Chocolates As Perks.

Its one of the two professions in the world, I think I am completely unfit for, and I could never picture myself doing either, and yet that is exactly what I took up recently. Not loving it, but its not driving me nuts the way i thought it would. Any guesses???? Teaching it is.

No, its not a teacher's job, and no I am not taking it up as a profession either. I am just helping out. The organisation where I volunteer, as a phone worker, also happens to run free basic computer courses for women thrice a week. The walk-in office has four computers with Internet connections, available for any woman who wants to use it, the rest of the time. The classes are just two hours a week, and when I say 'basic' computers, it is more basic than you think it is. They were having classes on Wednesdays, and I volunteered to help, since I had that as a BB free day. Last week was my first time, and it turned out quite alright.

The four ladies who are part of this batch, are all older than me, two are grand-mothers infact. They have very little if any knowledge at all of computers or the Internet, and are trying to understand what the world is going bonkers about I think. Trying to get them started with an e-mail id, ready to communicate the new-world way, the basics of windows operations, simple things like opening or closing a window, and even familiarising them with the keyboard. That is what it is mostly all about. Besides being time well spent, its interesting to observe what these women learn within the two hours. I hope I have half the enthusiasm these ladies do, at their age.

The one woman I spent most of my time with in the last session, is an old grandmotherly Swiss woman, who has loads to talk, always with a smile on her face. The fact that she is battling cancer now, had lost almost all her memory in an accident a few years ago, are things that I would have never guessed about her, if she had not confided in me. She is a darling to say the least. Very wary of the Internet, because she wonders if it is safe at all to even type her name out there, but very sweet none the less. Today she came in and handed over these little chocolate boxes to the other volunteer and me. And it took me back to my school-days, where we would carry flowers, chocolates, cards and what not every Teacher's Day to school, for our beloved teachers. I could not believe how it was me at the receiving end today. Felt good no doubt!


It is fun, and I am fortunate to have the opportunity to try out different things, while helping others. As for the chocolates, they just make the experience sweeter. :)

PS - For those who might still be wondering, the second profession is practising medicine.