The following is written by an ESL tutor in the Vigo County Public Library’s English as a Second Language Program, who has contributed her time and expertise to tutoring three adult students. She is a multidimensional person and has an additional volunteer interest that is leading her toward a job that she loves.
I have been taking classes at Indiana State University forever, seems like it anyway. Because I work there, it has been easy for me to take one class a semester while I am working full time. It took me about 10 years to finish my associate’s degree in Office Support and Technology which helped me get a promotion and a nice raise in the Purchasing Department. I love my job, but I kept thinking that I would like to do something different when I retire from the University.
When I was taking a psychology class, I decided to take one of those tests that determine what work you would be best suited for. It indicated that I would be a good teacher or interpreter. When I thought of interpreter, I thought of interpreting a language, but that’s not what it was talking about. An interpreter can be a person at a state park or national park who shows visitors the flora, fauna, and features of the park. That is when I decided that’s what I want to do when I retire. I changed my major to Anthropology and started working earnestly on my bachelor’s degree. I am trying to take at least 2 classes a semester, so I can get done more quickly than I did my associates.
I have heard from my advisors and professors that I needed to get some experience to get “my foot in the door” at a National Park. I found out from talking to park rangers at a recent visit to Yellow Stone National Park, the best way to do that is to volunteer at one of the parks. My husband is volunteering at the George Rogers Clark National Historical Park in Vincennes and he really likes it, but I wanted to take visitors out on hikes in the woods to show them the flowers, plants, trees, and critters, so I decided to try to get into Shakamak State Park. It is close to home for me and offers a variety of things to do for campers and visitors.
It took me quite a while to get a volunteer job at the park, but I finally did it. The beauty of being a volunteer is you can work when you want to and the supervisor of the park volunteers has allowed me to design the programs for my hikes. I have been doing a fitness hike and a tree identification hike almost every Friday or Saturday in July and August. It has been fun to work with the naturalist at the park, who has given me tips and pointers about being an interpreter. Another volunteer at the park is a teacher during the school year and volunteers at Shakamak and Pokagon State Parks in the summer. She has also given me some great information and has shown me what fun it can be to teach people about our local state park. She told me to “do what you love” and that’s exactly what I am doing.
Even though Shakamak’s nature center is only open in the summer, I hope to continue leading hikes through the year, if they will let me. If you would like to join me, or want to explore the park on your own, check out the web site http://www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/3288.htm for a schedule of events. I also continue to volunteer at the library in the English as a Second Language Program where I am interpreting language, while at Shakamak State Park I am interpreting nature!
Sherri Ramseyer
