Got one of the best compliments in my life just now :) I feel happy :) We have a Westin hotel right across from my office building, and it houses a star bucks coffee shop which I frequent during the day in order to keep myself from falling asleep in my office. On my way back, for the last one year, I have been chit chatting with the valets, and the bell desk people of the hotel most of whom are of African origin -- with many Ethiopians. Also, the curb outside the hotel is frequented by taxi drivers of african origin. They are mostly political asylee and hence have work permit in the US. Many of them have Bachelors degree, and some have at least few years of college education. They keep asking me how to get into Virginia Tech or any other school, and I have been advising them about community college and other venues before going to Virginia Tech. Two of the taxi drivers, and one of the valet recently started a 6 months database course which they attend for 3 hours every Saturday. One is enrolling into Accounts masters program in George Mason. All I advised them were on how to go talk to the admissions people, ask about resident tuition rates, and also I kept telling them that the only way out of poverty is education. Today one of those Taxi drivers and one valet caught be and after some update on their courses -- they said it was me who actually inspired them to take courses and go for education. So I said that -- I have never inspired any one to my knowledge -- so now I feel like a priest. They said that I was better than priest to them, and said they wished every one who come through those doors of Westin were like me -- talking them about life and importance of education. I was very much surprised at this because I thought that all I was doing was answering their curiosity because they knew I am a faculty. So I feel good that I made a difference in their lives -- or at least started something that might make a difference in their lives. What better compliment can a teacher expect. I never get much of these from our own university students!
Posted on: Tue, 24 Sep 2013 19:50:35 +0000
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