I went to Winchester University last Thursday to attend the Students Associates Scheme induction day.. It was pretty heavy stuff.. Apart from the oh-so-important bit about payments and stuff, they also showed a video of a classroom in progress and we were all asked to jot down notes on a multitude of aspects.. How did the teacher control the class? How did the kids respond? How does interaction occur? etc. etc. etc.. This scheme definitely isn't as easy as it seems.. There's definitely a lot more to it :P
What really bugged me was the induction itself.. As soon as I went in, I introduced myself to everyone who sat around me and got to know their names, courses, etc.. Then there was a slot where we got into pairs and started introducing each other.. I was in the middle of a row with 4 people.. I looked to my right to start to chat but unfortunately the guy's already started to talking to the girl in the front row.. O-kay.. So I turn to my left.. But that girl has now started chatting away to the girl sitting on her left.. So basically I was left with nobody to talk to.. I counted the number of people in the room and it was an odd number.. But the most odd bit was the fact that I was singled out despite my position in the middle of a quartet..
Before I went there, I found out on the Net that they had a Muslim prayer room.. So after the coordinator told us where the toilets were, I asked about the prayer room.. She blinked a few times and said, "Why, I don't know."
Then a Winchester student asked me to repeat the question.. Again, her reply was the same.. Blinks and stares..
Was I an outcast because of my head scarf? Has the image of Islam degraded so much that people don't care where our prayer rooms are?
I know I'm probably assuming a lot more than there is.. They probably just forgot or something.. But you have no idea how infuriating it feels.. Right there in Winchester, I felt judged by my peers not because of my capabilities but because of my faith..
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NHA at 8:05 PM ::
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