Thursday, July 15, 2010

The first day in JEMS

As mentioned in my previous article, after getting the tips from my Dad I was all set to go to the much awaited school(It was called Jyothi Vidya Nikethan and I still prefer that name to Jyothi English Medium School). I don't remember how the days prior to the school-opening passed. All I can remember is that my mother had already started tutoring me. She would try to get the help from everybody and anybody whom she considered was better than her in tutoring me. But what she doesn't know is, even to this day I  consider her as the best teacher I have met tell date. My view is not opinionated just because I am her son, but rather my view is justified by the innovative ways she uses in teaching. Anybody who has been tutored by my Mom will readily agree to this. So I used to prefer my Mom over everybody else in tutoring me. 

I had looked up so much for the first day of the school. The kind of enthusiasm I had was contagious and boundless. But I also had an equal share of my own fears and apprehensions. In-spite of all this excitement I can't remember much about how my first day was. I can't recall how I spent much of the day or whom I spoke to. I don't remember what my parents asked when I came back from school or what I answered them. It feels so weird considering that the day was such an important one. But still one incident on the first day remains crystal clear in my mind. I was wearing the pink and brown uniform, a tie, a belt and shoes(I had never worn a tie,belt or shoe as a part of uniform in my previous school, so this was special to me). I sat in a bench not at the back but somewhere close to the back row. I was all into myself. That was my way of feel safe and secure as I was not able to understand a word of what my teacher was telling. It was all in English and english was foreign to me. The language was alien and so were the people. I didn't even feel like raising my head and looking at other students. I was scared. I felt what if they ask me something in English and I am not able to answer. I didn't even look at the teacher fearing she might ask me some questions noticing that I am a new student. To my luck (or rather the lack of it) , each period was spread over a span of one and a half hours. That seemed like eternity to me and I cursed whosoever came up with such an idea. 

It was at this time that shadow of somebody fell in the classroom as it blocked the sunlight coming from the door. The lady who blocked  the sun-rays was none other than my aunt. She might have blocked the rays coming from  the sun, but she gave rise to new rays in my heart and those were the rays of  hope. The silver lining around her formed because of the silhouette appeared to me like a silver lining on the dark cloud in my heart. She gave a reassuring smile when I looked at her which made me feel at home. She said something to the teacher in the class to which the teacher responded affirmatively nodding the head top to bottom. My aunt looked back at me, smiled and left the class. I felt a lot better then and felt comfortable. I could not understand what she told to the teacher in the class. But the very fact that she told it in english and that the teacher responded affirmatively to what she told, made me feel proud of her. I think she must have told "This is my niece. He is new to this class and he doesn't know to speak english. Take care of him".