Bobbi Mezger

We moved around a lot when I was little; my father was a Chief in the Navy. I remember going to second grade in both Florida and Northern California. I learned to make friends quickly and fit in. By the time I started third grade, we had settled into the home I'd live in until I graduated from high school.

My mother was a stay-at-home mom, volunteering at the library, serving as a Girl Scout leader, active in the PTA. My sister and I always had pets at home - dogs, cats, fish. We lived in a modest three-bedroom house my parents chose because it was walking distance from school. Our family vacations were usually to national parks with a trailer my dad pulled behind our Buick.

I was a good kid who loved to play outdoors. But when I lost track of time and came home after five p.m. (a big "no-no" in my household), I'd hear my middle name being called and I knew I was in trouble. Bobbi Joyce! Uh-oh. I'd be put on "restriction," with my privileges taken away for a period of time.

Speaking of restriction, once when I was sixteen, I drove the family car when my parents weren't home. Somehow, they found out about it (my sister swore she didn't tell), and I was put on restriction for three months - no car privileges! After I served my time, my mom wrote me a note about parents' love and their responsibility for raising trustworthy adults. I carry that note in my wallet to this day - it's tattered and fragile now, but it's one of my most treasured possessions.

I graduated from Cal State Long Beach with a degree in sociology and a Teaching Credential. I was just 21 when I graduated, and I started teaching elementary school at barely 22. On my first day of teaching, I was asked to leave the teacher's lounge; the other teachers thought I was one of the students. To add to my humiliation, I had parents coming to my classroom to watch me teach because they'd heard I was just a child myself. (At the end of the school year, those same parents asked me to teach the next grade, so their children could have me again.) It was a challenging year, but I managed to earn the respect of my colleagues and my students' parents. I remember feeling exhausted at the end of each day from having to act so mature.

Teaching school inspired me in so many ways. The most important thing I learned was that to teach, you must first learn the subject well yourself and then find a way to communicate what you know to someone else. I learned to be creative in my presentations, and most of all to find a way to make each subject relevant and fun. Being a teacher prepares you to do many things, including manage crises, expect the unexpected, and see the best in people.

When I got married and had my son, I decided I needed a bit more flexibility in my work schedule. I wanted to go into sales. I sold wine to restaurants for Gallo and another large Southern California distributor. After about six years, I decided to get my real estate license and try my luck selling big ticket items: houses! It was a natural fit for me. Real estate combines the best of all worlds, and poses some of the biggest challenges. I love that each day is different and that I'm constantly learning. There's just no time to be bored.

Now, after over twenty years as a real estate broker, I've come full circle to become a teacher again. I want to teach a little of what I've learned to you. I hope you'll find something here that resonates with you and makes your day a little brighter.

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