About two years ago, I was on my way back from private tutoring when this happened.
I had chosen the location because of it's proximity to my house without considering how much disruption traffic will cause.
At 8:40pm I drove off from the lesson hoping to get home in less than 30 minutes but that didn't happen. On that day there was a standstill.
I remember looking and the time going by, I called close people and told them what was going on. I got so tired that I kept dozing off.
Boom! I jerked up, opened the door to run out of the car and was pulled back by my tightened seatbelt. I stopped to figure out what had happen but could not tell.
At the loud sound, I saw bright lights and splinters of glass flying towards my face. What had hit my car? I could not tellWhat had struck my car. I became extremely frantic, it was 10:35pm o was still stuck in that traffic, my glass was broken.
I remember some guys in a big truck kept looking at me and smiling, some guy told me sorry. A vehicle with a middle aged couple stopped by to ask me what was taken from me, that was when it dawned on me that I had been robbed. My handbag had been taken out, but my phone was with me.
At this point I wanted to scream because I felt so vulnerable, there was still this bad traffic and a few hawkers were coming around to look and sell their wares.
I endured it till we were able to move, I took a look at the point the police usually stayed but they had probably closed. I drove home in a rush and finally arrived around 11pm.
I had never been so shaken in my life like that. Shattered glass on my body, all over the car and a missing bag full of documents and money as I had just returned from a camp that weekend.
The nice part is that by God's grace, I got calls from market women and random people and received my important documents.
I remain thankful because mine ended wellbut we can never be careful to make sure we have got the loose ends tightened.
Lessons
1. The route from the location should be properly taken into consideration. What level of traffic it is prone to, and at what time it is.
2. Teachers need to understand properly the timing for the lesson. It is okay to be aware of the duration and fix a start time. But, you may need to do your test to ensure that your expectations for time duration and start time are in order.
3- Prevent your lessons from dragging into the night. Go early and leave on time so you can feel safe.
4- Keep your possessions away from sight .
5- Choose locations that are close to you and not prone to heavy traffic.
6- If you like to have multiple lessons plan your days properly. Let proximity be a deciding factor so that you do not have to stay out late meeting up with your targets.
7- As a teacher, you have the liberty to pick out a timing that works for you. So next time you are on the negotiation table, ask for timings that work for you and then come to a compromise at worst case scenario.
I changed my lifestyle from that day and you can change yours too. Don't put your life at risk by staying out so late for lessons.
I still think about interesting conversations that ensued between a certain parent and me. I was asked to start sleeping over on the days I had lesson to avoid being out late. I did not accept the proposal but painfully had to stop.
The most important thing I have continued doing is to avoid driving late.
Stay safe!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment