One of the fun things about being a mature student is that no one quite knows who you are or where you fit into the scheme of things. So add this to the fact that I'm a bit of an anomaly for many things anyway, it adds to people's confusions about me. I thought I would share a few that have happened here fairly recently.
The first happened near the start of this term. The lecturer was looking at the role and walking around the room while we were having a discussion in small groups. She was trying to connect names and faces so would stop and make sure she had the right name with the right student. She looked at me and asked if I was a lecturer in the department. I told her no, but I would love to be. She looked a little puzzled and then asked what programme of study on was on and my background. They always seem to get really interested when I tell them that my second language is ASL. Then the background of teaching etc. I am still not sure why she thought I was another lecturer, unless she figured I didn't really look like a typical student, but what is a typical student on a postgraduate program in linguistics? Maybe because I didn't look like an international student which is 98% of my classmates? I just chuckled to myself.
My favorite was before our last SuPhil choir concert. There is always a queue for the women's loo. So standing in line the woman behind me inquired "Are you Italian?" I turned and shook my head no. "Spanish then?" No. "I have a friend coming to the concert tonight who is Italian, and your skin tones and colouring look alot like hers." I replied that my mom always says it is dark Norwegian. She looked at me, then says "You've got a bit of an American accent going on there haven't you? You could be just about anything then couldn't you?" Except that I know of no Italian or Spanish heritage in my ancestry. We both shrugged, she seemed to be perplexed as to where I would get my olive skin and dark colouring. I smiled internally. Good to know I could be Italian or Spanish. As a child in the summer I spent loads of time outside and would get quite tanned. I looked like I could have been from Mexico, so now I can add Italian to that. I guess the fact that I am 1/2 British and 1/4 German doesn't come out in my looks...
What brought all this to memory was due to this last Tuesday. It was late morning and I was focusing on my assignment in my room when the fire alarm sounded. I scraped myself off the ceiling and hoped that it would stop. Of course not. So I grabbed my shoes and my key and headed down the 12 flights of stairs. On my way down there were some students, but most are gone on holiday, but it was the cleaning people who were having to vacate the building. When I got down to the doors members of the residence team were holding them open and there were other official looking people standing by. I walked past and headed into the courtyard and one of the cleaning people looked at me and pointed back to the door. I turned around and the man standing by the door was holding a list and motioned for me to come over. When I got near he asked me what my name was. I told him Vicki. He looked at his list and then back at me and goes, "Oh, you're a student aren't you? Sorry." I'm thinking to myself hmmm, I'm not wearing the the uniform.... but obviously I didn't look like I could be one of the students streaming out of the building. I've managed to confuse people again. When the alarms went off in the other two buildings I decided it was a drill for the cleaning teams. Glad I could confuse them by being a mature student working during their drill.
I could share more stories, it seems to happen quite a lot to me. I find myself smiling inside when they seem confused that I don't fit into the mold that they think I belong in. I guess I don't stereotype as well as people would like. I am also not who everyone thinks I am. "Excuse me....oh sorry", no, you have the wrong person yet again. If I am always mistaken for someone else, is there anyone out there who people think is me?
No comments:
Post a Comment