Page 38 - IFAFA ebook v4

Frank was posted to Brussels to the Permanent Representation to the

European Union (EU). I got a job teaching at St John’s International

School in Waterloo about 20 kilometres outside Brussels. They greatly

respected Irish-trained teachers in that school and I was very happy

there. The management encouraged the staff to undertake further studies

and to travel in order to understand the various cultural backgrounds of

the students. I discovered that one could study with the wonderful Open

University (OU) and so I began studies towards a Psychology Degree. All

course work came in print and by TV programmes. There was continuous

assessment and sometimes a summer school. Then there was a written

exam in October each year.

After five years in Brussels Frank was unexpectedly appointed

Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran. After the appointment that

country threw its weight behind the pressure for the release of an Irish

hostage, Brian Keenan, who had been held for two years in Beirut. I had

returned to my teaching in Dublin. There were no schools Tehran which

our daughter could attend. My daughter was enrolled as a boarder in

Alexandra College and my son had just started university. We enjoyed a

3-year posting in Tehran which I found fascinating. The ordinary Iranian

people are lovely, welcoming, generous and their educated people are

accomplished, generous and patriotic.

I completed my final Psychology course making full use of the Diplomatic

Bag. We got to know the British Ambassador very well; he was extremely

interested in the Open University and how it worked. I persuaded the OU

to allow me take my final OU examination at the British Embassy in

Tehran. The ambassador was in full agreement. I think it must be the

only case of an armed guard standing by the locked embassy safe

containing my examination paper. It certainly must be the only case,

where an examination candidate was provided a mid-exam morning tea

and dainties (full silver service) by a magnificently attired Indian server!

The fact that the OU could be available to British Foreign Office

employees struck a chord and has since, I believe, become widely

available to them.

When studying with the OU, one particular course captivated me. This

course was called Brain, Biology and Behaviour. I knew that this would

direct the course of the rest of my academic and professional life.

Unusually, Frank was reposted to Brussels as Deputy Permanent

Representative. This allowed me to meet up with old friends. I found and

was invited to enrol in a full time Master’s Course in Neuro-linguistics in

the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy at the Vrei Universitat Brussel

(Free University of Brussels). Here the courses were in Neurology,

Linguistics, Behavioural Neurology etc. There were also internships in

various university hospitals.

My internship was in the Rehabilitation Wing of Brugman Hospital where

I was a member of an 8-person multiple-disciplinary team dealing with

and setting rehabilitation treatment programmes for patients. Here I came

across and given access to patients who were experiencing Locked-In

Syndrome. Visiting patients in this condition led me to study the various

means of communication used by them.

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