When
43 Nazarbad was sold and dad had moved to another house, he felt that I was too
sheltered in the palace and needed wider exposure to other aspects of
education. He got me out of the palace school and put me in Christ the King
Convent, across the road from our new home. All my siblings went with me. It
was a strange experience to be sitting in a classroom of fifty after a group of
five. Every one eyed me strangely and skeptically. I did not know how to break
the ice and kept to myself. I could hear sniggers as girls whispered about my
aloofness but that was not new either. I had got used to being the odd one out
and funnily, even today, I continue to be that. Remember what I said about
mermaids?
My
English teacher Miss Grace, called me aside one day and told me to read the
day’s news in the school assembly. I had never faced 450 girls before and my knees
shook as I read the news. Rev Sister Fermina, the Headmistress, called me later
and congratulated me on my fine diction .Miss Grace took me under her wing and
coached me to represent the school at inter-school debates and elocutions. The
next year, I walked away with the trophy for the best debater at the inter-high
school extracurricular competition. Sister Fermina made me read reports at
school functions and I had gotten over my stage fear. Public speaking became my
staple diet.
The
National Cadet Corps (NCC) was an activity I loved. Though it meant marching
for hours in the sun, it gave one a sense of discipline and respect for
authority. It also taught us the value of deportment and dress. The annual
camps were fun. We had to pitch tents and dig trenches for bathrooms. Since we
had to keep our tents clean for the morning inspection, we would go to the nearby
village and fetch fresh cow dung, mix it in water and lay a thin film of it on
the ground to level the floor. This also acted as a disinfectant. It gave us a
lesson in dignity of labour. These experiences have been invaluable for me in
handling both my personal and professional life in a positive and productive
way. I wish NCC is made compulsory for students in high school. It will go a
long way in building their character and physique.
With my close friends from Christ the King Convent
Loved the uniform
By
the time I passed out of high school, at thirteen, I was ready to face the ‘world of men’, I attribute my confidence
to my ability to face people and speak from a platform. For that, I thank Mrs
Watsa for giving me the tools and Miss Grace for opening up opportunities. The
role of a teacher at this stage of one’s life is crucial. The right direction
and encouragement can make the student’s future.
“What
gift do you want for passing your high school”? Asked grandpa in whose family I
was the first to finish school. I asked him for a year in a hostel and he
agreed. That is how I went to Mount Carmel College in Bangalore, to do my
Pre-University course. Dad wanted me to follow his footsteps and become a
nutrition expert, so I took Home Science. A week later, I learnt I was not cut
out for organic chemistry and botany and what not, so switched to Arts. Dad did
not nail me for it.
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