She was a teacher in a private school around a decade ago, when her family decided to move from India to Canada; to give shape to their dreams. She is still a teacher here in Canada, but her classroom has changed altogether now. Instead of imparting her lessons in a confined four-walled classroom, she teaches her pupils in a moving car.
Meet this ‘Punjaban’ Sarabjit Narang, who has been running her car driving school – Noor Driving School – in Winnipeg for the past around three years.
“It might be unconventional for a woman to be a driving instructor in our Punjab, but everything is different here (Canada). You can see several women, driving cabs, mini trucks and even large-sized truck-trailers, here and such sights make me very proud,” said Sarabjit, who originally hails from Noormahal, Jalandhar (India).
“My journey from a school teacher to a driving instructor is surely very interesting. I had never ever thought even in my wildest dreams that I would teach people car driving skills on Canadian roads,” she said while adding that she didn’t even know cycling when she had arrived here in Canada.
“I learnt car driving only after coming here. During my training, I thought to be a car driving instructor as I had found the work very interesting. I shared my viewpoint with my husband Amritpal Narang, who is in transportation, and he encouraged me to fulfil my dream. With his full support I took on roads to do this ‘so-called-unconventional-job-
About her new role, Sarabjit said that she was very proud, happy and satisfied with her work.
“I can’t describe the happiness I feel whenever my pupil passes a road test and gets his/her driving license,” said Sarabjit.
The other good part of her work is that it enables her to meet and build relations with new people every day and moreover the job is serious, risky and thrilling, she added. “You see, we are at risk all the time for obvious reasons. Our car is being driven on roads by novice, most of whom are also unaware of traffic rules of the soil. One can easily assess our risk and thrill,” she said.
Sarabjit, who also takes care of three children—Gurnoor (her eldest daughter), Jasmine and Jayveer (son), said that she usually imparts driving lessons to around five people a day.
“My every lesson lasts around one hour. As I also need to attend my family, I have to reduce my working hours nowadays,” she said.
Sarabjit, whose job is to prepare skilled car drivers, is of the view that driving a car in presence of a ‘Punjabi’ husband is one of the toughest things in the world.
“I always avoid driving when my husband accompanies me. He always keeps on carping when I drive a car with him. Interestingly, he usually breaks traffic rules while driving and whenever I point out, his reply is: “Zyada instructor na banya kar” (Don’t teach me driving). You know ‘Punjabi husband’s ego,” Sarabjit said laughingly.
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