I live in Dublin on the southside of the city. I have one son, who is 11.
Some years ago I was a basket case. One breavement after another left me shattered and without direction. I gave up my work at the time (crisis counselling) as I was no help to anyone. There followed a period of time when as I know it now, depression set in. It took a number of years for me to come out of it, and when I did I was 7 stone heavier and felt like I had lost any wit of intelligence that I had.
A moment of madness saw me buying a computer which I then proceeded to try teaching to myself. It was the first step in a huge change in my life only I had no idea then! I had gone very shy and would not go out and meet anyone, finding the Internet changed that, and some months later when I found out about chat, I started to explore it. It allowed me to stay in my comfort zone, but still to socialise.
Two years after I started learning about computers I was approached by a friend who suggested that I do a computer course, that started a chain of events that saw me attending a course that finally brought me to a computer qualification, which I had no idea at the time how major a qualification that it was. I qualified with my Teacher Trainer Diploma in Information Technology Skills.
I was on a mission! I knew there were many women like me that after years of being at home were nervous of new technology, but also feeling inadequate, held themselves back from learning about it. I wanted to reach those women! I started teaching from my home, and now in the month of the 5th. anniversary of buying that first computer, I have a training centre which caters for up to 55 trainees at a time. I also hold a Microsoft Master Instructor Certification, and my centre is both a European Computer Driving Licence and Microsoft certified training establishment, and I can reach those woman who want to learn in a non intimidating, friendly, caring environment. :-)