Between 2013 and 2015, a very interesting young guy kept coming to my previews in Kuala Lumpur, unsure if he wanted to take on the Tutorial. Each time after the preview ended, he’d wait till everybody was done with talking to me and he’d be the last person to come forward to me to ask me questions.
When we conversed for the first time, I became unsure if he should attend the tutorial at all. Afraid to offend him, I gently asked if he understood all the English I said during the 180 minute session. He honestly answered that he struggled with a lot of it. I advised him to think it through carefully because it would be a waste of money if he didn’t understand the language because in the world of finance and economics, the amount of jargon, phrases, acronyms and slang can bring down even the most eloquent people in the English speaking world.
Nic came back a few more times and I kept pushing him away because I was convinced that he would struggle and it would all be a waste of his time and money. But by the third time, he was convinced. He, as usual, came up to me as the last person left the preview and asked if he could re-sit the tutorial until he understood everything. I told him as long as he was willing to pay the admin fee of RM200.00 to the organiser, the re-sit would be free. That was enough to convince him that this was the way to go. I, still had my reservations but he promised me that he would put in everything if I promised to support him.
My promise was not necessary because that’s what I do for all my students even without making that promise. Nevertheless, I assured him with that promise and it made him confident. I was going to challenge myself to make sure this guy got my best and prove to myself that I can make an Ah Beng a really savvy economist and financier. The game was afoot!
Nic, today, is my proudest achievement and I cannot imagine how far this young man has come in just a few years. It was tough, it was rough but he made it happen.
To cut a long story short, the kind of economics that Nic and I discuss today will make most MBAs blush. And that is not an unqualified statement – ask my MBA and Phd grads who have heard Nic talk about economics and finance.
His English has come a long way too. Sure, he still speaks broken English but he is no longer shy about it. His positive attitude, confidence and his enthusiasm has rubbed off on so many students who have had the privilege of meeting Nic.
This is his unedited testimonial;
I’ve known to never judge a book by its cover. But Nic has taken that meaning to a whole new level for me. The teacher became the learner in one of life’s most precious lessons in humility.
Thank you Nic.
