I was principal of two schools and during that time (1982-1998) I told students the truth about the real world with regard to standards, housing, sex, work performance, respect for the law, budgeting, financial planning, Sunday School and Church attendance. I did this because I was determined to shift the emphasis from the 5 years of excellent Christian lectures from my former high school principal who was preparing us only for heaven. I was determined to prepare our young people for both worlds but with more emphasis on the real world which they had to live in first. I am now a part of that real world as a Director of Training, Leadership and Communications, and this is what I see.

In the real world, mommy might call and make an interview for you, although you are 26 years of age, but mommy will not be there in the interview to answer questions and do your job.

In the real world it is okay to express your Human Right to wear your hair the way you want and your pants around your ankles but when you sit there waiting for an interview and the others have their High school certificate and more, you are not going to be chosen. You will not be told a single thing and you will not be given advice, because the employer respects your Human Rights, but he/she had four or five candidates to choose from and their pants were up.

In the real world spelling is important 100 percent of the time and even with computer spell checks you still have to decide from the options. The 35 to 50 percent you achieved in school might have been celebrated with a passing grade and your mom might have complained about the high standards but in the real world spelling on your OWN business proposal has to be correct and your boss will expect the same on his or you will be dismissed. You don't get to repeat the year and although you might be `promoted' (dismissed) from one job to another, sooner or later it will catch up with you.

In the real world your boss could have been brought up in an orphanage, or an abusive home, or with a single mom but he/she decided to overcome these difficulties by having goals and a plan. It is a proven fact that people who accept responsibility for themselves and who write down their plans become successful. In the real world there are no counsellors or home visitors on the job to listen to your stresses. If your fellow workmates had the time, you would discover that 90 percent of those you worked with have had even more difficult circumstances than you did and they did well once they accepted that the world was NOT PERFECT.

In the real world your Harvard Degree will be an advantage over Little Nose University. For although Little Nose might be okay for a year, the people who support it would never send their own children to it. But even with your Harvard Degree your performance on the job will be key whether you came from the Ivy League or the next best competitive or demanding college.

In the real world punctuality is important everyday. Staying behind for detention might be painful in school but you certainly wouldn't want your surgeon to be late.

In the real world attitude is important. There are numerous examples of Bermudians who had to leave school at an early age because their parents could not afford school fees. Many early school leavers did well and were able to rise up the ladder because they had a good attitude. They were keen on learning, they took a little stick when they failed, but they wanted to learn more and stayed after work to accomplish their goal. People with a bad attitude get left out and not behind in the real world.

In the real world if extra classes are offered and you pass them, you stand a better chance of getting more experience or a promotion. In school you can choose to ignore extra classes and still get your certificate. But in the real world you will be left behind.

In the real world you have to perform. You cannot skip the next letter to go to a friend's to watch TV at 2 p.m. like you did in school. You cannot tell off your boss like you can tell off a teacher or a parent. In the real world when that happens you don't go to detention and you are not given lines, you are dismissed.

In the real world you do not fight and argue with the people you work with every day. You have to work as a team to solve problems or you will be the only one going home, for good, and you cannot come back the next day with your mom.

In the real world you might have to ask a guest worker to repeat himself because English is not his first language but chances are he speaks 3 or 4 languages while you only speak one. "Ain't that right, bye?'' In the real world if you spend 5 minutes trying to sit down because your skirt is too short, it is NOT your interviewer's fault if he tells you. Chances are he won't, because he is frightened to death of violating a Human Rights code but take a hint, everyone is looking out of the window because they fear a charge of sexual harassment. Yes, we know your mom said you looked great but in the real world, dress for work.

In the real world you have to leave your problems at the door step or on the Talk Radio. It is about performance and getting the job done. Everyone there has problems but that is not the purpose of the business.

In the real world when I don't get good service I don't care if it is a foreign worker/manager or Bermudian. All I want is good service. You may complain about your West Indian teacher who replaced your Bermudian, English, or Canadian teacher who left because of the lack of homework or verbal abuse but in the real world all the employer wants to see is the completed job and customer satisfaction. Profits depend on it, not nationality.

In the real world, Bermudians built this island with a minimum wage, practically no benefits and no EAP. They set high standards for their children and told them what to expect (see list above). They did not make excuses because they had to use outdoor toilets, kitchen bathtubs, mayonnaise bottles for rootbeer lunch drinks or left overs. They did not let anything stand in the way of making progress. And they showed absolute disdain for drunkards and reefer smokers. They demanded respect for ALL adults and often welcomed foreigners into their homes from the Bases. They supported the teacher and the school without question. They believed in making friends before they were needed. They wanted and gave the best service everyday of the year. Boys became men at the age of 13 and were not allowed to sit around like flies because the family name was so important and such activity was a disgrace.

They feared the police and accepted full responsibility for a child's development even if they had to `beat you' to understand. And you did get it right with licks, most of the time.

In the real world Bermudians knew the only way they could survive was to save, respect the law, and pay all their bills even if it was only a shilling a week. So if things were so much harder then, with rampant racism and discrimination, but they survived and built this country, why can't we do it now, in the real world, today?