Introducing Gabrielle - Age 26

1. What is something you want to accomplish before you die?

I want to travel to as many countries as I possibly can, particularly Fiji, Germany, and Japan. I wish I could just hop on a plane and go, but since I'm not rich, I have to work, work some more, save a little, and then go. Ah, life.

2. Have you ever fought for something you’ve believed in? What did you fight for and what was the outcome?

Yes, I fought over a grade I received in college. I had to take a science course, so I took Environmental Biology. It was designed for English majors like myself. Well, the professor decided that it would be a good idea to change the syllabus and not tell us about it until the end of the semester. University policy states that any changes in the syllabus must be discussed and distributed to the students. She changed what I considered to be the most important part of the syllabus - the grade scale. Because she changed the grade scale, I ended up getting a D instead of the C I was expecting. Guess the class wasn't so designed for me after all. :) I talked to my professor about it, but she swore that she had informed us of the change. No one in the class could remember it, so I figured she was lying. She didn't change my grade so I went to the dean of the school. I explained what had occurred and how unhappy I was, but the dean didn't care a lick about my problems. Since I technically didn't need the class to graduate, I took my D, and let it go. I was still very unhappy about the whole ordeal though. I was especially upset to hear that one of my classmates got a higher grade than I did, even though she had received lower test scores that me. But that is another story completely.

3. Who is your favorite teacher and why?

My favorite teacher is Mr. Robert (Bob) Jenkins. He was my 5th grade home room and science teacher. I liked him because he was extremely funny. I remember him jumping on our desks on the first day of school just to get our attention. It worked. One time he ate a piece of pizza even though a carcass of a roach had temporarily been a topping. Gross, I know, but we loved it and laughed - we laughed so hard. He created a secret class handshake. We'd hook pinkies, and well, shake. :) I remember writing on the chalk board - "Mr. Jenkins and Mr. Pitterali(our DARE officer) are little kids trapped in adult bodies." Some teachers might have just erased it and not said anything about it, but on the day of our graduation, the principal used it in a story. Apparently, he thought it was cute enough to share. Mr. Jenkins was a great teacher who never let me quit, and always believed that I had the potential to learn something. I wish he knew how special he is/was to me.

4. What is the best vacation you’ve been on and why?

It wasn't really a vacation per se, but it was a vacation away from all things that were normal to me at the time. From August 2006 to August 2007, I lived and worked in China. It was an amazing experience. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to go even though at times it was very challenging. I saw beautiful places, met some wonderful people, and got to see a world I would have never known existed. It's something you sorta have to do before you can completely understand. I can tell stories all day, show pictures until I am blue in the face, but until you've been there, seen it , and experienced it - it is really hard to explain it. I wish everyone had the chance to go.

5. If you could meet anyone living or dead, who would it be and why?

I would like to meet Cillian Murphy, so that I could try to convince him that I am his dream girl. I don't typically have crushes on famous people, but I became completely infatuated with him after watching the full frontal scene in 28 days later. Sadly though, he's married and has two children. Anything is possible though, so I won't give up hope until he slaps a restraining order on me. :)