Fleeman, er, Fleaman, Welcome!
Wow, I like the style in which you left. Mine wasn't done so consciencely, I just slowly stopped going to meetings, and finally the memorial because I couldn't tolerate the hypocrisy I saw when I move to a new congregation after I got married to a wonderful JW man (who was an abusive alcoholic). (No whine there, just the t***h.)
I was raised JW and left in my early 20's in the late 70's. School was hell for me, too. And i couldn't understand why those not in the t***h, but who believed in J and JC so firmly were so evil. I, too, found out that they weren't. Neither is anyone else, in general.
There are many things we were taught that translate to the outside world that I have found to be good: Treating ALL others as we treated our "brothers" and "sisters"; the ability to speak to anyone out there without (too much) fear; the training to speak to an audience, and to teach. I've used these all successfully in business, and all without even a complete highschool education! (After my sophomore year of HS I had enough education to either become a pioneer, or be a wife. After 2 years of pioneering, I became a wife.)
Enjoy your newfound freedom. It really is awesome. And, again, Welcome!
Hugs on your journey
Brenda