I Am Bobizing

Bob Griffith was an English native speaker at our institution NSC Surabaya Polytechnic for two years. He always brought a bottle of mineral water with him when he was teaching. Perhaps, it was because Bob hadn’t gotten accustomed to the weather of Surabaya yet.

If you are imitating Inge

Once, because I got something wrong in my throat, I came to class bringing a bottle of mineral water. A colleague commented, “Are you imitating Bob’s style of teaching?”

“Yes,” I replied jokingly. “I am bobizing”.

Bobizing? We will never find the words ‘bobizing’ or ‘to bobize’ in any dictionaries. Bobizing (to bobize) means to imitate Bob. In the same way we can say that you are davidizing, if you are now imitating David. If you are imitating Gustaaf, you are gustaafizing. If you are imitating Inge, you are ingeizing.

Imitating others is one of the basic characteristics of all creatures. Babies imitate their parents. People usually imitate public figures’ way of life. This is what advertising companies make use. They advertise products using popular people (especially celebrities) as the models.

You cannot be a hundred percent free from other people’s influences, because people influence each other. “People learn from one another, just as iron sharpens iron.”

So, you don’t need to feel reluctant or guilty if you are now imitating someone. However, it is much better to be yourself than just to imitate everyone. You are very special. You are different from every body else.

One thing we have to imitate from others is their enthusiasm in doing good things, their great efforts. We have to bobize, not only in bringing mineral water to class. (david solafide)

This article is also put on Kompasiana