The Contract is CONQUERED!!!

Anyone that knows me knows how much of a struggle I have been going through with my Special Education contract! When I first tried to apply for the position, I couldn't, because there wasn't one! Despite the desperate need for behavioral services on the island, they had their hands tied. They can't hire me without a position title. So I decided to create a Job Description of what a behavioral psychologist entails. I brought it to Special Ed. or 'SPED' as they call it here, and started working with them to create a position for me. They agreed to help, and so began the 6 month process. I must have been in and out of that office over a dozen times. Following up like a crazy person. I'm talking emails, phone calls, meetings, the works! They all started knowing me by name and I wasn't even close to having the position created, let alone hired!
"Hey Carol!! You work here yet?!" followed by giggles and sarcastic tones. I literally became the running joke. 'The rogue behavioral therapist that hopes to be hired... one day!' Even at Human Resources, an entirely different dept than SPED knew my name and my story. "So you're the famous Carol. I heard about you. Why taking you so long to be hired huh??" I didn't know whether to laugh or cry! I was so frustrated to the point of losing my mind, that I just had to laugh. I've given up so many times. But the kids brought me back to reality. I need to keep fighting, I need to help these kids! Kids who could benefit tremendously from behavioral therapy, who need it, who deserve it! I'd wipe my tears and go back for more. I don't care what they say or how annoyed they were with my relentless pushing, this HAD to be done. I can't sit here and waste away my knowledge and experience of behavioral therapy when there is no one here doing it. I turned down several jobs because I had to put complete faith in this contract. The hardest job I turned down was a teaching job at ASCC, Jameson's school! We would be working side by side at the same school, he would be teaching marine science and I would be teaching psychology. We would carpool to school, work under the same roof, and have lunch together easily! ;) How ideal would that be? I just couldn't do it. I couldn't teach when I knew no one was serving the need, the desperate need for behavioral services. Words can't express how incredibly relieved I am to have this contract or this opportunity. This will be the first time Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) will be practiced in American Samoa.

On Monday, I start my journey as the first behavioral psychologist in American Samoa serving 5 high schools and 22 elementary schools. Moving mountains over here!! Thank you to my family who always supports me, I seriously couldn't do this without you. <3