honest_art (honest_art) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2015-10-21 23:00:00 |
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It was one of those days where Clara had decided that she was going to go bother her cousin at his job. Why? Because she could. Also to make sure he didn’t bury himself in his work. Also a way to prove that yes, she was fine. The dreams had been messing with her in the repeats but he didn’t need to add worry about her to his plate. So here she was, at UC Irvine, waiting until John was free. Only she’d seen a student go into his office (she was pretty sure it was the one she always interrupted) and had gone to one of the coffee and tea carts on campus to get herself some tea while she waited.
Tea in hand, the English teacher looked around for a place to sit. Lovely, a bench which was mostly unoccupied, just a lone woman. Glamourous looking. Walking over, Clara smiled.
“Mind if I sit?”
“Not at all. Please do. It will at least stop me worrying about this afternoon” Vanessa replied gesturing for the other woman to sit.
She was early for her afternoon class, she had done a couple now but she was still nervous. She'd never taught before but it seemed to be going well so far. She was glad she didn't have to do it all the time though.
Sitting down thankfully, Clara blinked at what the other woman had to say. Well, it made sense. After all, it wasn’t like she knew the woman, so there really was a number of things that could be cause for worry. Still, Clara liked to talk to people and she liked to help out when she could, so her attention was definitely piqued as she sipped her tea.
“What’s happening this afternoon?”
“I'm giving a guest lecture here” Vanessa explained, “Not something I ever saw myself doing but then life rarely goes exactly as planned”
“Ah, if it’s still new for you then I can definitely understand having nerves.” Goodness knew that some days Clara felt anxious about classes and she’d been teaching for a bit of time now. Like when she had first started at Creekside. Even now though that she was used to the school and differences, depending on what she book they were reading at the time could cause those feelings. “What are you lecturing about?”
“Art history” she smiled, “I manage a small art gallery which is re-opening at the end of the month but I agreed to do some lectures for different universities and colleges in the county” She had come from the most prestigious gallery in France which, combined with her knowledge, must have given her an edge and led to her being asked. She hadn’t minded, still didn’t, even with the nerves.
“Ah, well that must be exciting. Do you get to travel with your work? Well. For the art, anyway. I suppose you’re grounded when it comes to running an art gallery in some ways.” What could she say? As much as she enjoyed having some things set in stone, because that was something she could keep hold of, the wanderlust would always be there. And art? Well, art had a way of giving reason to travel if one so desired.
“I have travelled before when I worked for a gallery in Paris however managing this one requires me to be based here” Vanessa told her, “I rather like the change. Being in one place and establishing roots is not so bad” She’d travelled in her youth a lot, visiting galleries and the like but now she wanted to find a place she could call home. “Are you a student here? Or a professor?” though she didn’t look old enough Vanessa knew looks could be deceiving.
“Ah, yes, I can see why that would be. Though nothing wrong with that or the change. I have indeed been told it’s not so bad to set roots somewhere.” Though given the nature of the dreams and how not only her dad, but both cousins were the same man, one who travelled through time and space, well… Settling down and roots weren’t so much a thing and it was more what adventure could come up next. “Neither. My cousin is a history professor here and I was visiting him. I teach advanced placement English at a local secondary school.”
“It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a little while so thought this chance was ideal” she admitted, and so far it seemed like a nice place to settle.
“Ah I see” Vanessa nodded, “Secondary school, you’re a brave woman though I would hope the students are well behaved being on the advanced track” She would hope anyway.
“Well that’s always a good thing. If you have the opportunity, you should always take it.” That was how Clara had ended up in Orange County after all. Complicated feelings and running away from said feelings aside. There was the opportunity and now here she was. Insane dreams of travel and confusing emotions and changed family dynamics along with it.
“I get that a lot. But they are, behaved that is. From the stories I hear other teachers talk about, it seems I am lucky in a way as my students are all motivated and take the classes because they want to and not because it is required of them.”
“I am learning that” Vanessa said, before she had liked things to be planned but when Francis had put her in touch with the gallery owners it had felt right to make such a big change and take a chance.
“That, I have heard, is the best kind of student to teach. The ones who want to learn” and must be the most rewarding to teach as well.
“Never let it be said that you stop learning by a certain age. It’s usually just in different ways that we wouldn’t expect once we leave school.” That was part of life, though. It was exciting and stressful. It also showed that they were alive, at least in Clara’s opinion.
“They are. I love getting through and making an impression and getting kids interested in literature. But having those who are actually interested makes discussions much more engaging as well as their essays.”
“That is true. There is always something to be learnt” Vanessa agreed, she herself had been on a steep learning curve after all since arriving into the country.
“I can imagine. Something to really get your teeth into, I found that at University suddenly the discussions and engagement in lessons became more in depth and interesting”
“Life would be quite dull if we stopped learning once we reached a certain age, as if there was a finite time for it.” Learning had always been a part of her life, ever since she’d been adopted. Sure people might want to just accept things as such but Clara found that to be quite dull.
“So I have been told! Thankfully I have been lucky because of the courses I teach though. I can only hope I help prepare my students for university and critical thinking outside of a school setting.”
“That would be awful, imagine all the things we’d miss, all of the discoveries and chances” Vanessa said, learning was a big part of life. “I am sure you are doing a wonderful job, the value a good teacher holds is limitless”
“It really would be.” Even before she dreamt of travel and adventure, Clara had a sense of adventure. In the dreams she just happened to be able to get a broader scope of things, live in times she could only usually read about. Those were the good parts, the ones she tried to focus on even when it was the painful ones that kept repeating as if to taunt her. “Well thank you. I’m sure your guest lecturing has a similar effect.” Grinning, the brunette sipped her tea.
“I can but hope” Vanessa smiled, “It would be nice to think so, even if it’s just one student who comes out thinking about something in a new way or deeper than they did before I would be happy”
The hope of every teacher, really. To make an impact, even if it’s just on one student. To change someone’s life for good and get them thinking about things they might not otherwise consider. “I definitely can understand that feeling.” Smiling some, Clara noted that the poor student she kept interrupting was walking out of the building. “Though it looks like my cousin might be free to see me now. It was lovely talking with you, I’m sure your lecture will be brilliant.”
“It was lovely to meet you, thank you and I hope your students continue to be attentive”