Soon after writing my final semester exam of my masters course, I left Tiruchi and went to Chennai. For a few months, I worked in Chennai as an on-line teacher. A boy hailing from a small town in Kerala, every moment in that huge city was exciting to me. Heavy crowd, big buildings, long traffic jams and a spectrum of human life forms which have representations from all varieties of human life. These five months influenced my life and changed my view of this world. The following is a small piece of my experience there.
When I came out of the hostel gate, heavy rain started. In Chennai, heavy rain is very terrible especially in the Kenneth Lane in Egmore where I stayed. Rain will bring the black sewage water out to the surface of the road. If you don't have a vehicle nor enough money to rent an auto, you have to walk through these black waters!
I reached the office on time despite the heavy rain and consequent traffic, because I started two-three hours before my office time. Vadapalni was not that dirty as was Egmore. I got down the bus and started walking through Barani Colony road which lead to my office. My office is basically a software company in day time and a Knowledge Process Outsourcing(KPO) company in the night. I was an employee in the latter. The company is housed in the groundfloor of a four-storey apartment building. My duty started at one O'clock in the midnight and ended at nine in the morning. But I came to office at nine or ten in the night everyday, just for my comfort.
Rain was in its full mood. My umbrella became useless any more since I was completely wet. I closed it and walked in the rain. The company street had submerged in water. I slowly walked into the water. I gradually sank and sank into it! Water level crossed my knee. Black water, mixed with dead bodies of small animals, food waste and all the junks imparted a nauseating smell to the water! I somehow got into the company compound. Signed in the gate register. Went upstairs and removed all the clothes and washed in fresh water in the bathroom. As I came out, I saw one by one all the online tutors were coming into the flat; all soaked in the fresh rain water and finally in the black 'theertham' in front of the company! everyone removed their dress and washed and put them over the hangers.
That night, it was funny being part of nine nude mentors who were teaching physics and mathematics to students in US. What a world! Thanks to our teaching system; it was such that teachers and students do not see each other. In the night, no one except we teachers is inside. The coffee maker worked very hard to keep the teachers hot!
Suddenly the phone started ringing. It must be Praful who is one of the two company owners. Vinay, the team leader called everyone to the conference room and Praful started his talk with us. The phone is in speaker mode and Praful asked to Vinay about how the previous day passed and so on. He fires at someone for some silly mistakes and he never talk about salary hike to the senior tutors here working for some years! He is the worst owner for a multinational company.
The meeting was over and Vinay gave some instructions to us. Rain did not even pause for a while outside. The whole night it cried.
TING! The indicator made sound. There is a student for me. I ran to my PC. Opened the whiteboard and saw that it was Marta. She is a regular student. Always she had some doubts in doing problems in Mechanics.
Hi Marta, Welcome. How may I help you? I started chatting.
Hi Kutty, how are you? She replied.
The chat went on and she posted her problem by the way and we together solved it.
The teaching system adopted in our company was one-to-one teaching. Any one can have a free trial for one hour. If the student is satisfied, he have a range of options to select from. Weak students select unlimited scheme. They can come any time and can learn as long as they are interested to. They have to pay accordingly.
The session was over. She told the miserable story of her school life. Her teacher was very harsh and she never cared weak students. The teacher asked the bright students to sit in front row of the class and she taught only them. 'Fools' and 'junks' were pushed to the back seats! Marta showered praising words over me and she was my first student in my on line tutor career. She praised my great nation India saying Indians are excellent in mathematical sciences.
Marta left the session and the day was over. I opened the window. Sun was very bright. There were no rain! The black waters had flown out leaving a thick layer of black mud on the road. The watchman had put some bricks on the road side for the convenience of the employees. I went upstairs and put my pant and shirt on. Signed out in the register. Walked to the bus stand.
