Nalini Singh: The Journey Continues

“My intention is to take away from the students as much as they take away from me during one of my speeches. It’s not intended to be one way where the audience is listening to me, but a discussion, a conversation where we can all be able to learn something from the experience.

It’s a journey.” And what a journey it has been indeed.

Nalini, who was raised by her grandmother in modest beginnings at the family’s home in Central Trinidad, developed an interest in art from an early, but was forced to postpone her interests due to discouragement from a close relative, which resulted in her taking an 11-year hiatus from painting.

“Listening to others’ negativity was one of the worst things that I could have done. But I was ultimately grateful for it, because it allowed me to see who was prepared to support my passion.” Much like her paintings, Nalini’s speeches go beyond the superficial. If her use of bright colours and silhouettes lend something to her art work, then her sincerity and earnestness has helped mould her skill as an orator.

Today, Nalini is speaking before a group of students from Reno’s Educational Institute in Chaguanas. She was invited by the National Library Information Services (NALIS), to deliver one of her speeches. Silence falls over the room as the teacher introduces her, most of the students wear confused and tired expressions as she gets on stage. Unlike most other orators, the subject of the speech is not fixed but can take on a variety of different topics from school, relationships and family life.

“I’ve had to work at several different jobs that I wasn’t very pleased with, namely on my grandmother’s farm. It was a lot of hard dirty work, but like every other experience I was happy for it. It was one of those moments in life that I knew would pass, I’m nowhere near being finished but I’m satisfied with the direction in which I’m going.” Her unique blend of language with colourful analogies and sharp Trini wit, have won her the attention and the admiration of both student and teacher alike, and before long the silent room comes alive with discussion and laughter.

This is no surprise, as Nalini has made a living getting students involved, having served as a Mathematics and Visual Arts teacher for the past six years.

She is no stranger to the workings of youngsters and she demonstrates the same subtle charm and order with these students as she would her own.

As Nalini opens the floor for questions, hands go up almost immediately. A young man in the front row, asks, “What advice would you give to someone who has a passion for like music or painting, but also has to focus on studying for CAPE.” She takes some time to process an answer before responding, but finally says, “Exams are definitely important.

Your education is important and I won’t say otherwise. I spent nine years of my life trying to earn a degree that I could have gotten in three years instead. A lot of persons have asked me, ‘Why didn’t you just give up?’, I never understood that question, ‘Why should I give up?’ Once I knew that I could do something I would never be okay with giving up. You shouldn’t spend nine years doing a degree, but you should always keep your ambitions fresh. Don’t let it fade.

In life there will always be responsibilities. A lot of people wait until they finish school to follow their dreams, then they wait until they finish working, then they wait until their children move out of the house and then before you know it, you’re 80-years-old waiting in line at the bank to change your pension cheque and wondering where the years went.

Don’t wait.” It was an unexpected answer, which left both the teacher and his students silent. The student who asks his question looks at his friend and smiles wanly.

Reno Singh, owner and founder of Reno’s Educational Institute, has had over 20 years’ experience as an educator and was captivated by Nalini’s effective yet unorthodox style of motivation. “It truly was amazing. And it’s important for young people to be exposed to this kind of positive thinking.

All too often we show them the finished product, the goal once it has been accomplished, but it’s important for them to appreciate the hard work, the process that it took to reach that success. I don’t understand how she does it.” All one has to do is look at the audience to understand. The listeners, mainly teens are engaged in her discussion. She asks probing questions to her audience and encourages their input. One student meekly raises his hand, he’s slowly but gradually encouraged by his peers.

“Why are you so interested in art?” Nalini returns his curious stare and a smile begins to form across her lips. “Because it’s life.

It’s everything around us that makes you, you and me, me. It’s all of us.”