I always love the varied reactions and responses that are the result of my telling a person what I plan to do for a living. Lately it comes up because people ask me what I'm studying at school. Clearly, they do not expect to hear the words "zoo science" come out of my mouth. I'm pretty sure that most people don't even know how to compute that statement. Four out of five times, after werf recovers from a mild shock, they sort of mutter something to the effect of, "To...?" "Become a zoo keeper," I reply. Some don't even make it as far as the half-question. They simply stare at me until I rescue them with an explanation.
It was almost worse when I was a kid. Adults would ask me the banal question: "And what do you want to be when you grow up?" "A zoo keeper," I would firmly respond. The actual words of the responses I got varied: "Ooooh, ok." "Aw, that's cute." "You mean a vet?" But the thought behind most of them was the same: "Yeah, right. She'll grow outta that one." My little eight-year-old self could hear in werf's voice that they weren't a believer. My mind screamed, "I WILL!"
Know what? I am. When I first realized my dreams were coming true--actually becoming true--I felt.....amazing. For something that I had been working toward since before I can even remember to be right there, in front of me, it was one of the best feelings in the world. I think I first realized it was happening sometime during the first week of college.....no, maybe it was after I got my acceptance letter. Before, working in a zoo was just something I thought about. Then, it became something that I am actively taking steps toward.
My internship over the summer confirmed that I do indeed want to work in a zoo. Well, I have worked in a zoo now, but someday, I'll work in one all the time. None of these silly breaks for school. At least some of the classes I'm taking focus on zoo work and the like.
I can't wait.
