International
Like most people who grew up in a small town, if anyone asks where I'm from I refer them to someplace potentially more recognizable. In my case it's the beautiful and historic Heidelberg, Germany (pictured on the left). Nestled between two mountains and boasting the Heidlerg Castle, a UNESCO world heritage site, the city attracts tourists from around the world. But in reality, a small military community 25 kilometers north of Heidelberg (pictured on the right) is where I actually grew up. It was called Benjamin Franklin Village (BFV) and doesn't exist anymore. My family moved to this community in 1988, right before the fall of the Berlin Wall. My mom was a first grade teacher for the Department of Defense and my dad was a U.S. Army officer. And there's a really good chance I'm the only person in the history of BFV to start pre-school and graduate high school in the community.
Disciplined
I spent my childhood training competitive gymnastics, 4 hours a day 7 days a week. It's where I learned discipline, confidence, perseverance, and the German language. As an adult I've continued to stay active, having spent the last 10 years training Muay Thai kickboxing.
Industrious
Fortunately, I also came with very little sense of entitelment, and a strong work ethic. I have an older neighbor who has been in the neighborhood for 30 years. She used to be a journalist and never misses the chance to tell me how bad our neighborhood was back "in her day," with the subtle suggestion that I probably wouldn't be living here if things hadn't changed (note: I don't live in a nice neighborhood; it just used to be much worse). She also never misses the opportunity to tell me how industrious she thinks I am. For the last 9 years she's watched me rush from one job to the next, headed to my day job in a collard shirt and heels each morning, running to a restaurant shift in a t-shirt and tennis shoes each evening. And as a single woman who has made her way in SF on her own, I can tell that she sees a bit of herself in me and that makes her proud. And honestly it makes me proud as well. Because the truth is I rarely consider myself to have the highest IQ in the room. I'm pretty sharp but not mensa material. What I am confident I am is honest, reliable, resourceful, adaptable, and extremely hard working. I haven't been exposed to a lot of opportunity in my life, and losing my parent in my twenties left me without a safety net. But I've made it through by hustling hard, capitalizing on the opportunities that come my way, and taking every chance I've been given to learn.
Educated & Experienced
After graduating from high school, I set off for college in the U.S.. Though I wasn't excited to be going to Missouri (my dad lived there and I was eligible for in-state tuition), I was very excited to live in the "states" for the first time since I was 4. I spent two years in Kansas City before I got the news that my mom's cancer had returned and was terminal. So I packed up and headed back to Germany where I attended a small private college in Heidelberg. I worked my way through my final two years of college as a waitress until I was offered an administrative assistant position at a small broker dealer. I enjoyed 4 years learning about office administration and financial planning before my mom was given a year to live and wanted to relocate to the U.S. for it. Those were tough times. As my mom's primary caregiver, I spent days in the chemo ward and evenings waitressing for $2.16/hr. After her death, I returned to Germany. In hindsight, this was a horrible idea. I don't regret the decision; I had some wonderful experiences. But from a professional standpoint, it was a huge mistake. Though I had spent 22 years of my life in Germany, I didn't have any legal right to residency or employment. So I was limited to working for the U.S. Department of Defense. I did this for three years before eventually deciding I needed to move to an area with more opportunity, San Francisco.
Adventurous
I was 29 when I moved to San Francisco. I bought my first smart phone, downloaded my first app, and applied for my first credit card (all things I didn't need back home in Germany). And very quickly I realized I was underprepared. I didn't have an ivy league CS degree, a trust frund, or a network. I had a dog. That was it. So, even as I type this some 9 years later I wonder "what was I thinking?!"
