Septuagenarian Graduate has Plans to Learn More

By Neil Armstrong

Photo credit: York University    Osra Lindo graduated with her BA in Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies from York University

Osra Lindo is overjoyed that she has completed her first undergraduate degree and intends to move on next to learning to play the piano and to speak Japanese and French.

At 79, she graduated from York University’s Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies with a bachelor of arts in gender, sexuality and women’s studies on October 11.

“It was lovely, and the standing ovation, and people did not stop clapping. And I think they saw their grandmother in me because really, at this age, you could be just sitting down and relaxing and your brain turning to mush. So it was lovely for the young people to sort of appreciate you,” says Lindo about her convocation.

Pursuing higher education is a family trait as her sister, Hortense Anglin, 81, is also at the same university pursuing studies in religion.

Lindo, who was born in Savanna-la-mar, Westmoreland has been living in Canada for 52 years.

Her four children are highly educated; her first, Gerald, is an engineer who graduated from the University of Toronto and is now pursuing a masters as well as working there; and second, Lisa, graduated from University of Toronto in vocal performance, sang opera and had a jazz trio. She now works in accounting at Nova Scotia Community College.

Her third, Gregory, has a passion for music; and youngest, Laura Mae Lindo, has a MA and PhD from York University, and served as director of equity and diversity at Wilfrid Laurier University before being elected in June as the Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Kitchener Centre.

The septuagenarian worked at Barclays Bank DCO in Jamaica and since moving to Canada has worked with the Royal Bank, TD Bank, and after doing a course at the Toronto District School Board taught English as a Second Language.

An avid volunteer at the zoo for more 20 years, Lindo said her experience of teaching prompted her to pursue tertiary education.

“Once you get into the classroom it grows on you. So then I saw this ad for a bridging course if you wanted, as a mature student, to get into York and I did it. That’s four years ago and I guess the rest is history.”

Lindo said the Mature Students’ Association “is up and running and lovely.”

“They take good care of you. Anything that you need they have it there; they provide,” she says noting that a mature student can study and exercise as well on the campus, and “you never feel bereft.”

She says the professors were wonderful and alluded to the course, ‘Japanese Culture and Anime,’ in which the professor would doff his hat whenever he saw her.

“They really treat you regally and the young kids with that energy. Once you get over the f-word you can manage.”

Lindo says the university looks forward to helping a person who is a mature student.

“That’s an accomplishment for them too to have old people whose brain sort of turning to mush and they deliver it back to normal.”

She lists her “most wonderful professors” as Nadia Habib with whom she did most of her gender and women studies; Brenda Blondeau, with the bridging course; and her advisor, Celeta Irvin.

“As a mature student you have to have a goal, you should but then you really don’t know. You can be studying millions of things and it doesn’t come to one actual degree so then you have an advisor.”

Irvin told her the core subjects and she chose the course ‘Jamaican Creole’ with Clive Forrester as an elective.

“You never feel bereft because you have, it’s like a foundation that they are there for you. And if you need help they have tutors who would help you. You can go into the Mature Students’ Association and say what problem, what challenge you having so it’s lovely; it was a wonderful experience.”

Lindo is encouraging any mature person who is out there thinking about what to do next to call the university and speak to someone at the Mature Students’ Association.

She says her daughter-in-law and her grandsons are Japanese and her son speaks Japanese so she wants to be able to let her grandkids know that she loves them.

“When they come here I don’t want to say ‘Sayōnara.’ They’re going to say grandma doesn’t love me, she only says goodbye,” says Lindo laughing.

She did a couple courses in French but would like to be bilingual like Laura Mae who went to French immersion schools.

“I have been trying to play that piano for a long time. After the kids grow up and everything then it was my time but I tell you it doesn’t love me. That piano does not love me. I feel that every time I go there middle c moves and I don’t know how it could move because there is no space. Now I’m looking for it and I cannot find it,” she says, determined to not give up.

Lisa flew in from Halifax for the convocation and Lindo made some rum punch because she knew that they were going to have a celebration.

They had it with pizza and watched the sitcom “As Time Goes By.”

[This story was published in the North American Weekly Gleaner, Oct. 25-Oct. 31, 2018 issue.]