Blog /Something I'm Really Good At

July 11, 2006 20:44 +0000  |  Moments In Time 5

It's a hot sticky summer and I'm in a long-sleeved, white, collared shirt and ugly red tie, staffing the floors of Langley's local Cash Converters. I'd been hired as the resident "computer expert" and as such, was tending the shelves and answering questions from the sometimes friendly, but always curious people who would stop in.

A regular of ours, an odd-looking old man with a penchant for old hard drives was stopping by on his usual tour when I found myself preoccupied with a herd of kids asking questions about various machines. The old man motioned to me that could take my time -- he wasn't going anywhere and so I indulged the noisemakers.

20minutes go by on that slow afternoon and I'm there explaining concepts like RAM, IDE slave/master, networking and all sorts of other fun stuff and that magic point finally passes -- where they kids suddenly feel as though their brains are full and now they just want junkfood. They smile, say thanks and take off, never having spent a cent in the store -- whatever, it was a slow day anyway.

That's when the old man comes up to me: "You know, I think you really missed your calling. What are you doing here when you should be a teacher?".

I nodded in understanding, if not in agreement. He was, after all, only the hundredth person to make such a statement.

My grade 7 teacher used to say it all the time: "You really should be a teacher" -- but she's only the first that I can remember. It's always been something I've enjoyed and been really good at... I just haven't found a way to do it in a way that I'd be comfortable.

Now that I've handed in my resignation though, the boss has me training Jia to replace me. It's quite the task to compress 2 and a half years of experience into a couple weeks... There's no way I'll be able to impart everything, but the little sessions we've been having have made me feel good anyway. I love explaining complex subjects to people who really want to know how the stuff works and I'm really good at it.

Now if only I can find a way to do this kinda thing full time and save the world at the same time... that would be awesome.

Comments

emily-jane williams
12 Jul 2006, 7:10 a.m.  | 

Come to Korea!!! You can teach English and save the world here! In every lesson you could shape impressionable young minds into eco-warriors!!

noreen
12 Jul 2006, 8:26 a.m.  | 

become a teacher and save generations of kids one after the other.

Andrea
12 Jul 2006, 12:47 p.m.  | 

Who says its HAS to be kids??? At the Green Building forum, one of the big points made by one ON the roundtable was about training staff. As well, in a couple of years, I figure I'll be crazy busy doing this for companies as the demand for training in the enviromental sector grows (its starting to now, but the $$ is lacking for it)

The world is a changing

Melanie
12 Jul 2006, 2:51 p.m.  | 

I second Noreen's comment.

You would rock as a teacher of young people.

noreen
13 Jul 2006, 5:35 a.m.  | 

well, if you are able to educate the young in green matters or other matters of the world, then you will be able to educate the old as well. never fails, these days it's the young that are (re)teaching the older generation whether it be technology or environmental or even closer to home - about class and race - after a while, it becomes the responsibility of the young/children to re-educate the parents.

so literally, a classroom is your podium to the world

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