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Hello from Texas!
My name is Malavika, but everyone calls me Mala. My parents arrived from India forty years ago and I tagged along. I grew up in Ohio and West Virginia, and we finally moved west to Oklahoma to escape all that snow and cold weather. I got a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Arkansas in 1988, and moved to Houston a few months later. I worked as a heat transfer engineer at a large engineering firm for 10 years, and continue to do contract engineering and marketing work for oil & gas companies.
At 40, I figured it was time for a controlled mid-life crisis. A good friend thought the MAED/AEDL program - Master of Arts in Education/Adult Education and Distance Learning - might be a viable fit for me. So, I decided to pursue a career change to teaching - perhaps a more socially-redeeming and personally satisfying field. With all the downsizing and unemployment, re-educating adults to help them find new jobs seems like a worthwhile endeavor and the idea of getting a Masters degree appeals to my 'intellectual vanity'. Eventually, I would like to teach some online classes such as math/statistics/PC applications, and get people rolling towards new careers.
My hobbies include equestrian sports such as Dressage (What IS Dressage? - see video clip!*) and stadium jumping. I also play the piano, paint, do pet rescue, and volunteer work for my favorite animal shelters. Generally, I am a reclusive type whose favorite things include my four dogs, two horses, books, fireplace, and comfortable recliner!
* MPEG Player required.
Dressage video clip link courtesy of www.dressagedaily.com
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