Grammatically Incorrect Dreams

Today’s class, the first since we went on break for Ramadan nearly a month ago, was focused on the students’ dreams and career goals. While many of the blooming adolescents spouted the normal idealistic aspirations of sixteen year olds, I was surprised by how many had seemingly well structured plans to become doctors, economists, policemen and the like. Considering how perpetually disjointed all facets of life normally are here, reading over tangible and oftentimes very realistic and highly motivated goals and plans was a bit startling. I particularly liked the following entry:
“A police woman, ah that’s a piece of cake job I have known. The job is a sparkling easiest thing that always makes me a top woman in this year. The uniform, the saxophone, the whistle, the weapon, the shoes and the sirene, they are for me. I was born for those. I had known that from my grandma, that’s my curse. Yeah, to be a top police woman. When my legs moving, there are many eyes watches my steps. They become because of my perform. Honestly, it makes me bore but how could I bear it. So far, I know they are my stupid fad I have ever met. When I drive my horse, I mean my car, everyone will say ‘Morning miss’ or ‘Hey that’s a really miss universe but in police woman edition.’ Honestly, I really like this life.”
Maybe that wasn’t the best example of realistic and tangible, but it certainly put a smile on my face! Well over half the students expressed interest in becoming doctors. Reasons for said career path included “I want to be it because I want help everybody out from their troubles,” “I will be happy and enjoy because I always work in room with AC,” and “Because I want my parents happy and proud me.”
Most ended their paragraph or two with a supplication of some sort, like “I think enough about my dream, help me if you are praying” or “I want all my family are blessed by Allah and there live peacefully with all Moslem in heaven. May Allah bless us. Amin.”
I also particularly liked this composition:
“Like other girls, I have a dream. It is to become a steward. Because I think that steward always to be seen beautiful, clever, and have inner beauty. The manner of her speak is very sweet and dainty. Usually the steward is very confident too. The steward is very neat in her appear from clothes to hair fashion.
“But to become a steward is not easy. We must can speak many languages. Besides of that, our healthy is the factor to become steward too. The steward also must to manage the anger and must be confident to everyone.
“But become the steward is very attractive. We can fly like a bird although by plane. So, we can revolve the world. The traveling to abroad is very attractive. Beside of that, the task of the steward is very easy. It is serve the strange sitter. And the salary of steward is not little. Because I love travel and money. So, I want to become a steward.”
After the students finished reading their essays aloud, they swarmed around me to collect their papers, graded by the other teacher. While being mobbed by noisome, body odor drenched students, I reflected and found it ironically poignant to be sitting there in a sweltering, poorly ventilated class, handing back these kids’ grammatically incorrect dreams.