I used to work with university students training to be petroleum engineers. Most were from the deep, deep Mekong which is essentially rice country. That's all people do there. They grow rice, they fuck, get married and have babies, most of whom grow up and grow rice. It became apparent really quickly how much help they needed to learn to read and write in English and how much most of them wanted it, particularly one class. My primary function soon switched from instruction and skill building to motivation and cultivating the confidence to succeed in the program as it was laid out.

Prior to that, I was teaching rich kids who couldn't give a fuck and the difference in experience was shocking. I put 100% more effort into my class of paddy rats than I did with the majority of my rich students and I found I didn't mind, other than the state of my hourly rate. It's a weird thing to get involved with people like that. They'll make you rip your hair out one minute and break your heart in the same breath and all the while you've got to be tough and fair and honest. I've got a lot of respect for Greg Wahl. It really takes a certain strength of character to continue on in a vein of work like that, a strength of character I am not ashamed to admit that I don't possess.