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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I blame it on my parents who sent me over here to school some 30y ago.
Being at a boarding school surrounded by strangers and did not speak the language, it was a case of sink or swim.
OK, I did have my sister in the year above me, and she was in the same house as me. However, she was not there to protect me.
Hence I had to fend for myself from then onwards.
I was put in a position of authority at 16 by being the head of house, school prefect, etc..., and had to learn to rub shoulders with parents, VIPs etc...
One of the most significant event when I was at school, was the time when the whole year in my house (about 10 of us) got banned from further unsupervised outings, after we failed to return at the agreed hour on our first trip out.
Some of the girls secretly arranged to meet boys from a nearby school in the city some 30miles from school. When it was time to take the bus back, some of them decided to stay longer and spent the time with the boys.
This resulted in the whole group missing the bus, and had to go by train, then a taxi ride, and arrived back at the house some 5h behind schedule.
The sh1t hit the fan, and each of us were interviewed by the Headmistress.
The ring leaders asked the group to stick to the story that the bus was full and there was no relief bus available, without realising the Housemistress had already found out from the bus company that 2, not 1, relief buses were put on! DOH!!!
The Headmistress promised me immunity from any punishment if I told the truth. Since I was not stupid enough to know the life of being a snitch is not worth living, I stuck with the agreed story.
As soon as I got back to the house, I stormed into the UV's common room, and told my housemates that it would be the last time I would tell a lie for them. And that I would never participate in any of their games again.
From then on, I ceased to be a sheep that was part of a flock, and it felt great!
The following year, they made me head of house, as the two other candidates refused to give up smoking, and my acadamic and behavioral track records were much better than theirs.
Without a doubt my schooling had played an significant part in shaping me the way I am today.
I grew to be even more bolshy when I was at uni!
Lastly, I have witnessed how unhappy my mum was for staying with my father because she did not have the means to support herself, let alone the rest of us, during yet another one of his d*unken episodes that resulted in my mum, myself and my siblings bunking off to stay in a hotel while my dad was d*unk inside our family home.
Hence I vowed when I was 14, shortly before I was sent over here to school, that I would never be dependent on a man.
I worked my socks off to get good grades in order to go to uni.
Having a professional qualification that guarantees good enjoyable and well paid jobs for life certainly helps to build up my confidence and self-esteem, by being able to support my lifestyle etc...
Like I was fed up of not being able to find any decent clothes off the peg that fit, so I have them made to measure. Having clothes that fit and make me look good is a real confident booster!
I am comfortable in my own skin, and enjoy my own company. I do not need to be part of a collective in order to feel secure.
I am like Marmite, either you love me or you hate me. I speak my own mind, and my opinions are my own, and I do not give a flying f**k whether anyone agree or disagree with them!
I am definitely not shy, or afraid to be a lone voice amongst a sea of oppositions! |