Susan's Post as a Girls With Wings Scholarship Winner!

Susan's post as a Girls With Wings Additional Scholarship Winner: Susan's lessons have been funded in part by the generous donations that people have made to Girls With Wings. Additional Awards were designated to four individuals that showed great promise and dedication. We therefore offered them $250 to help in funding at least a small portion of their flight training. Read more about our scholarship program. 

I cannot even begin to quantify the joy I felt when I received the news of winning the scholarship. It was definitely an uplifting moment. Since applying for the scholarship, it has been a rollercoaster ride in terms of emotions and truthfully, my body being pushed to the limit. I thank God because I got a part time job as a cashier, I had been desperately looking for any job because my savings were running low and a miracle happened there. 

Joining university during summer, working part time and still trying to log hours was definitely a challenge. At some point I almost broke down because I felt I had such a heavy load, the weather was really not in my favor at all so I wasn’t flying as frequently as I would have liked to, in order to meet my goal of getting my certificate by the beginning of the fall semester, money was running low and assignments were constantly due, but I snapped out of it in good time thanks to my support system, that is my family and church. I have truly learnt how to be patient during this period and accepting the situations as they come. The fact that I didn’t get my license by the time I wanted to should not put me down. I realized it should not overshadow all the good things I had achieved and been blessed with thus far. I decided to focus on the positives. The first one was getting the news of receiving the scholarship. 
 
I have since done practice cross countries with my instructor and passed my written test (That was another highlight for me). During one of the cross countries, I got to land at Amelia Earhart’s little airport in Atchison, Kansas (K59). The joy!! I cannot forget that day because I had always wanted to fly myself there and visit the museum. Well I didn’t get to go to the museum because of time in between the hops, but the experience of being there alone was enough for me to go home smiling. 

I’ve now resumed for the fall semester and time is actually my biggest concern because of the fact that I wasn’t able to transfer my required credits to start flying at the university (the pre-requisite was the Private Pilot Certificate), I now have to juggle two schools. Paying for the hours as well is not easy. Meaning I fly during any free time I get when I have the funds, which is now limited to almost once a week with me juggling school work and a job. I am now constantly reminded of a saying from back home that goes like ‘Haba na haba hujaza kibaba’ which in simple terms means, in small installments you will end up filling the container, which in my case is coming to ring true. It has slowly come to be a motivational quote. I have decided to work with what is thrown my way. My goal has not changed, just the time frame and that’s how I decided to look at it. I may be limited to how often I fly, but the fact is I’m still doing it, it’s still adding up. The fact that I’m actively in pursuit of my dream makes me forget and not notice the workload. Looking at my logbook, I’m so proud of how far I’ve come and only have more faith in where I intend to reach. My eyes are still on the prize, usually gazing skywards. 

Susan, most of us know exactly where you're coming from - and we are all pulling for you! In the US we have a saying I use often,  "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." You can do it!!