As a teacher, i have been asking since forever a class where i can teach kids French. But every time summer came and kids came to learn, i was busy elsewhere, or there were other teachers who got a chance and i was asked to wait till the next year. So when about 3 weeks back the course coordinator came and asked me if i would be interested in teaching kids, it was all i could do to stop myself from jumping up and down in joy. I accepted the class without a blink.
The next day, i was called to her office to be informed, well this was a kids class, but the kids were all from an organization called 'children first' and that they were slightly different from the normal children. They were either orphans or kids who had been given up by their parents. I was told that the class wouldn't be like any normal batch as the age group was between 12 to 19 years and there were a certain number of sensitive topics like family, past which could not be brought up in class. Now i started getting cold feet and my first reaction was regret for not having asked for more details before accepting the class so blindly. I went back to my office and thought about sending a mail saying i could not take up the class due to some other work which had suddenly sprung up and that i was very sorry. I even typed out the letter, but then thought it was not right. They were also children and deserved to learn just like any other person.
The week passed, i tried not to think about my first class or how i would handle any uncomfortable situation, if at all it came up. Finally the big day arrived and my family and friends wished me luck and said i would be just fine if i was myself in class. Friends advised me to go about teaching them as i would any other class. So i went in and was greeted by the sweetest of smiles. 10 attentive children, eager to learn, to ask questions, to sing, to play. I warmed up immediately to the kids but the fear of making a mistake remained in my heart. I tried to shrug it off, but being a selfish human being, i kept regretting having agreed to teach them.
But time flew, i am now 2 weeks into their class and have just 1 more week to go. Today they all invited me to their house for lunch. Not to disappoint them, i agreed to spend my Saturday there. What i saw, i experienced will stay in my heart forever. I went there with a friend and we were greeted to all kids enthusiastically running out to meet us. I got a warm hug form each one of them and within a few seconds we were one among them. The boys dragged my friend away to ask him questions. I was dragged into the kitchen by the girls who wanted to show me how they cooked, what they were making for lunch, tell me stories about what they had done since i last saw them, ask me how my Friday was etc etc.
The boys by then had pulled out the carom board and were playing with my friend, talking, singing songs and having a ball. While the girls sat around showing me their photos, i realized the kids have been living together for the last 10 years! One, like a family, irrespective of their backgrounds or their pasts.
Lunch cooked by the girls, delicious and lip smacking was served, we ate together, laughed and joked over food. Soon it was time to say goodbye. With promises to come back and visit them soon, we left the whole lot with huge smiles and waving goodbye.
It was good to touch base and get a taste of reality. To come out of our bubble for a while and see the real world. To see people work so hard to make a change. To see simple people and simple lives yet with hearts of gold.
2 comments:
There are some instances when you feel very blessed, very fortunate, very small - this is perhaps one of such. I sure had similar feelings when i used to run the computer classes for DAD kids and look what it did to me, a life changing experience...! There are lots to learn from these kids i tell you..!Lap it up and good luck..!
And seeing what it did to all of you is what has led me to at least think of attempting and trying to make a change in my own small way. Thanks :)
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