Today we’d like to introduce you to Carol Jungman.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Carol. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My first experience going overseas was in college. I was working as a waitress at “It’s Greek to Me!” restaurant when my boss invited me to take his 8-year-old daughter, Georgia, to Greece to visit her aunts, uncles, cousins, and Yaya (grandmother). At first, I thought he was teasing me, but soon enough we were on a plane to Kallithea (a suburb of Athens) for the summer! The trip was mind-blowing in so many ways. What stood out for me the most was how they embraced me like I was a family member, hosted me and Georgia with such generosity, and took us to so many wonderful places: from the small village (Horyo) on the Peloponnese where Yaya was born, to the Cyclades Islands, to the Parthenon, Olympia, and so many other places.
After that experience, I went abroad several more times as a young graduate, backpacking through Europe, working in Finland, farming in Israel. Living abroad changed my life so that when I settled down for my first “real” job stateside, I found an intercultural training firm to join. I have been an interculturalist ever since! I’ve worked with executives moving overseas, moving to the USA, and moving back after having been out of the country for years. I’ve worked with au pairs coming to the USA to live in and provide childcare to families. And recently I joined Axiom Edu-Exchange, a start-up company with the goal of fostering educational exchange, connecting classrooms across the world on joint projects, and bringing over K-12 teachers to cultivate global awareness in US classrooms. https://www.axiom-edu.com
I also spent about 20 years working with Matrix Leadership, a cutting-edge model of creating groups and teams into living systems. I had an wonderful mentor during this time and grew into a more formed adult through this work, which combines personal and professional development on an individual level. On an organizational level, it is about optimizing collective intelligence and connecting all parts to the whole. https://matrixleadership.com
My husband and I have had a retreat center together for 14+ years, where I have served as managing partner. We rent this space to people who would like to organize a group retreat, workshop or gathering. It has two labyrinths to walk, 10 acres of woods and prairie, and outdoor sports (basketball hoop, pool, volleyball). http://whitelotusretreatcenter.com
My volunteer work has been multifaceted, including diversity/equity work in the City of Evanston, working on a committee at the YWCA, and volunteering at my children’s schools. For the last several years, I have volunteered for Tellin’ Tales Theatre, whose mission is to shatter the barriers between the disabled and non-disabled worlds through the transformative power of personal story. And for the last 1.5 years, I have been President of the Board.
http://tellintales.org
One of the things I have returned to is theatre. As a middle schooler, I had a role in a play where I distinctly remember flubbing my lines. In high school, I wanted to be a thespian, but it was not “cool.” So a few years ago, I found my way back to the stage through story-telling and doing improv. It has been a blast! Middle-age can be a chance to revisit middle school dreams! Find what excites you, what is creative and enlivening, and go for it —what have you got to lose?
Has it been a smooth road?
If the road is too smooth, perhaps we are not learning and growing? Many of my bumps and struggles have to do with juggling career and child-rearing and household tasks. Getting an advanced degree while having babies. Wanting to have a career and be with my children. Struggling to make ends meet. Juggling work that is very interesting while not having benefits.
My biggest struggle has been doing too much (as you can tell from above). Partly, this stems from doing “women’s work” that has a tradition of being underpaid (training, teaching, community counselor). Partly, this stems from doing a lot of volunteer work (not saying ‘no’ but also valuing the idea that so much of good work is unpaid). Partly, this stems from wanting variety. And partly, this stems from my own internalized sexism, where I am compelled to give more and more or give big discounts to small organizations and non-profits. I believe these are common problems for women, and especially for women consultants who often give more hours than they are actually charging for. This can arise out of a sense of perfectionism; it can be from believing we never do enough; it can be a way to compete with men. Overall, we end up feeling diminished.
Recently, our attached neighbor had a house fire and our home and belongings suffered severe smoke damage (luckily no humans were harmed). At an unexpected moment, we had to step out of our home and security for 8 months while cleaning and repairs took place. This stopped me in my tracks and allowed me to observe my life, as almost from a distance. Ironically, it created space for me to burn away that which no longer served me.
Stepping back into my life, my commitment is to value who I am and what I have to offer. And to do those things—now that the nest is almost empty—that bring me joy. Traveling more! Learning an instrument! Playing more! Saying YES to those crazy things I’ve always wanted to try. The smoke has cleared.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Axiom Edu-Exchange is a dream which is moving into reality. We are just months old, but recently hosted international educators conference that was incredibly inspiring. With guests from 3 countries, we visited five schools throughout the Chicago metro area, met dedicated teachers and motivated students, and brainstormed ways to foster classroom collaborations across the globe. It is very exciting to be involved with Axiom Edu-Exchange, building an organization which will accelerate intercultural understanding, interconnect classrooms working on similar projects in different countries, empower children with leadership and civic engagement skills, and promote research and leadership skills in international teachers.
Our organizational plans are emerging, and we intend to be very involved with hosting stimulating educational international and ethnic events in the city. We are based in the Peterson Park neighborhood.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I suppose it might be too early to tell with Axiom. However, as a Midwesterner and a city girl, I believe that Chicago is a great place to start a business. We have “down-to-earth” values: friendly, honest, hard-working people. Reasonable rents. Approachable CEOs. You can find nearly any ethnicity and religion amongst Chicagoans. Great restaurants, neighborhoods, and museums.
Most people quickly realize we are a segregated city, and so we need to do much more to bridge the barriers between the north and south and west sides, between the economic divides and how people live. One can have very different experiences based on these factors. If there is something we can do, it is to give people who have not had a chance to see beyond poverty or have experiences beyond their neighborhoods the opportunity to follow their entrepreneurial dreams, or to go to school or career training, or to have mentors who will make a difference in their lives.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3555 W. Peterson Ave, Suite 110, Chicago, IL 60659
- Website: https://www.axiom-edu.com
- Phone: 404.483.8905
- Email: info@axiom-edu.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1811986159094448/; https://www.facebook.com/Axiom-Edu-Exchange-2587977247909142/
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carol-jungman-64a1451/
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