Chapter 4: The First, Frightening Moment I Came Out: A Diary Entry On A Cold And Rainy Day

After studying for 4 years in an environment now somewhat familiar to myself, I knew that day was about to come when I would be set free from academic regulation and the many friendships I have made throughout my teacher training days. I was actually in Hong Kong to celebrate the end my formal education prior to commencing work.

There I was in very familiar friendship territory with my best mates and little did I know at the time, lifelong friends. We all knew that we were to receive our first postings to a school at any day now. It was the middle of January and we were due to come home in the next few days when the first information came. I wasn’t the first to get the news but waited in anticipation as to where the department was going to send me. Sure we had put in preferences but we knew from anecdotal tales that rarely were they granted, especially to graduates. I received my letter and I was to be posted to a country town 2 hours from my home and was to teach all of the humanities subjects.