If one is given a choice between going to classrooms, studying all day and night, doing assignments, group presentations, sitting one exam after the other or staying at home, doing mundane jobs, going to cafes, meeting with friends and not worrying about the future? which role will you chose? for many people the choice is influenced by many other factors, like having the funds to study, or the ability to work hard, or just sheer laziness. However, Some may want to further their education but have no luck in doing so, for whatever reason.
I am not trying to criticise anybody here' I am just raising questions that came to my mind when I met this student this morning
Well, he is a very persistent 21 years old man, he had a childhood dream, to be a pilot, he couldn't achieve high grades in school due to some compelling circumstances at home, when his mother had her crippling accident, he has four sisters and his dad works as a labourer in a factory. He was adamant though, and tried in many ways, sometimes he would feel the darkness, I try to remove it by giving a pep talk or raise his morale in one way or the other. I am not a counselor, but I am a mother and didn't want my children to have those feelings, hence talking to him as a mother did help at times.
When he contacted me a couple of years ago, I thought that maybe one of the foundations that I work with will help him achieve his dream. However, and for obvious reasons, no foundation would help a student unless he or she had scored very high grades. He is unfortunate that he was born in a country that doesn't celebrate dreams, nor does it spend much on educating its people; thus parents either save to help their children study, take loans from banks, or foundations will help as a charity or as an interest free loan the student will pay back when he or she return back, or graduate. Bottom line is, he found few jobs, saved some money, did some entrepreneurial projects and so on; this was not enough, and of course he still couldn't raise enough funds to support his childhood dream. He needs to do more, his dream costs a fortune, and no one person can help, its a collective job that all of us out there are responsible for.
My point here is, anyone can painstakingly try to raise ones level and evict oneself from the poverty circle, try to become a better human being and helpful for humanity. However all of us need a catalyst! this is the person that will help to make the dream happen.
So I explained to him this morning, that if I can do it in life, and reach this level, anyone can do it! I omitted the part about having a catalyst in my life that gave a little nudge so I got where I am now; the reason for omitting this fact is obvious, who he is and where he lives are not conducive in finding the catalyst, and plus I didn't want to add to his already complicated life.
We need those catalysts in our lives guys, help me find them, just so I can help those students.
I am not trying to criticise anybody here' I am just raising questions that came to my mind when I met this student this morning
Well, he is a very persistent 21 years old man, he had a childhood dream, to be a pilot, he couldn't achieve high grades in school due to some compelling circumstances at home, when his mother had her crippling accident, he has four sisters and his dad works as a labourer in a factory. He was adamant though, and tried in many ways, sometimes he would feel the darkness, I try to remove it by giving a pep talk or raise his morale in one way or the other. I am not a counselor, but I am a mother and didn't want my children to have those feelings, hence talking to him as a mother did help at times.
When he contacted me a couple of years ago, I thought that maybe one of the foundations that I work with will help him achieve his dream. However, and for obvious reasons, no foundation would help a student unless he or she had scored very high grades. He is unfortunate that he was born in a country that doesn't celebrate dreams, nor does it spend much on educating its people; thus parents either save to help their children study, take loans from banks, or foundations will help as a charity or as an interest free loan the student will pay back when he or she return back, or graduate. Bottom line is, he found few jobs, saved some money, did some entrepreneurial projects and so on; this was not enough, and of course he still couldn't raise enough funds to support his childhood dream. He needs to do more, his dream costs a fortune, and no one person can help, its a collective job that all of us out there are responsible for.
My point here is, anyone can painstakingly try to raise ones level and evict oneself from the poverty circle, try to become a better human being and helpful for humanity. However all of us need a catalyst! this is the person that will help to make the dream happen.
So I explained to him this morning, that if I can do it in life, and reach this level, anyone can do it! I omitted the part about having a catalyst in my life that gave a little nudge so I got where I am now; the reason for omitting this fact is obvious, who he is and where he lives are not conducive in finding the catalyst, and plus I didn't want to add to his already complicated life.
We need those catalysts in our lives guys, help me find them, just so I can help those students.
As Hillary Clinton once said...."It takes a Village to raise a child"
ReplyDeleteYour post reminds me of her statement years ago. Just wanting something hard enough is only half the battle in achieving there are so many other variables that must come into play.
Excellent post. Thank you for sharing.
Velva