What Would You Do If You Have $16.7m?

"What would you do, Hafiz, if you have $16.7m?" asked Api, my Samoan friend who also works at Wellington City Council as a Spotless cleaner last night when we sat together after finishing our task for the night while waiting for other staffs to finish theirs. Next to us was our supervisor - Silipi, a Samoan lady who was flipping through the day's newspaper.

The discussion revolved around the news from Dominion Post about a mystery lotto winner who nets $16.7m. Yes, lotto and any other forms of gambling is strictly forbidden in Islam but it does not hurt to participate in a heated discussion about it. And so I joined in the conversation. To Api's question, I laughed as I said, "I'll buy Spotless company and fire Andi (our former manager nobody really liked)." Api laughed heartily hearing that and said he would buy all facilities in Wellington such as the hospital. He said he would buy Spotless from me and fire many other people aside from Andi. Everyone laughed. Joining in, Joe said he would buy properties like a house and want to settle down. The conversation died down as Zack emerged out of the elevator and Silipi chased everyone to go home.

Really, what would I do if I really have $16.7m?

Before answering that, I'd like to reflect a conversation I had with Stefan, a co-worker when I worked with Martin to set up marquees during summer, when we were driving back from Petone. Stefan was a nice guy with an admirable ambition. Here's our conversation:

Stefan: Hafiz, you're a student?
Me: Yes, doing TESOL.
Stefan: What's that?
Me: Teaching of English as a Second Language. See, I wanna be an English teacher.
Stefan: Wow! You learn our language to teach it to your people?
Me: Yeah, but my English ain't that good yet. Still learning.
Stefan: Nah, your English's fine. But teaching ain't gonna make you rich, no?
[We both laughed]
Stefan: Talking about rich. What would you do if you're rich, Hafiz?
Me: Dunno. Never thought of it.
Stefan: Hm'mm. Me, I have this dream when I was little. I wanna establish a commune. You know what a commune is, Hafiz? As in the word Communist?
Me: Yup.
Stefan: I wanna establish a commune, a place for poor people. There, they can live happily among them sharing things and facilities. No one feels envious of the others having more than them or being more lucky than them. You see, I always think our society is not good - the rich gets richer, the poor gets poorer and oppressed. I want a healthy society where people can live peacefully.
Me: I see.

Okay, don't get the wrong idea just yet. I'm not gonna establish a commune as envisioned by Stefan. I agree with him that there is a sickness needing a cure in almost every society - his and mine, more or less the same. But a commune isn't the answer. I believe such sickness originates from unhappiness every individual has repressed in their heart. Yes, I agree with Alexander Sutherland Neill who founded Summerhill School, and some parts of his philosophies about rearing happy children.

Yes if I were rich, if I have $16.7m, I would establish a boarding school with an alternative education. I will find people who share the same vision and dreams to run the school. The school shall be available for any children from any socio-economical backgrounds so that the school won't be a ground for any kind of social nor cultural reproduction. The school should be fun but in order. Thus there will be rules, unlike Summerhill, but there will be no strict rules that instill children with fear such as those in conventional schools. The curricula will have a wide coverage, ranging from theoretical knowledge to living skills; and children got to choose whichever course they want to learn basing on their interest. Why? I believe a person forced to do something they are reluctant to do is an unhappy person. In this school, children will learn more about social skills such as cooperation and negotiation so that they will know what it is like to live in a society that functions.

Yes, $16.7m may not be enough to achieve this dream of mine. But well, I'm just stating my dream. I may not be super rich by becoming a teacher and establish the school I dreamt about, but I know one thing I can do with becoming a teacher: Eventhough I have to follow the National Syllabus and Curriculum, I will teach my students my way. I want my students to grow up a happy person.