I Will Not Be Defeated

Life is crazy...my children are no longer students at Yu Ying because I competed for the 2009 Mrs. Maryland International title.

Thanks to the great exposure I received about the book distribution fair Beginning the Journey sponsored at Yu Ying for its students, a google alert came up and the school decided to use my title as Mrs. Montgomery County International as a decision maker to determine that I am not a DC resident even though I pay taxes, vote and my primary residence is in the district.

I was truly crushed because my message of the importance of literacy to the Yu Ying community is what directly caused my children to no longer be a part of this very community.

Since learning of their decision I have gone through a range of emotions...anger, disappointment, feeling that I failed my children etc. however after sitting back I realize this is just a minor glitch for my family. We are bonafided DC residents by the standards of the government regardless of what the school perceives due to me entering the Mrs. Maryland competition especially since the rules for entry is live, work, attend school or own property in said state.

I am currently researching potential schools for my daughters however due to the late notice in which the school informed me of their decision we have very limited choices because all of the better charter and private school deadlines have passed and there is no other Chinese Immersion school in the district.

What saddens me the most is that my children did not get the opportunity to say final good-byes to their friends since they thought they would be seeing them in August.

I have faith that God knows why he removed my children from Yu Ying so I will not let the school's decision weight further on my heart but will instead forge on with finding the best school for my girls, spreading the RIF message to eradicate children's illiteracy and pursue my dream of becoming Mrs. International (I might have to go at large as Mrs. DC International however because I do not want to have my residency in question again of whether I am a DC or MD resident because I participate in a pageant that uses different residency requirements than the school board).

****Update****
I will be competing for the 2011 Mrs. Maryland International title this November and will just provide official residency entry requirements to the school board if my residency is questioned again...let's knock on wood this does not happen though :)