I learnt a great deal about Stfn the workshop day.
She was great friends with Ad ( the Spanish English teacher who was fired and was replaced by Mks) and in relationship with her brother. Together they planned an exotic trip to the Caribbean during the school's summer vacation. At the time of their return, some misunderstanding ensued between Ad and Stfn. Ad wasn't clear in her instructions to reach the airport. They all three somehow managed to miss their flight by 3-4 hours! Their were no immediate flights available. They had to put up in a costly resort for three extra days. The worst part of the story is, poor Stfn was made to realize that it was her fault they missed their flight so she had to pay for everyone's next flight home as well as the entire expenditure of that extra stay in resort. She not only became bankrupt but hugely indebted too.
A month later she heard Ad's brother got married to someone else without even informing her. Ad herself turned completely against her and demanded an additional 2000/- Euros from Stfn telling she has to pay them as they were incurred because of her.
Poor Stfn! She lost her friend, love, money, bank balance and peace of mind all in one stroke. She is still paying off the loans. Apart from this, she has other problems too. Her sister is in an abusive relationship. Her husband hits her black and blue and has twice broken the bones of his own baby. Currently he is jail for this. Her family problems weigh heavily on her mind and she constantly feels pressured to protect and defend her family like a head. That takes an additional toll on her life and health.
"Since eight years I have not been in any relationship. My health and youth all is deteriorating. I wonder why am I not able to get a man for myself."
Currently she has become friends with another man but he went to Canada and she has no idea if this friendship would ever materialize in a long lasting love for which she is pining.
I proceeded to tell her my own weird story of getting married and she stared at me open mouthed.
"But how can you marry someone you do not even know?"
"Why not?" I retorted. "When you marry someone you do not very well know, everyday of life becomes a day of new discoveries, new passions, new surprises and love starts germinating and growing just as a seedling becomes a plant and then gradually a tree."
I was very very sorry to hear her tragedy. I couldn't get all this out of mind the whole night and kept wondering what can I do to help her.
This Friday, she is celebrating her birthday in school and I, being her team mate, have to buy present for her.
On Ndn's recommendation I have bought luxury bath bombs for her which have glitters in them. Tomorrow maybe, I will get her a cd or something.
Whatever, I always try to motivate her, appreciate her, counsel her and be very loving and caring for her in my own way. maybe because of this or any other reason which I do not know, but there is a lot of difference in her looks, attitude and behavior. She looks a lot happier and active now. She takes a lot of interest in class activities, lesson plans, class decoration etc. She doesn't seem to cower like a mouse in front of any body now but really seem to be immersing herself in her work as I had told her to and it is working.
She admitted this too since a week she has been feeling very nice and happy. Yesterday she was talking to her friend on phone and he remarked that he was hearing her laugh after a long long time. And then she paused and realized that indeed it was true!
She was great friends with Ad ( the Spanish English teacher who was fired and was replaced by Mks) and in relationship with her brother. Together they planned an exotic trip to the Caribbean during the school's summer vacation. At the time of their return, some misunderstanding ensued between Ad and Stfn. Ad wasn't clear in her instructions to reach the airport. They all three somehow managed to miss their flight by 3-4 hours! Their were no immediate flights available. They had to put up in a costly resort for three extra days. The worst part of the story is, poor Stfn was made to realize that it was her fault they missed their flight so she had to pay for everyone's next flight home as well as the entire expenditure of that extra stay in resort. She not only became bankrupt but hugely indebted too.
A month later she heard Ad's brother got married to someone else without even informing her. Ad herself turned completely against her and demanded an additional 2000/- Euros from Stfn telling she has to pay them as they were incurred because of her.
Poor Stfn! She lost her friend, love, money, bank balance and peace of mind all in one stroke. She is still paying off the loans. Apart from this, she has other problems too. Her sister is in an abusive relationship. Her husband hits her black and blue and has twice broken the bones of his own baby. Currently he is jail for this. Her family problems weigh heavily on her mind and she constantly feels pressured to protect and defend her family like a head. That takes an additional toll on her life and health.
"Since eight years I have not been in any relationship. My health and youth all is deteriorating. I wonder why am I not able to get a man for myself."
Currently she has become friends with another man but he went to Canada and she has no idea if this friendship would ever materialize in a long lasting love for which she is pining.
I proceeded to tell her my own weird story of getting married and she stared at me open mouthed.
"But how can you marry someone you do not even know?"
"Why not?" I retorted. "When you marry someone you do not very well know, everyday of life becomes a day of new discoveries, new passions, new surprises and love starts germinating and growing just as a seedling becomes a plant and then gradually a tree."
I was very very sorry to hear her tragedy. I couldn't get all this out of mind the whole night and kept wondering what can I do to help her.
This Friday, she is celebrating her birthday in school and I, being her team mate, have to buy present for her.
On Ndn's recommendation I have bought luxury bath bombs for her which have glitters in them. Tomorrow maybe, I will get her a cd or something.
Whatever, I always try to motivate her, appreciate her, counsel her and be very loving and caring for her in my own way. maybe because of this or any other reason which I do not know, but there is a lot of difference in her looks, attitude and behavior. She looks a lot happier and active now. She takes a lot of interest in class activities, lesson plans, class decoration etc. She doesn't seem to cower like a mouse in front of any body now but really seem to be immersing herself in her work as I had told her to and it is working.
She admitted this too since a week she has been feeling very nice and happy. Yesterday she was talking to her friend on phone and he remarked that he was hearing her laugh after a long long time. And then she paused and realized that indeed it was true!
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