Today we’d like to introduce you to Nancy Pesic.
Hi Nancy, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Journey Of A Nomad Immigrant
My journey began at 18 and a half years old when I decided to leave home and embark on a life full of uncertainty and excitement. I packed my bags and flew to Italy, where I started my modeling career. It felt like stepping into a completely different world, one full of glamour, travel, and the promise of new opportunities. Living in a foreign country, surrounded by fast-paced industry, was a whirlwind, but I loved every minute of it. After Italy, I didn’t slow down. I took the chance to work in Spain and Greece, soaking in different cultures and meeting people from all walks of life. I became a true nomad, always on the move, always adapting. Every place had its own charm, and every experience taught me something new about myself.
But as the years passed, I knew I needed a change. When I finally returned to Serbia, I felt the pull to dive into something more grounded. So, I decided to finish my (first) Bachelor’s degree in Sports and Physical Education. It was a different kind of challenge, but one that gave me a sense of purpose and stability after the constant motion of modeling.
After I finished college, my plan was clear, I was going to work as a PE teacher. It seemed like the natural next step after earning my degree. But, as life tends to do, it had a different direction for me. Instead of stepping into a classroom, I found myself at a regional TV station, taking a completely unexpected turn. I ended up staying there for 10 years, learning the ins and outs of media, journalism, and broadcasting. It was an entirely new world, but I loved the energy of it. I never imagined I’d spend so much time in front of a camera or behind the scenes, but it felt like fate was pushing me toward something I never would’ve anticipated. I probably would still be there, doing the same work, if it hadn’t been for the move to the U.S. And how that happened… well, it’s actually a funny story.
So, one day, a friend of mine who worked at the front desk of a hotel asked me to help him fill out his application for a U.S. Green Card. I thought, “Why not?” and went down to the hotel to help him. While I was there, we also helped another friend fill out his application. As I was about to leave, my friend, Marko, turned to me and said, “You’re not going to apply for you?” I laughed it off, saying, “Nah, not interested.” But Marko wasn’t having it. He turned it into some sort of contest: “Let’s see who gets it and who doesn’t.” I agreed, mostly because I couldn’t resist the challenge.
Fast forward a few months, and both the other guy and I got the Green Card… and Marko, the one who started the whole thing, didn’t. I felt so bad when I found out he didn’t get it. But it didn’t stop me from continuing through the process. By January of 2010, I had everything lined up. I had all the papers for the Green Card in hand, ready to go. All I needed to do was buy a plane ticket and take off.
But there was one problem, where was I going? I didn’t know a single person in the U.S. I had the six-month window to make my move, or I’d lose the Green Card conditions. The clock was ticking, it was already the fourth month, and I was still in Serbia, unsure of what the next step was. I was in full panic mode at this point. Here I was, with a Green Card papers and no plan. The pressure of the six-month deadline loomed over me, and the reality of moving to a whole new country, alone, with no contacts or a clear direction, was starting to sink in. I spent days trying to figure out what I was supposed to do. Just when I thought I was out of options, a friend from college reached out and mentioned that one of our classmates was working for a pool company in the Washington D.C. area. He suggested I get in touch with him and see if I could go as a lifeguard. It seemed like a sign, so I reached out. To my surprise, he said he will help me.
On May 20th, 2010, I boarded my flight and entered the U.S. with a Green Card papers in one hand and a lifeguard’s whistle in the other. I spent that summer working as a lifeguard, however, I was thinking about what my next move would be. The work was fine, but it wasn’t the future I had envisioned. I knew I needed to figure out where to go from here.
Then, out of nowhere, a friend I’d met online reached out and offered to help me with an onboarding if I decided to move to Los Angeles. The idea of starting fresh on the West Coast sounded exciting, but I wasn’t sure yet. First, I had to figure out what I really wanted to do. Was I meant to stay in D.C., or was LA calling my name?
In early October, I decided to visit LA to get a feel for the place. It was a completely different vibe from D.C., and I immediately loved the beach and the warm weather. It was the perfect contrast to the cold, gray winters I’d come to dislike so much in the D.C. area. I got back to D.C., but I moved to Annapolis to work at an indoor pool. It was a change of pace, but the winter came in strong, and soon enough, I was regretting my decision. The cold, the gray skies, and the constant chill made me miserable. I found myself checking the temperature in LA every day, longing for that warmth and sunshine.
To cut a long story short, on December 20th, I made the decision. I packed my things and moved to California 2 days after, not knowing exactly what was ahead but feeling that it was the right move. I was leaving behind the winter for good, and it felt like I was finally on the path I was meant to be on.
When I first arrived in California, I was completely mesmerized by the entertainment industry. The studios, the lights, the glitz, it was everything I’d imagined and more. Since I had a background in TV, I wasn’t shy in front of the camera, so I started doing “extras” for different shows. It was fun at first, but I quickly realized it wasn’t something I could see myself doing long-term. It was just a small piece of the bigger puzzle, and I knew I had to figure out what was next. I needed a plan for my future.
So, I pivoted. I started working at a department store to make ends meet while attending Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC) and later transferring to California State University, Northridge (CSUN). I was determined to get my second BA degree, this time in sociology with a focus on work and society, a Human Resources track. It felt like the right direction for me, something stable, something that would give me the foundation I needed to build a career. I was so eager to finally land a grown-up job, to feel like I was on solid ground. But then, reality hit hard. The path I’d been so sure of, the one I’d worked so hard to build, started to feel like it wasn’t enough. I spent months applying for jobs, but every time I came across an entry-level position, there was one common requirement: 1-3 years of experience. Nobody had told me that while I was studying, I should’ve been interning to build that experience. I was devastated. It felt like I had just wasted four years of my life. The frustration and disappointment hit me hard, and I started to fall into a semi-depression. The weight of it all was overwhelming, and I couldn’t help but question my choices. Was it all for nothing?
Then, one day, a friend called. He knew I was struggling to find a job, and he asked if I would be interested in helping his friend, who was a supervisor at a Behavioral Therapy company. I hesitated. I didn’t know anything about that field, and it felt like such a far cry from everything I had studied. But at that point, I was willing to give anything a shot. Long story short, I took the opportunity and started working as a Behavioral Interventionist. It was a total pivot from the path I’d imagined for myself, but it turned out to be the start of a whole new chapter. I never anticipated how much I would fall in love with the work. Being a Behavioral Interventionist turned out to be incredibly rewarding in ways I hadn’t imagined. Watching the kids with special needs achieve milestones, small or big, and knowing that I played a role in their progress filled me with a sense of purpose I’d never experienced before. It wasn’t just a job, it felt like something I was meant to do. By that point, I had made up my mind: I was going to dedicate myself to working with special needs children. I transferred to a more reputable company to gain more experience and advance in the field. I even signed up for a Special Education Teaching Credential, thinking this was the direction my life had been leading me toward all along. But just when I thought things were moving in the right direction, the world changed. In 2020, the pandemic hit, and everything, including the work I loved, was thrown into chaos.
Thankfully, the shift to online schooling meant I still had a job, and I consider myself lucky for that. I know many people lost their jobs and earnings during the pandemic, but somehow, I was able to keep going. The school was only 4 hours a day so I had plenty of extra time. I saw there was a severe shortage of face masks and I felt like I had to do something. I decided to start making masks and give them away to my neighbors who needed them. I had a Singer sewing machine and a bit of fabric left over from other projects, so I reached out to a local fabric store in Van Nuys. They agreed to sell me fabric, and I got to work. I advertised on the Nextdoor neighborhood app, letting people know I was making masks on request. Anyone who needed one could tell me how many, and I’d happily sew them. In total, I ended up making about 100 cloth masks before they were even available for purchase in stores. I didn’t charge anything, my only goal was to help. But some of my neighbors didn’t understand that I wasn’t asking for anything in return. They were so grateful that some of them brought me gift cards, and one Greek lady even gave me a bottle of homemade olive oil from Greece. I gently explained to them that I came from a socialist country, where helping others without expecting something back was just part of the culture. It was a bit difficult for them to grasp, but it felt good to offer a little bit of kindness in such a strange time.
One more thing happened just before and during COVID. Two months before COVID hit, my friend Ausma called me with an unusual proposal, she asked if I’d be interested in participating in a pageant. At first, I laughed it off, thinking I was too old for something like that. But she reassured me that there were six categories, and we would both be competing in the “Ms. Woman” category. Feeling curious, I decided to go along with it. We both purchased dresses from a boutique that was sponsoring the event and began preparing for what we thought would be the next step in a fun adventure.Then, of course, COVID happened, and I was sure the pageant would be canceled. But Ausma, always the optimist, assured me that it was still on. With the lockdown dragging on and so much free time on my hands, I figured, why not? I decided to give it a try.
To my surprise, I ended up winning Ms. Woman Porter Ranch, which secured me a spot in the Miss California pageant. The preparations were all done online via Zoom, which was an odd but necessary shift. The final event was set for the weekend of August 8-9, 2020. It wasn’t in a hotel as originally planned, but at a talent school in Santa Clarita. Due to COVID restrictions, only one person was allowed to accompany each contestant, and the event was held with all necessary protocols in place. Despite the unusual circumstances, the pageant went forward, and I ended up as the 1st runner-up in the Ms. Woman California category. It was a huge surprise to me, but it also turned out to be a wonderful reminder of how even in the strangest of times, you can find new experiences, challenges, and successes.
After pageant was done, I decided to go home to Serbia to be with my parents. Serbia wasn’t as locked down or strict as the U.S., so life there still had a sense of normalcy. It was a relief to be in a familiar place, surrounded by family, and I even managed to work a few months remotely from there. It gave me a chance to reset and recharge during such an uncertain time. Eventually, we all transitioned back into the classrooms. But now, we were facing new challenges, adapting to the changes the pandemic had brought to education, and figuring out how to apply everything students learned in a new environment. It wasn’t easy, but I felt like I was finally on solid ground again, even if the world around me was still finding its way back to normal.
While I was working remotely during the pandemic, I was talking to my best friend, who was also a Special Education teacher. She mentioned that schools were in desperate need of science teachers. I was a little surprised at first because I hadn’t thought of teaching science. But she encouraged me to look into it, saying that it could be a great opportunity, especially with my background and the experience I had gained working with special needs children.
That conversation stuck with me, and I started to seriously consider it. The more I thought about it, the more I realized it could be a perfect fit combining my passion for working with kids and the chance to explore something new. It was a moment of realization that could shift the course of everything. I had always enjoyed science and had a natural understanding of it, and now, with my background in Special Education, it felt like the perfect combination.
I decided to pursue a teaching credential in Single Subject Biology, and everything seemed to fall into place. I was determined to complete it as quickly as possible, so I knocked out all of my classes in just three semesters. It felt like I was finally on a path where things were lining up. After years of twists and turns, I was about to dive into something I could see myself doing long-term. The excitement was real. I had worked so hard to get to this point, and I could feel myself growing into this new role. It was a lot of work, but it felt like everything was moving forward as it should. The more I immersed myself in the coursework, the more confident I became that this was where I was meant to be. I passed the first General Science CSET with ease, and I was all set to prepare for the second one in Biology. But just as everything seemed to be falling into place, life threw me another curveball. My dad got sick, and I had to fly back to Serbia to be with him. I was fortunate enough to see him alive for one last week, but then, he passed away. Losing my dad, especially since I was always so close to him, was absolutely devastating.
In the aftermath, I struggled. I gained weight, and studying for the Biology CSET became nearly impossible. My grief consumed me, and I lost focus. It felt like I was drowning in it all. As a result, I ended up losing three semesters and everything came to a halt.
But, as life often does, things started to shift again. While I was still preparing for the Biology CSET, an unexpected opportunity came up. I found a job at Calabasas High School, teaching General Biology and Honors Physiology. It felt like fate stepping in, guiding me when I least expected it. The experience of teaching there was life-changing. Everything at Calabasas was so different from what I had been accustomed to. It was a high bar, but it was also a place where I learned so much about myself as a teacher.
Calabasas High will always hold a special place in my heart. It was my first real teaching job, and it shaped me in ways I’ll never forget.
I passed my second CSET while teaching at Calabasas High. Then, during the Fall 2024 semester, I completed my fieldwork at J.F. Kennedy High School in Granada Hills, teaching Biology. Finally, on December 23, 2024, I earned my teaching credential. Something that was supposed to be a 3-4 semester journey had turned into six, each step a challenge, a lesson, and a testament to how far I had come.
This spring semester, I’ve been subbing within the Simi Valley district while eagerly waiting for the job openings for the 2025-2026 school year to be posted in mid-May. As I look back on everything, I realize that my journey has come full circle. I set out to become a teacher, just like I had originally hoped, except the focus shifted from Physical Education to Science. And in many ways, I’m grateful for that transition. Teaching science feels like the perfect fit.
I’m especially drawn to working with students on the spectrum. There’s something deeply rewarding about helping them understand the principles of science, and I’ve truly fallen in love with all the unique souls I’ve had the privilege of working with. Becoming a special education science teacher isn’t just a career choice, it’s a calling. I’m so excited for what the future holds, and I can’t wait to start this next chapter, helping students navigate the world of science in a way that makes sense to them. It’s been a long road, but I’m finally where I belong.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @_science_nomad_
Image Credits
Uh, for a lot of my pics I do not know who took them, One or two are selfies.
I only know for all the pageant photos credit goes to Jose Burrola and his “Innovation Design” studio.
