Today I have decided I will attempt to capture the way people at my school interact. This is sort of hard. I noticed it almost right away, but there have been so many other things to say that I just haven't gotten around to it, but here I go...
Everybody seems closer- friendlier- here. It's not uncommon to see people holding hands. In fact on my first day of school I thought one boy had four girlfriends. And that they all knew and didn't care... No. Holding hands is normal here. In fact, when people take me places (the lunch room, gym class, my classroom, etc) they grab my hand or my wrist or they put a hand on my back and steer me. Some friends greet each other with a kiss on each cheek. Boys, girls, students, and teachers all do. Not that the teacher came around and kissed all of us- but on the first day of school when we were assembling you would see some students find their favorite teacher and greet them this way.
It's fun to watch groups of students. They tease each other in cute ways. I often see friends rearrange another's hair (move the ponytail from the right shoulder to the left) as they walk by. It seems like they stand closer together too. To the point where peoples toes sometimes overlap. Hugging is common. And boys hugging each other here is totally okay and even common.
It seems like there isn't much of a touch barrier. People hug lots, and touch each others faces (I know I've had my cheek pinched half a dozen times). Boys and girls absent-mindedly play with each other's hair. I watched today as one of the boys in my class strolled up to a group and as he was talking randomly started twirling a piece of a girl's hair around his finger and it was like neither really noticed he was doing it.
Students are also much more respectful, although it feels very relaxed. We are allowed to call our teachers by their first names if we say Teacher first (or we can call them Mr. or Miss), although I don't know any of my teachers' first or last names. Or what subject they teach, for that matter. We stand up when a teacher enters the room. And even though everyone has cell phones, I have yet to see someone take theirs out in class. That's right guys. At my school, people obey the 'no cell phones' policy. (Pick your jaw up off the floor.)
All in all, I am in love with the social interactions here. Everyone wonders why I just watch people in the hallways during breaks, and half of it is just how cute they all are.
-Maeghan
Travelpalooza 2.10
14 years ago
7 comments:
Eep! That sounds really fun! Except, I don't think I would like people touching my hair....
That sounds really sweet actually. As long as it's all friendly. Cheek pinching though? Wow. Reminds me of the stereotypical grandmas. But that does sound cool.
OH! I wish I was there now!! That sounds awesome. People in our school are morons. Not all people, obviously, but you know. Lots.
Also, when you said you can call your teachers by their first names if you call them teacher first? Do you mean like Teacher Kim? Or what? Because that sounds kind of weird...
When you get back to Hat High, do you know what the first thing you are going to think is? "Wow. People here are morons."
Sorry. This entire comment was basically unnecessary.
I am going to act like that on Monday. And move people's hair.
LMAO. Laura.
Yes. It's like Teacher Kim. But I don't address my teachers at all. So I haven't called anyone anything.
And another think I forgot to mention was the whole boyfriend-girlfriend concept. I have seen one couple kiss on the mouth. And it was like a peck. It's really hard to tell who's going out with whom here. Amanda (read next blog) says that her host sister has had several boyfriends and was shocked that Amanda had kissed a boy.
I don't understand the concept of dating here. I will write more as I discover.
People always touch my hair. Just 'cause it's spiky. I dunno, it's normal for me to be touched. (In a clean way, come on guys)
And I call teachers by their first name all the time, I guess it's something of a teacher pet complex.
Get well soon.
When you come home, feel free to play with my hair. I'll love you forever and ever.
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