“I want to reach out to you because I think this is worth mentioning and it is important for you to know. I have taken the NBCOT exam 6 times. This was honestly very detrimental to my mental health and my hopes. I am originally from Costa Rica and I am a 43 year old male and not the sharpest tool. However, it has been my desire to help people who need it the best way that I can for a long time. I have worked for many years in humanitarian aid in places like Iraq, Syria and Palestine. It was in the refugee camps that I realized that something had to be done to help those who have lost their purpose and meaning more than simply keeping them alive. I was introduced to occupational therapy by a woman from Massachusetts and decided to come to the US and study this career. I failed miserably, time after time and my disappointment with myself brought me down terribly in my self esteem and depression. I was kicked out of my home when I was 14 and I have lived homelessness for about 10 years throughout my lifetime. Failing at this meant I would have to hit the ground one more time. Even the person who recruited me into OT gave up on me and told me how inept I was. I have always worked hard but sometimes you need someone. I saved all I could on the side and managed to pay for weekly tutor sessions with your program under the care of Paula Carey (who I nicked named on her back “Paula Carry” because she is so carrying. During some of our sessions I did my best to hide how I was feeling and how low I was. I was facing homelessness again and as an immigrant I had no one to even talk to. Paula went out of her way to encourage me every single time. She not only taught me how to persevere during the exam but treated me like a person with dignity and a future. Because of a vision problem I have my reading in English is very slow and this was a giant problem for me taking the exam. As a foreigner it is difficult to know how navigate the system and she took the time to instruct me in order for me to get accommodations after seeing an ophthalmologist. I took the test and passed with a surprisingly good grade. I know that I knew the material and I had studied well, but sometimes you need someone to believe in you a little. She did that for me and I am grateful for her. I am in Warsaw right now, it is 6:50 pm here and I will be crossing the border to the front lines in the Ukraine as an Occupational Therapist at midnight. I will be assisting in orphanages and hospitals hoping to share a little light like it was done for me during a very depressively low time for me. I have to say I am proud of the OT mentality of compassion and what we do. I want to thank you too for knowing how to build a great team and for having her there.
Thank you deeply,
”
Thank you deeply,
”
- MIchelle J. Wong