Amber Pridgen, Neighbor

Originally from the confines of Conway, S.C. I gravitated to the bright lights of Myrtle Beach for my twenties. There  I made quite a nice living slinging drinks while working my way through college. My first schooling was with the New Life Center where I spent 500 hours learning not only the art of massage, but the benefits of yoga, Tai Chi, Reiki, and many other aspects of holistic living.

 A few years after that, I went back to school and received an Associate’s in Science from Horry Georgetown Technical College, followed by a  Bachelor’s of English from Coastal Carolina University. Once I finished with the weight of school, I was ready to feel light and challenged, so I packed up and moved myself to Ulsan, South Korea to teach English for a while.  I got the challenge I was looking for.

Upon returning, and now feeling a strong desire to create good and lasting change in the world, I went back to school and completed a Master’s of Arts in Teaching from Coastal Carolina University.  After following the jagged path of massage therapy, high volume bartending, fundamentals of science, English, and the courage to teach, I migrated to Summerville, S.C. and started a career as a teacher. I worked in the high schools for a few years  and am now working with Trident Technical College in their English and Journalism program.

In Charleston, I have taken graduate writing courses at both the College of Charleston and The Citadel (Lowcountry Writing Project). I’m truly in love with the lessons of life and the majestic ways they come to us, whether the lessons be in a brick and mortar building with bells ringing in the background, a candle lit meditation room focusing on the body, or a motorcycle rally where (wo)man and machine become one. I’m here to learn; we all are.