Not only will I be the first one to get my bachelor's degree in my family, but I will be the oldest at 55! I got my Associates degree in 1996 after 4 years struggling as a single parent. I have been a single mom most of my adult life up until about 2 years ago. Not having a degree has always been something that has bothered me. When I was young my parents used to say that I would be the college kid. not completing my bachelor's has been a source of shame for many years. But, as you can imagine, working and raising children does not leave much time for finishing dreams. Honestly, I don't think I really knew what I wanted until after the kids grew up and moved out. I have done significant self work and struggled with employment and financial hardship my entire life. I have been following the path of the Medicine Wheel since I was in my late 20s. I've learned indigenous practices passed down through elders and teachers, but never directly from the source. And while I knew this information and lived my life around it, I always felt as though I lacked credibility. This is why I have chosen to study anthropology, specifically religious and linguistic factors. I want to be able to explain what I know on a metaphysical level with intellectual backup. And the more that I study, the more I understand and that this belief system and way of looking at the world isn't specific to any culture, but goes all the way back to Paleolithic times and all of our ancestors. I am offering a class in my community to share this wisdom. I look forward to being able to cite sources, and use real research background to assist others in understanding something that I have lived as a belief system. Long-term, I hope to create relationships with local native peoples, and find a way to put my anthropology education to work for them. Understanding that I am older, and that my physical abilities are limited, I hope to contribute intellectually and compassionately. I would love to work in museums like the Smithsonian and offer assistance with NAGPRA, returning sacred artifacts to the original people's that own them. It is also my dream to someday travel to see caves like Lascaux in France, and see original early artwork from my own ancestors.