Joan Schwartz Hahn

Where Am I?

It took me a long time to get to this place but then again it has been 50 years since I graduated from Great Neck High School. After High School I went to college and graduate school to become a teacher of children who were deaf and hard of hearing. I worked at the Mill Neck School for the Deaf until my daughter Jennifer was born and then took a position on the faculty of Adelphi University in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. After receiving a Doctorate, I became the Program Director in Deaf Education and stayed at Adelphi for over 25 years. I recently retired and now have a private practice in college counseling. I have had an interesting career and so far my life has been very fulfilling. I still have friends from the class of `57, a wonderful family and, all and all, I feel I have been very fortunate.

What Am 1 Doing?

Although I enjoyed working, I now enjoy playing. I have been married to Larry for 8 years and we live part time in New York City. We keep very busy doing the typical New York things, theater, concerts etc. We travel and stay in touch with our friends and when we are home we spend time with our children and grandchildren. My husband, who is a civil engineer, does consulting work. We both have tried to keep work to a minimum in order to have the flexibility to travel and to do the things we like to do.

What About My Family?

I have one child. Jennifer and my husband has two children, Tracey and Gary. Between the two of us we have seven grandchildren. My daughter Jennifer lives in Westchester and has 3 children. Larry's son lives in Washington, and has 2 children and his daughter, who lives in New Jersey, also has 2 children. We keep very busy visiting the kids. Between birthdays and special occasions we are always on the go. These are happy times!

What Else Keeps Me Going?

I am anticipating that our leisure time will be exciting and interesting. Both Larry and I hope to be active volunteers in the next election although we are hoping for more success with our candidates than we had in the last national election!

Living across from Lincoln Center is in itself invigorating. We like to take part in many of the cultural activities that are constantly taking place in our neighborhood. There always seems to be something happening in our area especially during the warmer months. From our apartment window we can view the dancing and other outdoor activities around the Lincoln Center fountain area. It is very lively and vibrant.

I hope to volunteer at the New York City Ballet as soon as 1 can spend more time in the city. We are planning on selling our Long Island home and buying something smaller in upper Westchester. We will then divide our time more evenly between the city and the country. Larry and I are also looking forward to planning more extensive trips, as we both love to travel. It is one of the many pleasures of retirement.

I never thought I could be happy not working but I was wrong. I keep very busy doing the things that I enjoy most. There always seems to be another interesting event. another great trip or another activity to look forward to. What I like best is the time I now have to spend with family and friends. I a, hoping for more good times ahead!