At the United World Colleges, mostly sixth-form colleges around the world, there’s a tradition of celebrating what’s called International Days. Every International Day celebrates a continent (for example, Asia, Africa, North-America, Europe) or a region (for example, Middle East). On that day, students representing the area cook and/or serve dishes from the area in the dining hall, run various activities during the day showcasing their cultures and traditions etc., and put on a show in the evening.
During my time at the United World College of the United States (UWC-USA), during one of the International Day performances, two girls –an Australian and, if my memory serves me right, a South American — performed a piece called “I am a woman” where each took turns speaking a line about what it means to be a woman in their respective country.
My friend David Atiyah, a Brit, and I did a parody of that at some show — which show I forgot. The following is a reproduction of that.
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The next item is a serious look at social realities of the world today. Seen through the eyes of two faculty members coming from vastly different culture, it reflects and exposes the stark inequalities and incredible diversity prevalent in the world today.
| [My friend and colleague David Atiyah’s lines] I am a Teacher | [My lines.] I am a Teacher |
| I am a Teacher, born of a teacher whose man was a teacher of teachers. | I am a Teacher, born of a woman whose man was a shepherd. |
| I am a Teacher whose father’s father went to Oxford. | I am a Teacher whose father’s father would have said, “What’s Oxford?” |
| I am a Teacher whose mother’s man went to Cambridge. | I am a Teacher whose mother’s man never went to school except for when he had to drop me off. |
| I am a teacher whose mother’s man bought and kept identical suits in different places in order to avoid having to carry them around when traveling. | I am a teacher whose mother’s man had one set of clothes to wear. |
| I am a teacher whose mother’s man was invited to too many expensive meals and always struggled to fit into his pants. | I am a teacher whose mother’s man struggled to keeps his pants up. |
| I am a teacher whose ancestors suffered in the hands of Israeli armed forces trained and armed by the Americans. | I am a teacher whose parents suffered in the hands of Tibetan Guerrillas trained and armed by the Americans. |
| I am a teacher who as a kid was given pocket money every week to go buy sweets at the local bakery. | I am a teacher who as a kid filled his pockets with marbles to go and play with his friends in the streets. |
| And then, well of course, like everyone else, I had to go to school. | And then there was this incredible privilege…I got to go to school! |
| I had to learn to read and write in two different languages: English and French. | I had to learn to read and write in two different languages: Nepali and English. |
| But, I am a teacher who after 8 years of studying French, I can still speak but only one language – English | I am a teacher who grew up knowing four languages: a Tibetan dialect, Nepali, English at school, and Hindi through movies and music. |
| I am a teacher who was educated at home, but the world beckoned. | I am a teacher who was educated in five different countries. |
| The mother country had too many rules, too many people saying – “you can’t” | Then the world opened up to me. |
| I learned about C++ a computer language – the basic element that now runs life, or at least your email. | I learned about C, carbon – the basic element of all life forms. |
| I have worked in four different countries. | I have worked in four different countries too. |
| I even worked in a remote corner of a Norwegian fjord | I thought that was my line.. |
| I am a teacher who in one year in Montezuma has learnt to pronounce Didgeridoo, but still not how to spell it. | I am a teacher who in his two years in Montezuma, have taught himself, and a few students, to play the Didgeridoo. |
| [Together] We hate wearing ties. | We hate wearing ties. |
| I am a teacher who is also free and single but not quite so young. | I am a teacher who is young, free and single. |
| I am a teacher who before he came to work here in Montezuma, had trouble getting a visa. | I am a teacher who after having been here two year has difficulty extending his visa. |
| Being here, I have really enjoyed having my evenings to myself. | Being here, I have enjoyed the evenings checking up on and “hanging out” with my Denali boys. |
| From radically different origins | |
| Our lives have come together. | |
| To share a roof | |
| And laughter | |
| Next year our travels will lead us apart — however both to places where curry is the main dish! | |
| I will have to learn to love curry. | I love curry. |
What do you think?
