a great week!

Maree




 

Update and Happy New Year!

Hey, folks!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! It has been quite some time since I last wrote a blog post, and what a better day to start writing than New Years Day, right?!  I thought I would update you on where life and work has taken me over the past two years.

At the beginning of 2015, I was awarded my national and state licensure to work as a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) in Florida, U.S.A. Here are the links to read about how to transfer degrees/licenses internationally and obtaining state licensure in America.

For the past two years I have been working in a preschool/outpatient facility, providing therapy for the communication and feeding needs of children with a range of complex communication needs. This role has been both challenging yet rewarding, and the experiences I have obtained have been immeasurable on both a professional and personal level.

My Permanent Residency status is now unconditional, and I am ready to apply for my U.S. Citizenship in March of 2017 so that I can become a Dual Citizen of Australia and America. As anyone who has moved internationally would know, the road to Citizenship is a long and grueling process, but I am hopeful the results will be all worth it! Here is the link to read about the different types of U.S. Visa's you need for work and travel.

My husband and I have been blessed to have had the opportunities/time to travel, both locally and internationally, over the past two years. Destinations have included China, South Korea, Australia, The Smoky Mountains (Tennessee), Key West (Florida), Zion National Park (Utah), Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah), and our most recent camping trip along the Southeast coast through the states of South Carolina and Georgia.  Despite back injuries, we have really taken a liking to hiking and exploring The Great Outdoors, which I hope we continue to do throughout the New Year.  

Please feel free to reach out to me with any comments or questions regarding working internationally, transferring degrees/licenses internationally, or just to say "hi". I would LOVE to connect with more friendly faces who are travelling along this weirdly enjoyable journey called "life".  In the meantime, as I reflect back on the year that was, here is my favorite photo from 2016:

Zion National Park, Utah, U.S.A. 

Sending peace, love, and happiness to you all in 2017,

Maree