To school or not to school....that is the question

I toured a private culinary school today.

Needless to say, I held my breath the whole time! We went over curriculum, schedules, tuition, and then toured the "campus". When we reached the 2 huge kitchen classrooms, I was all aflutter inside! Huge gas ranges, GIGANTIC mixers (my gosh...I was ready to take one home with me!), and all the tools required of proper cooking!

It was like being Charlie in the Chocolate Factory for me! I was thrilled from the moment I went in to the end of the "interview". This private school only accepts so many students and so they were interviewing me as much as I was interviewing them. I was beaming when he said I was exactly the type of student that would fit in there. I didn't want to think that was what they said to all prospective students!

The curriculum alone was thrilling to me! Courses called Advanced Patisseries and Chocolate Confections, whole quarters spent discovering the cuisines of a region/country. It appealed to me on so many levels! I am a perpetual student. I will always have the learning bug and seek to know more about the world around me. I was excited at the prospect of buying books again, and when they showed me the "kit" for the Baking and Pastry Arts program (a bunch of lovely tools of the trade!), I was sold.

Of course, they saved the cost of tuition for last. The large number that represented cost per year deflated my bubble a bit, but I was still elated enough to think I could possibly swing it somehow. All that mattered was that I was smitten. I was sold. I was already envisioning myself in the chef coat and sitting in the classroom.

Well, once I left the school, reality set in and by the time I got home and peeked once again at the curriculum sheets, the catalog, the TUITION sheet, I realized it probably wasn't to be.

The dream hasn't gone away completely, but I need to hunker down and get creative about how I could possibly pay for a private school when I am unemployed and barely keeping my head above water. Nothing is impossible, right?

I know there are many roads to Rome, but the feel and the formal college feel of this program appealed to me on many levels. I want to be a professional. I want to know all I can about baking and pastries. I want to get this. I really do. At least my tour solidified that for me. It made me realize that I am very passionate about this and that it is worth some sacrifice and definitely more exploration!

So...time to research!