Monday, December 21, 2015

Thanksgiving

Interestingly, last Friday, I was thinking about how confusing and complicated 2015 has been for me. Why? Because of one issue with minor related issues. I go to church yesterday, (we had a Thanksgiving Service to celebrate 2015) and the preacher, preaching on the theme: 'The Importance of Thanksgiving', says, "if you have nothing to be thankful for, be thankful you have life". And then I felt like the worst person ever.

During the last week of October, one staff in my office died. I have life.
A couple of weeks ago, this university graduate who has been without a job since he completed university (about 3 years ago) came to my house to check out an almost abandoned taxi. He'd rather be a taxi driver than stay at home with no job. I have a job, and since I completed university, I have never had to worry about being jobless.

These are two reasons for me to be thankful. There are countless others in 2015. The more than 3 times I drove into the cars in front of me, the one time a car run into my car, and all these times I wasn't damaged. My car was also not damaged. How could I forget? When I went on an all expense paid trip to South Africa to just go and have fun and relax. Mind you, this was my 3rd all expense paid trip to South Africa since 2013.

So, because of one incident, which will not mean much in a couple of months, I choose to rate 2015 as confusing and complicated? God please forgive my ungratefulness. Funny this should come from me because I am one person who just cannot stand it when she feels ingratitude coming out of anyone who should be expressing anything but.

Yes, bad things happen all the time, but so do good things. Come to think of it, more good things happen than bad, yet we choose to dwell on the bad. By all means, acknowledge the bad stuff that happen, which you can count, but never forget the good things you can't even count. Remember count your blessings, name them one by one, and see if it's possible to.

Friday, December 11, 2015

Joining in the Chorus!

2003, I'm super excited.
I just made it into the University.

I'm a bit apprehensive.
Time for lectures.

First week of lectures over, not sure what to think. I think my classes were pretty cool and the lecturers generally were alright.
Everyone else is discussing, and the conclusion was, 'as for Prof. Awotwi, his class is difficult'. So, me too I say, 'his class is difficult'.
As one of my course requirements, I had to take Prof. Awotwi's class from the animal science department, Biology of Farm Animals (honestly, what do I care about farm animals aside the taste of their meat?). My first impression of Prof. Awotwi, was, this man is so cool, funny and interesting. But everyone said his class was difficult, so it had to be. Fast forward to the end of semester, I write my exams, results come out the next semester and my worst grade that semester was in Prof. Awotwi's class (it was a very bad grade). Was I surprised? No, because I did not study, his class was difficult.

Second year in the University, and one of my classes was Human Physiology I. This course was also taught by Prof. Awotwi, but at least it was in my department and it wasn't about animals. People had already started grumbling because all of us had taken Prof. Awotwi's first year course. First lecture done and the general consensus was, 'this class is too difficult'. But I did not get it. The thing is, Prof. Awotwi gave us everything we needed to pass his class. He dictated notes, he drew diagrams and made copies for us. One thing he said in first year and again in second year was, he knows how things are at the University. The books are not available in the library, which wasn't our fault, (even if they were, I wonder how many of us would make it to the library), and since he doesn't want anyone to have an excuse to fail, he will give us all we need. We just have to study what he gives us, which is what I did this time round. I studied all the material he gave. It was a lot but it was everything.
Result? I was the best student in that class. I remember we had a mid semester exam, when Prof. Awotwi was done marking, he came to class and expressed his disappointment at the general performance. Then he says, there was however one student who performed extraordinarily. This student surprisingly almost scored the full marks. My heart is pounding, my heart is pounding, and then he calls out my name :D

Second semester of second year, I took Human Physiology II, same story. I was the best student in the class. By this time, I was in love with Prof. Awotwi.
Third year, no Prof. Awotwi in my department. So, I follow him to his department and take a free elective, Anatomy and Digestive Physiology. This was about animals, but I didn't care. As long as it was Prof. Awotwi teaching, one of the best lecturers the University of Ghana ever had (my personal opinion), I knew I would be fine, and I was fine. I was one of the best students in that class. Interestingly enough, some of the students majoring in Animal Science, who had to take that class failed the course, but I came from another department, opted to take that course and aced it.

Hmmmmmm... I wonder what would have happened if I hadn't joined in the 'Prof. Awotwi's class is difficult' chorus in my first year. No, I don't wonder, I know if there'd been a grade better that an A, I would have had it.

- in loving memory of Prof. E. K. Awotwi

Saved (Twice)

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