The Little Refugee Part 3

As time went on, the monk's enthusiasm for learning never waivered. He attended every class he enrolled in, and soon became proficient at using the computer, a skill which opened up communication channels like facebook. He learned about safety in the home, good eating, dealing with the police, food handling, applying for a loan, buying a car - the list of topics were as useful as we could make them. The most memorable was one fairly early session with cups of rice, and tasks to help students understand fractions. They were a difficult concept to grasp without lots of physical tasks to see how they work. 1/3 + 1/3 = 2/3 looks easy but I assure you it is not! And it is not easy to understand an explanation in a second language. But he, and the other young Karen began to see what was involved and another mystery was unlocked. One of the last activities we had was after he disrobed:- we went down a mine and saw how early settlers in our town lived and worked...
 The monk began learning  to drive, and got his driving test first time. Then he was on the lookout for a car, with the help of a few friends.
He spoke generally about his decision to disrobe, and from the outside it looked like a pragmatic choice. He felt he needed to look for work and earn some money, and he was not going to be able to do that while a monk. But he didn't want to leave his charges in the lurch, so he waited until they were able to travel and cope without his care. This was a very unselfish choice, because he had many friends, and the option of work at the abbatoir was always there...   
One day he announced that the following week he would disrobe and start looking for work, which he did with his usual quiet dignity. The same week, a job with some potential was advertised in the local paper, and a class studying workskills was asked to do a mock CV and application. The monk was interested in actually submitting the form, but after a four hour stint on addressing selection criteria he took cold feet and declined the chance to send off the application. His comment was succinct. "I can work in the abbatoir without an interview. I just go because my friend recommends me, and I start work."  With overtime, he can earn good money, more than a starting wage in many other jobs. But some of the people who had worked for years at the abbatoir were desperate to change jobs, and few had had success gaining other employment. The opportunities to learn English were also limited, so he would have little chance to improve his speaking. But the choice had to be entirely his.
Then he had his second big break. A large local employer, in the hospitality industry was looking for a number of new starters, to train up in a variety of areas, from gardening and outdoor activities to kitchen duties and guest services. The boss had followed the monk's progress with interest over a few years, and was keen to know if he would be seeking employment. A "chat" was organised, and the monk was offered a trial for a full-time, permanent job, starting in very much a training role, and hopefully progressing over time. It was a dream offer, and the timing was superb! Someone was prepared to look beyond what was an unskilled, inexperienced worker, to see the potential behind the face.
While standing in a queue at the Post Office, waiting to process his Working With Children check, a teller saw he was no longer dressed as a monk, and called out to him - "What are you doing without your clothes on!!" He, and everyone else in the queue laughed good humouredly.  
The little monk, now a young man with promise and plans, starts work tomorrow. Full time, and permanent. What better start could he have in Australia! But if such things can be earned, he earned it!  WE WISH YOU WELL!  
Be on the lookout for a  follow-up to this story in the next month or so...