Miles Kozatch Interview with Shaheem

On our second day in Cheruthuruthy, a few of us boys ventured to just about the end of main road to see all of town. Every time someone would shout “hello!” or “who/how are you?” others would take notice of us westerners and do the same. We walked into almost every store, and usually exited after a quick look at the scant selection of merchandise. When I walked out of a strange DVD/jewelry store a man met us with a big smile on his face. He asked our names and shook our hands like mostly everyone else. I asked him his and he said Shaheem. He asked us if we were in need of assistance and we said “no.” Noticing the puzzled looks on our faces he explained that he saw us walk in and out of several stores and thought we were having trouble communicating with people. We said thank you for his offer, but we were heading back to our hotel anyway. We turned to start back towards the river where our hotel was and Shaheem stopped me and said, “excuse me, I would very much like to speak with you… at some other time… to improve my English. You see, I run the English school here.” He pointed at the a building across the busy street that had a weather-worn banner that said Speak up, Speak out School of Language and Personality training. I asked him what personality training was and he explained as a way to use language to be convincing and project oneself. I was pretty excited to talk to an Indian person who could speak English fluently. After I explained why I was in Kerala and I explained to him what an Ethnography was, I asked him if I could interview him for my project. He told me that he teaches every day and asked me to come by whenever I pleased.


Q: What is your name?
A: Shaheem
Q: What is this place called?
A: Speak up/Speak out
Q: What do you do here?
A: People who speak Malayalam come her to learn (how to speak) English. (Being able to speak) English is helpful in communicating with people from different nations, as well as communicating with people within India. India as a country speaks over 25 languages [According to Census of India of 2001, 29 languages are spoken by more than a million native speakers, 122 by more than 10,000.], the principal official language of the Republic of India is Hindi, and the second is English.
Also, most interviews for jobs like office jobs are held in English.
Q: Where and when did you learn to speak English?
A: In grade school, at around the fourth grade, students in Kerala School System learn (how) to read and write English. But they don’t always learn how to speak it. I could read and write English when I was in eighth grade. When I went to college, I took several classes in English in order to speak well.
Seven years back I met a few Westerners like you from California [here, I think he assumes us to be college students]. They encouraged me to start my school. I have learned more teaching because when I teach, I am also a student.
Q: How many people work here?
A: Myself, um… All faculty here are former students of mine. There are six, and they are all still learning, as I am.
Q: How many customers/students do you have?
A: At this institution, I have had over five thousand students. In university teachings maybe… eight thousand.
All of my students learn how to speak in a three-month course. Sometimes if a person does not have prior experience I offer a six-month course as well. In that time the students learn proper grammar, common phrases, and how to set and achieve life goals. This institute encourages people to have the enthusiasm and energy to speak English.
Q: What is the literacy rate in Cheruthuruthy
A: the government says that in Kerala, one hundred percent of the state is literate. But you can see here, in Cheruthuruthy, that there are some people who cannot read or write. I personally would say that every person the age of 30 is Literate. And I am sure about the older population, because many of them did not attend school.
Q: Where have you travelled?
A: Actually, I have never left India. I have been to New Delhi for a conference of English Junior Chancellor International. The organization is for outstanding entrepreneurship and leadership skills.
If I could travel anywhere I would like to attend the next meeting of that organization in Singapore. I have heard many great things about the Brooklyn Bridge; I would like to see that. And the statue of Liberty I would like to see.

We talked a little longer about the different hand signals and nodding gestures in India, America, and Europe, and his stance in the classic culture vs. modernization debate (including the differences that separate men and women, the sexually repressive environment and rebellious responses). Shaheem told us that he believed that modernization was “most important.” And he embraces all of Western culture.
I parted with some suggested reading of Philosophy: Plato, Kant, Wittgenstein, and Peirce. And Shaheem showed me the book of proverbs and expressions he wrote. We added a few and left the building.