Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Professor P.J. Joseph
[An article that appeared in the journal called "Amma" published from Angamaly in March 1992]
Thursday, January 28, 2010
My First Flight to the U.K
It was my long cherished dream to make a visit to the U.K. Ever since I started my career as a lecturer in English at the University level, I have felt that every English teacher should visit England sometime or other in order to mend their accent and to have an awareness of the social background of the writers whose works they teach. But I never thought that I would ever be able to fulfill my dream. The salary of the teachers at the Higher Education Sector was so meager at that time that it was inadequate even for meeting a man’s basic requirements. So a trip to the U.K. or to any foreign country at that time could only be a wild dream unless a job was secured abroad. But I was not interested in working abroad. I have been teaching at the Higher Secondary, Undergraduate and Post-graduate classes. I have been quite complacent as a teacher though the remuneration was quite meager. “If a person could find a job of his choice, he shouldn’t ask for any other blessing.” I have always felt that the statement is quite true and I had no complaints or regrets though I have joined my colleagues in the joint actions for justice.
It was during those days that I met a great, short-statured man of Kerala, P.N.Panikkar, the founder of the Library Movement in Kerala. When I met him, he was launching a new mission. Though he was the founder of the Library Movement in Kerala and was the Secretary of the Movement for a few decades, he was later ousted from the movement because of the over dose of politics that crept into the movement. It was then that he, with the help of some of his former colleagues launched the new Literacy Movement. The Movement was called Kerala Association for Non Formal Education & Development (KANFED). I was attracted by the ideals of the Movement and I attended a training camp organized by the Movement at Thrippunithura. There I had the chance of getting acquainted with some great social leaders like Sri. P.N.Panikkar, Sri. P.T.Bhaskara Panikkar and the former Central Minister A M Thomas. The movement at that time was in its infancy. The leaders of the movement wanted young men of commitment to join the Movement. Eventually, I was nominated as a member of KANFED Branch of Ernakulam District.
Having become a member of KANFED, I felt that I should do something for the Movement. At that time I was the President of the YMCA, Alwaye. Because of my contacts and influence, the Regional Committee of the YMCAs of Kerala agreed to collaborate with KANFED in conducting a training camp. All the expenses of the camp were met by the YMCA and the resource persons were provided by KANFED. The camp was a grand success. The role I played in the organization of that camp was appreciated and in recognition of my service, I was nominated to the District Executive Committee of KANFED, while its President was A M Thomas, the former Central Minister, a pleasant person of pleasing manners.
Soon after I was inducted as a Member of the District Executive of KANFED, the Secretary of the Executive tendered his resignation for two reasons. One reason was that he was quite old and he found it difficult to run about for the activities of KANFED. The second reason was that KANFED was in its infancy and there were no funds available for any activity. He was advancing funds from his own pocket hoping that the expenses would be reimbursed. When the camp was held at Thrippunithura, he had to borrow lots of money from his personal friends and well wishers. He was promised that the loan would be repaid by the State Committee. The Camp was a great success. But the money, the Secretary had taken as loan was not repaid as it was promised. So the Secretary was at a breaking point financially. At the meeting of the Committee, everybody compelled the Secretary to continue because he was a very sincere and hard working person of great commitment. He was also a veteran activist in the Library Movement. But he pressed his resignation, so a new Secretary had to be found. Many names were proposed. But nobody accepted. Nobody wanted to be the Secretary of an Organization without any funds even to convene a meeting. Finally, the Secretaryship was thrust upon me. I could not resist such a combined and collective compulsion. I thought I shall take it up as a challenge. But I never had to regret. That brought a drastic change in my life. That was a turning point of my life. There started my public life. Till then my activities were mainly confined to academic sphere within the campus of Union Christian College, Alwaye. Now my area of activity got widened. I began to have closer association with important people in various spheres of life. My vision got broadened. I began to be more concerned with the lives of the poor. The beginning was tough. I had lots of humiliating experiences. In Kerala nobody took adult education seriously at that time. Kerala was the most literate state in India and so people thought that literacy was irrelevant to Kerala. But even at that time 40% of the people of Kerala were illiterate, while in the other states of India 70% of the people were illiterate.
As time passed by, we began to be recognized. Our literacy volunteers began to get some petty pocket allowance of Rs.50/- a month. Though the amount was so meager, it was a sign and token of recognition of their sincere services, a matter of prestige for them. They became more active. Those who condemned and ridiculed our activities took up the work we have been doing and tried to be champions of that to make claims for being recognized as the leaders of the cause, and go after seeking awards and rewards. But we remained on the earth, earthy without seeking for awards, while others went after glory and power. I got involved in the activities of various other social organizations like Gandhi Peace Foundation, Toc H, a Peace Movement, Association for Environmental Protection etc. I became an active member of Indian Adult Education Association, Indian University Association for Community Education etc. I was later elected as a member of the National Council of Indian Adult Education Association. I got the opportunity of participating in various National Conferences and Seminars on Community Education.
Indian University Association for Community Education was affiliated to International Community Education Association. The first foreign country I could visit was Kenya and that was to present a paper at the International Conference of International Community Education Association. Dr. Ram Lal Parikh, the then Vice Chancellor of Gujarat Vidyapeeth led the Indian team to the Conference.
When the Air India flight landed at Nairobi, I was quite happy. When I got down at the Airport, I was quite excited. I went to the emigration clearance counter as everybody else who came by that flight did. After getting the emigration clearance, I went to the conveyance belt to collect my baggage. There were a large number of people who came by that flight. They were all there to collect their luggage. It was a long wait for me. Most of the passengers got their luggage and left. Among the Indian delegation most of the members collected the luggage and proceeded to the exit point. Some of them came back and hurried me up. But I cannot go without my luggage. Finally the moving conveyer belt suddenly came to a halt. That meant that there was no more luggage unloaded from the flight. I was quite worried. Filled with anxiety, I looked around. There were just three more left behind like me. We came close to each other. I had little relief to find that I am not the only person who had lost the luggage. One among them was a Professor of Madras University. He seemed to be a person who had travelled a lot. He knew what to do if luggage is lost in the transit. He led us to the office of the Air India. We informed them what had happened. They finally found out that our luggage was, by mistake, sent to a different destination. They promised us to get the luggage back with in a few days’ time. We claimed to get compensation for the inconvenience and problems we are to face having to stay there in a foreign country without even a pair of dress for us to change. The Professor of Madras University seemed to know all the rules regarding that. So he claimed the compensation and we got $ 500 each as compensation. A few days later we got back our luggage.
But for the initial mishap everything else went on smoothly.
I got the opportunity of addressing an international audience. The hall was fully packed. I was addressing men and women of all hues – black, white and brown, fat and thin, bald and hairy, dark and fair. It was for the first time in my life that I was addressing such an audience. My presentation of paper was followed by a large number of questions. I answered them all. I had the satisfaction that I was intelligible to the people of different colours, different climes, different countries with different accents and different speaking styles because questions came from many different quarters – from people of different nations.
When I thought of the intelligibility of accent, I was reminded of a story, a friend of mine told me quite some time back. Two Senior Professors from our College got Scholarships to further their studies at a famous University in the United States. They flew to the city in the United States where the University was situated. As they got out of the airport, one of them asked the first person that came against them;
"Which is the way to Hotel ............... ?"
"I am sorry", said the person, "I couldn't get you. Would you, please, repeat the question."
The Professor repeated the question more loudly and clearly.
"Which is the way to ............... ?"
"Sorry", the person remarked, "I speak no Spanish!"
Another exciting experience of mine at the Conference was that I was called upon to preside over a session on environmental pollution. At that session Ms.Lois Marie Jibbs from the U.S.A., passionately presented the story of her crusade against pollution by industrial affluence. That was the story of her own life, she excitingly and impressively presented. She was the founder of a great Movement called “Citizens’ Clearing House for Hazardous Wastes” started as a single individual’s initiative and grown into a great movement. Now its name has been changed and I do not remember its present name. Her book titled ‘Love Canal – My Story’ tells all about the beginning of the Movement, which grew into a great establishment making a difference in many people’s lives.
Another interesting experience was meeting a Russian delegate called Annetole. He was, most of the time sitting outside the conference hall, smoking. But when his name was called out for presenting his paper, he suddenly appeared and gave an excellent presentation. When I asked some questions, he apologized and told the audience that he knew no English. Then delegates raised the doubt, “How could you make a presentation in English so well?” They asked with surprise. ‘I learnt to present the paper in two weeks by repeating it and learning by heart. I had it on my tape which was repeatedly played and I learned like a parrot. This answer also I learnt by heart expecting such a question. I do not know anything more of English”. What surprised us all was that he could make such an impressive presentation with fifteen days’ practice! As a language teacher, what he said, was of academic interest to me. I was reminded of Bernard Shaw’s play ‘Pygmalion’ where he tells the story of a Professor of Linguistics who transformed an illiterate and uncivilized flower girl speaking local vulgar cockney dialect, into a society lady, speaking refined and sophisticated language, through constant practice.
Towards the end of the session we were taken to a wild animals’ park. There the wild animals live in their natural habitat of a forest. There we were taken in a well-protected van. Here I have visited Zoos where we find animal in cages. But there we were in cages and were being taken round as exhibits before the animals in their natural habitat.
After the end of the conference we had two more days to stay there and we were left for ourselves to have our own programmes. At that time, I was the Chairman of the Ernakulam Sub Region of YMCAs. So before I started I had some correspondences with the YMCA in Nairobi. They had extended an invitation to me. So I along with my friends went to the YMCA in Nairobi and they gave us a grand reception. They took us to some of their community development centers in some remote rural areas. There I had the privilege of addressing to some of the very poor people and it was my first experience of listening to my own speech translated into a local African dialect. That was also a novel experience.
The next country I visited was Malaysia and that was to participate in the First Asian Conference on Community Education. There I presented my paper sharing my experience in the area of Community Education. My presentation was well applauded. That was the time when Kerala State had become totally literate. So I had to answer very many questions regarding the strategies adopted for the Project. I was very actively involved in that project and I was one of the State level resource persons for training the literacy workers at all different levels. So I could answer all the questions raised at the conference. There I had the privilege of spending quite some time with Aryathunge, a great social worker from Sri Lanka, who had won Magsaysay Award. He came there to participate in the conference. He was quite renowned, but very humble and courteous. After the conference, I visited Singapore, extensively and returned enriched and enlightened.
As an English teacher, my desire to visit the U.K was still unfulfilled. During those days there was an International Conference on Non Formal Education held in Surat. I participated in the conference. It was there that a new organisation called “Commonwealth Association for Education and Training of the Adults” was formed. Dr. Alen Rogers, the Professor from the University of Reading, gave leadership to the formation of the new organisation. There I was enrolled as one of the founding members of that International Organisation. Under the auspices of that organisation, an International Workshop on Non Formal Education was planned to be held at Nottingham University, U.K and papers were invited from its members. I immediately sent a paper for presentation. Two weeks later I got the message that my paper had been accepted; but because of the paucity of funds the organizers of the workshop would not be able to meet my travelling expenses. I expressed my inability to participate in the conference as I could not afford the travel expense. There was nothing heard from the organizers for some time. After some time, I had the pleasant surprise when I got the message that my travel, stay and food would be taken care of. My joy found no bounds. It was a great dream come true.
I made all preparations for my journey. Those days I had to go to Chennai to get the Visa stamped. There was not even the collection centre to receive applications for Visa here in Cochin. So I went to Chennai. I reached the Office of the British Consulate in the morning, submitted application form. I was asked a few questions and they wanted me to come in the afternoon for collecting the passport with the Visa stamped. That was a time when there wasn’t such wide spread terrorism as it is today. Those days, terrorism was almost confined to Kashmir in India, Belfast in the U.K and Sri Lanka. Those days, there was no international flights from cochin. Now we have an international airport here. Those days there were only domestic flights available from Cochin. So first I had to go to Mumbai. I got my tickets booked upto London and back. I reached Mumbai early enough, met some of my friends there and boarded the Air India flight that took me to Kuwait. That was the time when a section of the Air India Pilots were on strike for hike of salary. But they were operating some flights with the available pilots who did not join the strike. On enquiries we were guaranteed that our flights from Mumbai to Kuwait and Kuwait to London were operating and we did not have to worry at all, so I considered myself fortunate that my flights were not disturbed. But when I landed Kuwait Airport, I got shattered to hear the heart-breaking news that my onward Air India flight had been cancelled as more pilots had joined the strike. If I didn’t get a flight that very day, I wouldn’t be able to reach Nottingham for the International Workshop. That will smash my cherished dream. I along with all the other transit passengers rushed to the Air India Counter. There they seemed to be helpless. On enquiry I found that there was only one flight that day going to London and that was the flight by British Airways. That flight was almost fully booked mainly because of the cancellation of many schedules of Air India flights. I did not know where to go for getting a chance to get into that flight. I was running from pillar to post. Then there was an announcement asking all the transit passengers of the cancelled Air India flight to report at a counter. I rushed to that place full of anxiety and apprehensions. I didn’t know what was going to happen. There was a big crowd, some were weeping; some were crying; some were shouting and some were demanding compensation. Some expressed the fear of losing their jobs if they missed the flight that day.
For me it seemed to be a life and death struggle. If I didn’t get into that flight, my whole purpose of participation in the Conference would be defeated. I pushed myself up along with the crowd. The people never bothered to stand in a line or to behave well; nor could they be controlled without force. On such occasions of crisis, people forget all good manners and courtesy. Then the people lose self-control. Once a noble man was in a shipwreck and as the ship was going down, he snatched a life belt from a woman passenger and put it on himself. He was saved and she was drowned.
With great struggle I reached in front of the counter. There were so many people shouting to capture the attention of one of the officials there. I was also struggling to capture the attention of one of them. Suddenly some one looked at me probably because of my pathetic look. “I am Professor P J Joseph from Union Christian College” I said, “going for a Conference”. At the mention of the name of the College, his face brightened. He took my passport. He noted down something. While returning the passport, he assured me, “If there is only one seat that falls vacant in the flight, you would be given that seat”, saying that he disappeared. He was like an angel before me. Then the comfort and the relief that I experienced was inexplicable. I wanted to thank him from the bottom of my heart. But he wasn’t there to receive my thanks. He was just like an angel that came on duty and left. I thought, probably, he was an old student of Union Christian College; but he didn’t reveal his identity. Was he a messenger of god? I was perplexed. Was it a dream? No, it was a reality too nice to be believed. I went away from the counter with my heart smoothened, devoid of all anxieties and tensions, bought a cup of coffee, sat on a chair relaxed enjoying the coffee which, I felt, had all the flavors of the world. I felt happy, contented and relaxed. But still I had to spend some five hours at the airport for the British Airways flight to arrive. While I was sitting there relaxed, I could hear so many co-passengers, still cursing, shouting, crying and murmuring. About four hours later, there was an announcement that, there were a few seats available in the British Airways flight and a few of the transit passengers could go by that. Then they started calling out the names. I hoped that my name would be called out first. But it was not my name. Then I heard somebody sitting by my side saying that they have certain priorities. For example, unaccompanied children get a priority. Women with small kids unaccompanied by anybody else, old people and sickly people, they all get priorities. I again became anxious. After all these priorities, would my name find a place in the list? I looked for the person who gave me the assurance that I would definitely go by that flight. But he was not to be seen anywhere there, nor did I know his name to make any enquiries about him. Was his promise just a mirage! Just a dream! Every time when a name was being called out, everybody looked up with hope and expectation. When the name was out everyone except the one whose name was called, drooped down desperately again waiting. I waited patiently. Ah! There was my name announced loudly and clearly through the microphone. I jumped up from my seat with excitement. Again I looked for the person who assured to help me, in order to thank him. But he was not to be seen anywhere there. It seemed that like an angel he had melted into the thin air. I could never forget that timely help. My ineffable and unexpressed gratitude would forever remain un-conveyed to that good Samaritan.
Thus I reached London well in advance for the Conference. There at the airport I met a few Indian friends proceeding to Nottingham. I joined them and reached the Nottingham University where a very nice accommodation was arranged for my stay. Thus a great and long cherished dream of mine came true. I have read about a little bird’s first flight into the vast sky which is nervous, but thrilling. My first flight to the U.K was not different.
After participating effectively in the Workshop held at Nottingham, a workshop well attended by important persons from different parts of the world, I travelled extensively in the U.K. I visited various monuments and places of historic importance. Towards the end of my visit, my friend took me to a wedding that was held at a very ancient Church at Chichester. There in that Church I could see the Chalice from which Queen Elizabeth I of 16th Century used to receive holy communion, preserved as a museum piece. As I reached there quite early, I went round to see the place. Walking, I reached a place called Bosham, which was very close to Chichester. That was quite a village. I went to a place that protruded into the water. I went to the tip of the protruding strip of land and climbed on a big piece of rock. Standing there I looked around. I had an extensive view of the places around. Then someone told me that, this was the place where, more than two thousand years ago, the famous Roman Emperor Julius Caesar stood and proudly declared, “Vini, Vidi, Vici”, “I came, saw and conquered”. At that time my mind was also filled with the pride and joy of a conqueror who had conquered the inaccessible!
Soon after I was inducted as a Member of the District Executive of KANFED, the Secretary of the Executive tendered his resignation for two reasons. One reason was that he was quite old and he found it difficult to run about for the activities of KANFED. The second reason was that KANFED was in its infancy and there were no funds available for any activity. He was advancing funds from his own pocket hoping that the expenses would be reimbursed. When the camp was held at Thrippunithura, he had to borrow lots of money from his personal friends and well wishers. He was promised that the loan would be repaid by the State Committee. The Camp was a great success. But the money, the Secretary had taken as loan was not repaid as it was promised. So the Secretary was at a breaking point financially. At the meeting of the Committee, everybody compelled the Secretary to continue because he was a very sincere and hard working person of great commitment. He was also a veteran activist in the Library Movement. But he pressed his resignation, so a new Secretary had to be found. Many names were proposed. But nobody accepted. Nobody wanted to be the Secretary of an Organization without any funds even to convene a meeting. Finally, the Secretaryship was thrust upon me. I could not resist such a combined and collective compulsion. I thought I shall take it up as a challenge. But I never had to regret. That brought a drastic change in my life. That was a turning point of my life. There started my public life. Till then my activities were mainly confined to academic sphere within the campus of Union Christian College, Alwaye. Now my area of activity got widened. I began to have closer association with important people in various spheres of life. My vision got broadened. I began to be more concerned with the lives of the poor. The beginning was tough. I had lots of humiliating experiences. In Kerala nobody took adult education seriously at that time. Kerala was the most literate state in India and so people thought that literacy was irrelevant to Kerala. But even at that time 40% of the people of Kerala were illiterate, while in the other states of India 70% of the people were illiterate.
As time passed by, we began to be recognized. Our literacy volunteers began to get some petty pocket allowance of Rs.50/- a month. Though the amount was so meager, it was a sign and token of recognition of their sincere services, a matter of prestige for them. They became more active. Those who condemned and ridiculed our activities took up the work we have been doing and tried to be champions of that to make claims for being recognized as the leaders of the cause, and go after seeking awards and rewards. But we remained on the earth, earthy without seeking for awards, while others went after glory and power. I got involved in the activities of various other social organizations like Gandhi Peace Foundation, Toc H, a Peace Movement, Association for Environmental Protection etc. I became an active member of Indian Adult Education Association, Indian University Association for Community Education etc. I was later elected as a member of the National Council of Indian Adult Education Association. I got the opportunity of participating in various National Conferences and Seminars on Community Education.
Indian University Association for Community Education was affiliated to International Community Education Association. The first foreign country I could visit was Kenya and that was to present a paper at the International Conference of International Community Education Association. Dr. Ram Lal Parikh, the then Vice Chancellor of Gujarat Vidyapeeth led the Indian team to the Conference.
When the Air India flight landed at Nairobi, I was quite happy. When I got down at the Airport, I was quite excited. I went to the emigration clearance counter as everybody else who came by that flight did. After getting the emigration clearance, I went to the conveyance belt to collect my baggage. There were a large number of people who came by that flight. They were all there to collect their luggage. It was a long wait for me. Most of the passengers got their luggage and left. Among the Indian delegation most of the members collected the luggage and proceeded to the exit point. Some of them came back and hurried me up. But I cannot go without my luggage. Finally the moving conveyer belt suddenly came to a halt. That meant that there was no more luggage unloaded from the flight. I was quite worried. Filled with anxiety, I looked around. There were just three more left behind like me. We came close to each other. I had little relief to find that I am not the only person who had lost the luggage. One among them was a Professor of Madras University. He seemed to be a person who had travelled a lot. He knew what to do if luggage is lost in the transit. He led us to the office of the Air India. We informed them what had happened. They finally found out that our luggage was, by mistake, sent to a different destination. They promised us to get the luggage back with in a few days’ time. We claimed to get compensation for the inconvenience and problems we are to face having to stay there in a foreign country without even a pair of dress for us to change. The Professor of Madras University seemed to know all the rules regarding that. So he claimed the compensation and we got $ 500 each as compensation. A few days later we got back our luggage.
But for the initial mishap everything else went on smoothly.
I got the opportunity of addressing an international audience. The hall was fully packed. I was addressing men and women of all hues – black, white and brown, fat and thin, bald and hairy, dark and fair. It was for the first time in my life that I was addressing such an audience. My presentation of paper was followed by a large number of questions. I answered them all. I had the satisfaction that I was intelligible to the people of different colours, different climes, different countries with different accents and different speaking styles because questions came from many different quarters – from people of different nations.
When I thought of the intelligibility of accent, I was reminded of a story, a friend of mine told me quite some time back. Two Senior Professors from our College got Scholarships to further their studies at a famous University in the United States. They flew to the city in the United States where the University was situated. As they got out of the airport, one of them asked the first person that came against them;
"Which is the way to Hotel ............... ?"
"I am sorry", said the person, "I couldn't get you. Would you, please, repeat the question."
The Professor repeated the question more loudly and clearly.
"Which is the way to ............... ?"
"Sorry", the person remarked, "I speak no Spanish!"
Another exciting experience of mine at the Conference was that I was called upon to preside over a session on environmental pollution. At that session Ms.Lois Marie Jibbs from the U.S.A., passionately presented the story of her crusade against pollution by industrial affluence. That was the story of her own life, she excitingly and impressively presented. She was the founder of a great Movement called “Citizens’ Clearing House for Hazardous Wastes” started as a single individual’s initiative and grown into a great movement. Now its name has been changed and I do not remember its present name. Her book titled ‘Love Canal – My Story’ tells all about the beginning of the Movement, which grew into a great establishment making a difference in many people’s lives.
Another interesting experience was meeting a Russian delegate called Annetole. He was, most of the time sitting outside the conference hall, smoking. But when his name was called out for presenting his paper, he suddenly appeared and gave an excellent presentation. When I asked some questions, he apologized and told the audience that he knew no English. Then delegates raised the doubt, “How could you make a presentation in English so well?” They asked with surprise. ‘I learnt to present the paper in two weeks by repeating it and learning by heart. I had it on my tape which was repeatedly played and I learned like a parrot. This answer also I learnt by heart expecting such a question. I do not know anything more of English”. What surprised us all was that he could make such an impressive presentation with fifteen days’ practice! As a language teacher, what he said, was of academic interest to me. I was reminded of Bernard Shaw’s play ‘Pygmalion’ where he tells the story of a Professor of Linguistics who transformed an illiterate and uncivilized flower girl speaking local vulgar cockney dialect, into a society lady, speaking refined and sophisticated language, through constant practice.
Towards the end of the session we were taken to a wild animals’ park. There the wild animals live in their natural habitat of a forest. There we were taken in a well-protected van. Here I have visited Zoos where we find animal in cages. But there we were in cages and were being taken round as exhibits before the animals in their natural habitat.
After the end of the conference we had two more days to stay there and we were left for ourselves to have our own programmes. At that time, I was the Chairman of the Ernakulam Sub Region of YMCAs. So before I started I had some correspondences with the YMCA in Nairobi. They had extended an invitation to me. So I along with my friends went to the YMCA in Nairobi and they gave us a grand reception. They took us to some of their community development centers in some remote rural areas. There I had the privilege of addressing to some of the very poor people and it was my first experience of listening to my own speech translated into a local African dialect. That was also a novel experience.
The next country I visited was Malaysia and that was to participate in the First Asian Conference on Community Education. There I presented my paper sharing my experience in the area of Community Education. My presentation was well applauded. That was the time when Kerala State had become totally literate. So I had to answer very many questions regarding the strategies adopted for the Project. I was very actively involved in that project and I was one of the State level resource persons for training the literacy workers at all different levels. So I could answer all the questions raised at the conference. There I had the privilege of spending quite some time with Aryathunge, a great social worker from Sri Lanka, who had won Magsaysay Award. He came there to participate in the conference. He was quite renowned, but very humble and courteous. After the conference, I visited Singapore, extensively and returned enriched and enlightened.
As an English teacher, my desire to visit the U.K was still unfulfilled. During those days there was an International Conference on Non Formal Education held in Surat. I participated in the conference. It was there that a new organisation called “Commonwealth Association for Education and Training of the Adults” was formed. Dr. Alen Rogers, the Professor from the University of Reading, gave leadership to the formation of the new organisation. There I was enrolled as one of the founding members of that International Organisation. Under the auspices of that organisation, an International Workshop on Non Formal Education was planned to be held at Nottingham University, U.K and papers were invited from its members. I immediately sent a paper for presentation. Two weeks later I got the message that my paper had been accepted; but because of the paucity of funds the organizers of the workshop would not be able to meet my travelling expenses. I expressed my inability to participate in the conference as I could not afford the travel expense. There was nothing heard from the organizers for some time. After some time, I had the pleasant surprise when I got the message that my travel, stay and food would be taken care of. My joy found no bounds. It was a great dream come true.
I made all preparations for my journey. Those days I had to go to Chennai to get the Visa stamped. There was not even the collection centre to receive applications for Visa here in Cochin. So I went to Chennai. I reached the Office of the British Consulate in the morning, submitted application form. I was asked a few questions and they wanted me to come in the afternoon for collecting the passport with the Visa stamped. That was a time when there wasn’t such wide spread terrorism as it is today. Those days, terrorism was almost confined to Kashmir in India, Belfast in the U.K and Sri Lanka. Those days, there was no international flights from cochin. Now we have an international airport here. Those days there were only domestic flights available from Cochin. So first I had to go to Mumbai. I got my tickets booked upto London and back. I reached Mumbai early enough, met some of my friends there and boarded the Air India flight that took me to Kuwait. That was the time when a section of the Air India Pilots were on strike for hike of salary. But they were operating some flights with the available pilots who did not join the strike. On enquiries we were guaranteed that our flights from Mumbai to Kuwait and Kuwait to London were operating and we did not have to worry at all, so I considered myself fortunate that my flights were not disturbed. But when I landed Kuwait Airport, I got shattered to hear the heart-breaking news that my onward Air India flight had been cancelled as more pilots had joined the strike. If I didn’t get a flight that very day, I wouldn’t be able to reach Nottingham for the International Workshop. That will smash my cherished dream. I along with all the other transit passengers rushed to the Air India Counter. There they seemed to be helpless. On enquiry I found that there was only one flight that day going to London and that was the flight by British Airways. That flight was almost fully booked mainly because of the cancellation of many schedules of Air India flights. I did not know where to go for getting a chance to get into that flight. I was running from pillar to post. Then there was an announcement asking all the transit passengers of the cancelled Air India flight to report at a counter. I rushed to that place full of anxiety and apprehensions. I didn’t know what was going to happen. There was a big crowd, some were weeping; some were crying; some were shouting and some were demanding compensation. Some expressed the fear of losing their jobs if they missed the flight that day.
For me it seemed to be a life and death struggle. If I didn’t get into that flight, my whole purpose of participation in the Conference would be defeated. I pushed myself up along with the crowd. The people never bothered to stand in a line or to behave well; nor could they be controlled without force. On such occasions of crisis, people forget all good manners and courtesy. Then the people lose self-control. Once a noble man was in a shipwreck and as the ship was going down, he snatched a life belt from a woman passenger and put it on himself. He was saved and she was drowned.
With great struggle I reached in front of the counter. There were so many people shouting to capture the attention of one of the officials there. I was also struggling to capture the attention of one of them. Suddenly some one looked at me probably because of my pathetic look. “I am Professor P J Joseph from Union Christian College” I said, “going for a Conference”. At the mention of the name of the College, his face brightened. He took my passport. He noted down something. While returning the passport, he assured me, “If there is only one seat that falls vacant in the flight, you would be given that seat”, saying that he disappeared. He was like an angel before me. Then the comfort and the relief that I experienced was inexplicable. I wanted to thank him from the bottom of my heart. But he wasn’t there to receive my thanks. He was just like an angel that came on duty and left. I thought, probably, he was an old student of Union Christian College; but he didn’t reveal his identity. Was he a messenger of god? I was perplexed. Was it a dream? No, it was a reality too nice to be believed. I went away from the counter with my heart smoothened, devoid of all anxieties and tensions, bought a cup of coffee, sat on a chair relaxed enjoying the coffee which, I felt, had all the flavors of the world. I felt happy, contented and relaxed. But still I had to spend some five hours at the airport for the British Airways flight to arrive. While I was sitting there relaxed, I could hear so many co-passengers, still cursing, shouting, crying and murmuring. About four hours later, there was an announcement that, there were a few seats available in the British Airways flight and a few of the transit passengers could go by that. Then they started calling out the names. I hoped that my name would be called out first. But it was not my name. Then I heard somebody sitting by my side saying that they have certain priorities. For example, unaccompanied children get a priority. Women with small kids unaccompanied by anybody else, old people and sickly people, they all get priorities. I again became anxious. After all these priorities, would my name find a place in the list? I looked for the person who gave me the assurance that I would definitely go by that flight. But he was not to be seen anywhere there, nor did I know his name to make any enquiries about him. Was his promise just a mirage! Just a dream! Every time when a name was being called out, everybody looked up with hope and expectation. When the name was out everyone except the one whose name was called, drooped down desperately again waiting. I waited patiently. Ah! There was my name announced loudly and clearly through the microphone. I jumped up from my seat with excitement. Again I looked for the person who assured to help me, in order to thank him. But he was not to be seen anywhere there. It seemed that like an angel he had melted into the thin air. I could never forget that timely help. My ineffable and unexpressed gratitude would forever remain un-conveyed to that good Samaritan.
Thus I reached London well in advance for the Conference. There at the airport I met a few Indian friends proceeding to Nottingham. I joined them and reached the Nottingham University where a very nice accommodation was arranged for my stay. Thus a great and long cherished dream of mine came true. I have read about a little bird’s first flight into the vast sky which is nervous, but thrilling. My first flight to the U.K was not different.
After participating effectively in the Workshop held at Nottingham, a workshop well attended by important persons from different parts of the world, I travelled extensively in the U.K. I visited various monuments and places of historic importance. Towards the end of my visit, my friend took me to a wedding that was held at a very ancient Church at Chichester. There in that Church I could see the Chalice from which Queen Elizabeth I of 16th Century used to receive holy communion, preserved as a museum piece. As I reached there quite early, I went round to see the place. Walking, I reached a place called Bosham, which was very close to Chichester. That was quite a village. I went to a place that protruded into the water. I went to the tip of the protruding strip of land and climbed on a big piece of rock. Standing there I looked around. I had an extensive view of the places around. Then someone told me that, this was the place where, more than two thousand years ago, the famous Roman Emperor Julius Caesar stood and proudly declared, “Vini, Vidi, Vici”, “I came, saw and conquered”. At that time my mind was also filled with the pride and joy of a conqueror who had conquered the inaccessible!
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