NEWS

Roubini Nikolopoulou

Roubini, 48 years old and the mother of two children, is the oldest person in class but misses class the least. A hospital worker, she is been considering going to a technical college to become a nurse’s aide once she finishes the Second Chance School. Why are you returning to school? Aside from great inhibitions, I had to deal with a very serious problem and closed myself off. My daughter offered me a lot of options, but I didn’t like anything. Suddenly one day she said: «Mama, do you want to go to school?» And I said, «of course.» I came here, talked to the director and waited to find out if I got in. Is there a test to get in? We get in through an interview and they select those people who have the greatest need. Unemployment and age also play a role. In the beginning, they said I was wait-listed. I was very upset. Finally, a month later, they called me and, what can I say, it’s like I’ve gained 20 years of life! Your children must have been overjoyed. Greatly. My son sees me studying and says, «Mama, I don’t want to go to school and hear them say you’re a bad student.» Why did you drop out of school in the past? I grew up in a village without a junior high school. I was good student in elementary school. In those days, people believed that girls didn’t have to go to school. Also, it was a half-hour walk to get to school. I didn’t have the money to rent a house in the city. My departed father had his objections. I went to school secretly and he figured it out. Are you still holding a grudge about that? Back then, I got very upset and hurt. A year later my father regretted it but by then I had another goal in life… I wanted to leave the village. An opportunity for marriage came up. It looked good at the time. Can knowledge alone make the person? What do I believe? That someone with street smarts and someone with university smarts can both stand out. But one must complement the other. I may be well-mannered but I can’t move forward in my career with that alone. On the other hand, I have very little to say to a well-educated person who is ill-mannered.

Subscribe to our Newsletters

Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights, opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox.

By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.