( 4 ) I was a Parallel College Teacher

  ( 4 )
            I  was  a  Parallel  College  Teacher

     Before  joining  as  a Teacher  in  the  parallel  college,  I  selected  some  cotton  sarees.   My  mother's  sarees  were  easy  to  wear and  limited  in  number.   Therefore,  I  had  to  purchase  some  cotton  sarees  - it  is  slightly  difficult  to  wear and  maintain  them.   After  bringing  the  sarees  in  my  home,  my  father  & mother  started  to  iron  them.   Then,  one  end  of  a  saree  was in  a  curved  shape and  my  father  cut  those  pieces with  scissors.   Again  it  was  ironed and  it  was  clear  that  the  part  which  was  cut  away,  was  necessary  for  the  saree.  I  wondered  and  said  to  myself, "what nonsense  they  are  playing ?".  I  knew  that  they  did  so to  make  sure  the society  that  their daughter  was  able  to  become  a  Teacher  and  wear  the  saree  without  any  fault  and  thereby gain  the  credit  of  the  neighbours. 

      In  the  parallel  college,  I  had  to  face  the  students  who  failed  in  Std  X  and  those  who  came  for tuitions from  VIIIth,  IXth & Xth Stds,  I  think.   I  was  given  the  subjects,  Physics,  Chemistry  and  Biology.   The  Principal  asked  me  whether  I  was  interested  in  teaching  English.   I  agreed  and  they  gave  me  a  period  for  teaching  English.   But  it  was  a  failure.   Though  I  had  done  much  homework  for  teaching  the  lesson,  I  couldn't  perform  well  because  I  didn't  know  the  methods  of  teaching of  a  language, at  that  time.   After  my  class,  the  Principal  went  to  their  classroom  and  listened  the  feedback  of  my  class .  I  was  sitting  in  the  staffroom  with  a  broken  heart.   But  the  Principal  said  to  me  that  my  science  classes  were  running  smooth and  I  could  make  some  more  homework  before  I  attempt  to  teach  English. 

( 3 ) The incidents after Degree Course

      ( 3 )

         The  incidents   after  Degree  Course  

     After  my  Final  Year Degree  examinations,  I  was  going  through  a  terrible  situation.   I  doubted  whether  I  would  pass  the  examination  or  not.   So,  I  decided  to  undergo  fasting  -  avoid  supper.   This  continued  till  the  result  was  published.   My  mother  didn't  know  the  reason  behind  it  and murmured  against  me throughout  that  period.   I  prayed, " God,  if  you  exist,  please  give  me  a  pass mark.   After  this  prayer,  the way  in  which  I  prayed,  made  me  surprised.   I  said, "God, if  you  exist".  How  could  I  pray  like  that  ?  It  denoted that  I  had  lost  my  belief  in  God.   When  I  faced  the  reality,  I  was  totally  upset.   Without  belief  in  God,  how  could  I  live  ?  At  the  sametime,  I  realised  another  fact  - I  had  become  a  youth.   I  had  survived  my  childhood  and  adolescence  stages.   I  was  twenty  years  old  then.   In  India,  a  girl  acquires  maturity  for  marriage  at  the  age of  eighteen  years .  This  disturbed  me  very  much. 

     It  was  at  this  time  that  John  Sir  ( Fr John  ) who  was  the  Principal  of  a  parallel  college  in  Pattimattam, along  with  another  Teacher  in  that  institution  came  to  our  house.   All  my  family  members  were  present  there.   He  wanted  to  know  whether  I  was  willing  to  join  in  his  institution  as  a  Teacher.   It  would  be  a  surprise  to  all  of  you  to  hear  that  I  was  interested  in  Teaching.   He  came  to  our  house  to  select  me  as  a  Teacher  because  he  knew  that  I  was  a distinction - holder  in  Std  X.   He  didn't  know  my  performance  in  Pre  -  degree  Course.   "What  will  be  his  reaction  when  he  knows  my  Degree  result  ?", I  thought  fearfully.   My  mother  was  speaking  to  them  continuously.   She  described  my  brother's  all  mischievous  acts  and  showed  them  some  of  the  pictures  drawn  by  him.   Now,  I  remember  that  my  brother  had  a special  aptitude  to  draw  pictures. 

     However,  before  joining  as  a  Teacher,  I  had  to  purchase  some  sarees  and  learn  how  to  wear  it.   So,  I  went  to  Kolenchery  with  my  mother  ( though  unwillingly ) , bought  three  or  four  sarees.   I  don't  remember  the  exact  number.   To  wear  a  saree,  the  blouse  and  underskirt  were  to  be  stitched.   Therefore,  I  think  I  joined  as  a  Teacher  after  one  week. 

( 2 ) My experiences during degree course

             ( 2 )

          My  experiences  during  degree  course

     In  the previous  blog,  I  described  my  performances  in  degree  course.   I  have  to  share  with  you  a  lot  of  experiences.   One  is,  the  experience  of  giving  tuitions  to  Rincy,  the  yonngest  daughter  of  Fr  Jacob  Ithipuzha,  in  the  evenings.   It  was  at  the  request  of  Ms Lincy  that  I  went  to  their  house  for  tuition.   Was  she  in Std  IX  or X  ?  I  don't  remember.  However,  after  the  IInd  Terminal  examinations,  ammayi  said to me  that  it  would  be  better  to  stop  tuition  unless  it  would  affect  my  final  year  examination.  The  tuition  fee  I  received  -  it  was  the first  income  I  earned  myself.   Later,  many  of  my  friends  asked  me  why  I  didn't  make  money  from  tuitions.   The  reasons  are  many : -  firstly,  I  didn't  like  students  coming  to  my  house because  I  couldn't  speak  to  them  in  the  presence  of  my  parents  and  there  was  no  space  in  my  house  for  a  tuition  to  be  conducted.   Secondly,  there  e.3wfmqwere  not  many  students  in  my  neighbourhood,  our  house  situated  in  a  lonely place.
     One  thing  I  forgot  to  mention  is  this  : - when I  entered  IIIrd  year  B Sc  Chemistry , there  was  another  neighbour  in  our  bus stop,  to  go  to  college,  for  B  Sc  Chemistry  1st  Year.   From  my  home to  our  nearest  bus stop, at  the  right  side, there  was  Mr George's house and  then  there  was  Fr  Jacob  Ithipuzha's house.   Then  comes  Mr  M J Thomas' house,  which  was  also  situated  a  little  bit  higher  than   the  main  road,  like  our  house.   But,  instead  of   16  steps  to  our  house,  there  was  a  curved  pathway to  their  house  so  that  car,  lorry  or  any  other  vehicle  could  reach  their  courtyard.  In  the  front  part  of  their  courtyard,  different  types  of  flowers  were  grown.   So,  I  had  not  seen  the  members  of  that  family but  I  knew  that  he  also  owned  a  factory somewhere  near  the  Kadayiruppu  junction.   I  could  see  their  dog inside  the  kennel,  when  I  go  to  the  bus stop.   During  the  night,  sometimes  it  would  bark  for  a  long  time.   Almost  near  their  gate,  there  was  another  gate and  I  didn't  know  who  were  the  inhabitants  of  that  house which  was  partially  hidden  from the  viewers  on  the  road.
     Sometimes  when  I  return  from  the  college, I  could  see  an  old  couple,  both  of  them  fair  ( in  the  Indian  sense  ) and  beautiful  even  at  that  age.   From  that  house,  she  came - Rijina.   When  I  entered  IIIrd Year  B Sc  Chemistry, she   joined  Ist Year  B Sc  Chemistry,  if  my  memory  is  correct.   While  waiting  in  the  bus  stop,  she  talked  to  me  till  the  bus  came.   Even after  realising  from  which  house  I  came,  she  used  to  talk  to  me.   What  made  me  wonderstruck  was  her  beauty - I  usually  don't  talk  or  write  about  beauty  of  women.   But,  here,  I  have  to  say  something  about  beauty.   She  was  fair,  beautiful and  I  had  not  seen  such  a  girl  in  my  life.   Later,  I  had  seen  many  girls  in  hostels, colleges and  in  my  working  places.   When  these  girls  or  ladies  try  to  become  beautiful  with make - up or wearing  new  types  of  dresses,  I  would  remember  this  girl and  her  younger  sister,  Bijini.   I  would  remember  the  natural  beauties  in  my  village  but  I  wouldn't  reveal  it  to  anyone.
     Actually,  all  the  girls  in  Chittuparambil  House  were  beautiful  without  any  make  - up.   But  I  am  not  familiar  with  all  of  them  because  they  studied  in  English  Medium  School.   Therefore,  I  am  familiar  with  my  neighbouring  families  only.   Their food style,  natural  food,  pure  air & the  tension - free  life  made  them  beautiful,  I  think. 

( 1 ) Preface

( 1 )        Preface 

     When  I intend  to  write  this  blog,  let  me  remind  my  readers that  this  is  the  2nd  part  of  "The Melancholic Reminiscences of a Woman  ( Part  1 )", as the  name  denotes.   In  1st  part,  in  One  Hundred  chapters,  I  described  my  own  story  from  my  birth  upto  the  end  of  Degree  Final  Year.    
     Though  I  ended  the  1st  part with  my  degree  IIIrd  Year,  I  have  to  share  with  you  some  more  events  from  my  degree  course.   Then, as  I  mentioned  in  the  Prologue  to  the  1st  part,  I  have  to  describe  some  crucial  moments  which  I  outlived  and  this  will  continue  upto  the  day  before  I  entered  a  job  in  Govt Service ie. upto  the  1st  week  of  June  1999.