In Charles Dickens' novel, Pip's expectations aren't much to speak of until his act of kindness to a stranger changes everything.
When I was considering moving to the Quad-Cities where I grew up from Evanston, a city in which I'd lived for 25 years, I feared I might be making a mistake. What if I hated it? Then what? A wise friend assured me that we create our own reality and that if I hated it, I would simply create a new one. Whether or not that is true, it turned out to be the best decision I ever made. I made new friends, reconnected with old classmates and found the perfect place to write and enjoy life.
Do the outcomes of your hopes and dreams generally meet your expectations? If they don't, how do you handle your disappointment? Don't forget, as my friend said, creating a new reality for yourself is always a possibility. Think about it.
Ellie expects recognition from the students and teachers of the school where she works after her act of heroism. See what happens - or doesn't happen and how she handles it in "Halifax". http://www.amazon.com/Halifax-ebook/dp/B00AVME2R4