As I celebrated the end of another year as an Earthling, the thought of the age conundrum in my life continued to haunt me. Yes, I am older and now my friends call to wish me Birthdays mostly just to make fun of how old I am or to welcome me to "their" side of 30's !! And to add to the misery my hair is definitely not promising many more years of togetherness anymore. Inspite of such existential issues, there is no dearth of comments on how young I look and that I definitely don't look like I am beyond thirty.
There is in fact astrological rationale for this believe it or not ! It so happens that ones blessed by the auspicious planet Venus are endowed with two qualities, extreme confusion and everyouth (after the aptly named beauty product !). I find myself indeed to be so ! Although the comments on my youthfulness are ever welcome, I have come to some grief especially in my profession as a teacher.
I went to the tennis courts to practice on the wall only to be stopped by the man in-charge to ask me, "faculty/staff" or "student" ? Not surprised since such a situation has arisen before, I replied "Faculty" ! With a look of disbelief in his eyes he asked, "card hai" (do you have the membership card ?) to which I replied with a smile, "haan hai dekhna hai kya ?" (yes I do, you wanna see it ?). His response suggested how he was least convinced, he asks "kaun faculty hai, aap ya papa" (are you the faculty or your dad ?? :P). I was smiling but a bit annoyed too and said, its me and showed him the card !
A similar incident happened in class, mind you its the third lecture in the semester. This guy who manages class rooms comes in and asks, which class is this ? I tell him its Dynamics. His next question surprises me further, he says "who is the teacher" ! I start thinking I am standing on the podium lecturing, is it not evident I AM the teacher :P. I still politely tell him with a smile, "I don't seem like it but I am the professor for this course". He walks of muttering that, "Oh I don't have you on the schedule....I will go and check" and so on.
I wonder if this is an India syndrome that I have to look, potbellied or grey haired or have a wrinkled face to pass as a professor ! Or could be my lack of formal dressing ! I have of-course had fun too. After playing a good game of tennis with some students without revealing my identity, its always been fun to see their reactions when I do tell them that I am a professor !!
There is in fact astrological rationale for this believe it or not ! It so happens that ones blessed by the auspicious planet Venus are endowed with two qualities, extreme confusion and everyouth (after the aptly named beauty product !). I find myself indeed to be so ! Although the comments on my youthfulness are ever welcome, I have come to some grief especially in my profession as a teacher.
I went to the tennis courts to practice on the wall only to be stopped by the man in-charge to ask me, "faculty/staff" or "student" ? Not surprised since such a situation has arisen before, I replied "Faculty" ! With a look of disbelief in his eyes he asked, "card hai" (do you have the membership card ?) to which I replied with a smile, "haan hai dekhna hai kya ?" (yes I do, you wanna see it ?). His response suggested how he was least convinced, he asks "kaun faculty hai, aap ya papa" (are you the faculty or your dad ?? :P). I was smiling but a bit annoyed too and said, its me and showed him the card !
A similar incident happened in class, mind you its the third lecture in the semester. This guy who manages class rooms comes in and asks, which class is this ? I tell him its Dynamics. His next question surprises me further, he says "who is the teacher" ! I start thinking I am standing on the podium lecturing, is it not evident I AM the teacher :P. I still politely tell him with a smile, "I don't seem like it but I am the professor for this course". He walks of muttering that, "Oh I don't have you on the schedule....I will go and check" and so on.
I wonder if this is an India syndrome that I have to look, potbellied or grey haired or have a wrinkled face to pass as a professor ! Or could be my lack of formal dressing ! I have of-course had fun too. After playing a good game of tennis with some students without revealing my identity, its always been fun to see their reactions when I do tell them that I am a professor !!
