Never had I been so thoughtful of my profession as after a conversation with a friend’s father. I was in the third year of my profession, but that talk made me wonder whether I was in the wrong profession. No sooner had we reached Sabin’s home, that a man with a French beard, highlighted hair, and looking like an 80’s Hollywood star welcomed us. Sabin introduced that man as his father.
Leaving his father and me in the sitting room, Sabin went to the kitchen. I did not begin a conversation with his father as he was busy with his laptop. May be because I was silent, he began to speak to me. I do not like a person talking to me without facing me, and that was what Sabin’s father was doing. But I let it go. I was expecting him to ask me about my studies, my permanent and temporary address, my parents and so on, because every time when I visited my friends’ home, I was asked these questions first. But contrary to my expectation, he asked, “what do you do?” “I teach in a school. I am a teacher” I answered. He asked me again, as if he did not hear clearly, so I answered louder than before. I further added with pride that I had been teaching since I completed my plus two. I added it because when I shared this information with my friends’ parents, they appreciated my hard work and they too wished their son would be like me. I was hoping the same from Sabin’s father. But do you think I was appreciated? No, it did not happen. He replied with no interest, still facing his laptop., “Oh! I got it, you teach in private school. A teacher, right???”
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When I was in grade five, my science teacher used to tell us that he knew everything that was going on in the mind of students. He knew it by observing the students’ body language, facial expression and way of talking. Once, when I had not done homework, he asked me whether I had done it or not. I lied, but he said very confidently that I was lying. After being a teacher, I too learnt to study body language. I knew that Sabin’s father was not interested in talking to me, and did not like the profession of teaching. I knew he was an engineer. Sabin often told me that his father forced him to be an engineer, which he really did not want.
After a moment, he asked how much salary I got. “Eight thousand per month,” I answered. “Eight Thousand! How do these teachers manage their livelihood in Kathmandu with such an ugly salary?” he exclaimed. I said nothing. He went on to say that teaching was the least creative job; teachers were like servants and daily wage workers. After expressing his poor thoughts about teachers, he apologized, and left.
He hurt me somehow. His attitude toward teaching made me mull about my profession. He was not the first man who discouraged me and showed pity on me. Many people have told me that I was in a wrong profession where there was no money. Some people even said that no girl wants to marry a teacher. Then I thought I should leave this profession, but I consoled myself with the thought that God has prepared a life partner for everyone!
“Teachers are servants” This statement haunted me a lot. Though Sabin’s father said it sarcastically, in fact he was right. I remembered how I prepared my lesson plan, how I took care of students when they fell sick in school. I spent almost all my time with students, as if I was their servant. Jesus Christ served his disciples and he even washed his disciples’ feet on the night of last supper and asked them to serve others. He was an example that every leader should be a servant. I felt proud of being one of the servant-leaders. Servants have to work on time. I was glad that I always completed my paper checking on time, reached school on time, checked homework on time and actually did everything on time. How much better would our country if all the leaders served their nation by being servants? I thought to myself “let me be a servant if my service is helping others success in life.”
Sabin’s father said that teachers were daily wage workers. I wanted to tell him, “Teaching is the only profession without corruption in a country where corruption is rife.” Though it is not a lucrative profession, love of children cannot be compared with money. I still remember how my students celebrated my 20th birthday. They brought a cake and many gifts for me. I was touched. I realized that the children really loved me. I wanted to ask Sabin’s father whether his clients celebrated his birthday.
The TV was on and Salman Khan was dancing with Katrina. Though they were my favorite artists, my attention was not drawn. I was thinking about my profession. Finally, I thought about my talent or gift that God had given me. I used to take part in debate competitions in my school. Everyone used to appreciate my oratory. I knew that with my talent, I could deliver speeches, draw the attention of my listeners, make people understand, and even counsel people. I did not care what Sabin’s father said about teachers, and said to myself, “I am a teacher. I am a servant. I want to be a professor and this is what I am born for.”
The writer is a teacher at IACER College, Kathmandu
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