The connection with other women through the research affirmed my belief that we all have similar concerns, feelings, and observations. We now had a place to talk about our commonalities and share our findings. At the same time, different women put forward their different perspectives and many of them also fit with my own understanding.

The changes I was experiencing led to connections for me, but also to separations. This was part of my personal growth. Some of my friends didn't understand what I was doing. It was like I was a threat to them, like it was safer not to ask too much about my new activates.

My mother's death in 1990 made me realize how unpredictable and unfair life was. I ended up wanting even more somehow to make a difference. My already rocky marriage began to crumble, and eventually it ended. I was growing and changing, and the relationship wasn't.

My family supported me through all these changes, but they had a lot of adapting to do, too. My small son has also had to adjust to all the changes. Just that has been a challenge!

All aspects of my life became a continuous cycle of growth and change. Ever since I started in WEST, I had dreamed of some day becoming the program coordinator. During the research, I had the opportunity to apply and I got the job! I became involved in negotiating workplace literacy programs with unions and management, and in training course leaders.

The work was frustrating at times, but very rewarding. It also brought stress, lots of traveling, and long hours. I'd had to move to a new city, which left me as a single parent without the support of my family and friends. I had to take a serious look at my life and where it was going. I had to look at my priorities.

My first priority is my son. I was confident enough to realize that another big decision had to be made. I decided to take another position with the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour, a position that would give me job security and allow me to devote more time and energy to my son. Being a woman, I needed to put my family first.

I think most women do. And, keeping sanity in my personal life is the best way to keep sanity in the rest of my life. If it's not there, you can't give it to anything else. I think that, as women, we have to constantly be ready to change and adjust to what is going on in our lives. Although I did not stay in the job, I still feel like I succeeded in what I set out to do. I really enjoy my new job. And it is great to be able to go home, be a "mom" and not worry about travelling, working late at nights, and proper childcare.

Nicole and I often struggled with self-doubts while we were doing the research. Many times we asked ourselves, "Are we doing anything really valuable here, are we wasting time?" But then we'd say, "Well, look what happened with this," and "Look what happened with that," and "Don't you think it's important to talk about what happened to us?" We would finally convince ourselves that, yes, it is important, and yes, we do have something to say here. We had so much trouble believing that our own lives -women's lives - are important!

It's been a very difficult year, but it's been a learning experience, too. I feel that I have gone full circle with my involvement with WEST and with this research. From it I have learned about myself and my capabilities. I also learned that literacy is really important and that it's very difficult for women because of all the barriers in our way. A year ago I would not have thought that literacy was harder for a woman to achieve than a man.

From my involvement with the research, I have met many wonderful women from whom I have learned, among other things, that being a feminist means many things. It means being allowed to make choices - and then feeling comfortable with the choices we make. It means being accepted for who you are and what you believe in.

I learned that women all across Canada live the same kind of lives. Even though we're different races, different ages, different classes, we have a lot of common ground. We learned from each other and leaned on each other for support.

I learned from working with the other women that we all have a purpose in life and we are all connected in some way. No matter what we do as women, it is valuable and important and should be considered so. We have something to say and we should have room to say it. What we feel and experience counts.

Now I hope other women will have new goals and will dream of something better for themselves. And then, take that first "small step."

Niclole works every day with the women who are in her class.