October 15 - Culturally sensitive topics and representing America

So today was quite the day in teacher / American ambassador land. My first class of the day which is usually at 8:15am was canceled, so I got to sleep in til 8:30 (holy crap, what is happening to me? since when is sleeping til 8:30 sleeping in?!?). My next class, which is a double period of English with the same teacher as my double period on Tuesday turned into quite the adventure. I had never met this class, so I thought that we’d just be doing introductions (which had been implied yesterday when I saw her) - but lo and behold - we get into the class and the teacher turns to me and says, “ok, here’s your group, I’ll send you the rest next period. Have a nice lesson!” SHIT! Essentially, my worst nightmare! Fortunately, I had been thinking about what do to for my next lesson for a similar group, so I just got to test it out early! The students didn’t seem to notice, and they seemed to have a good time. My premature plans only got me through 45 minutes though, so I’m so glad that I’ve memorized about 10 different games for the different levels, so I was able to play an easy game to fill the time. I hope that never happens again!

After this impromptu 2 hours of teaching I went to meet my first class of BTS students - I’ve been told that some of the students in this grade could be my same age, so I really wasn’t sure what to expect. Well, as with all of my older students they were silent. It’s like pulling teeth to get them to say anything. The teacher - who is a very nice guy - is really interested in American politics, so he starts asking various questions about political issues in the States. It starts off innocent enough - how do I feel about school uniforms? Which, fundamentally, I am against, however I do feel that there are certain situations where they do serve a purpose. So I express my view and ask the students their feelings, which for the most part echoed mine. Then a student asks if school uniforms has impacted the prevalence of guns in schools. UHHHHH. Not exactly what I want to talk about! So I say that I really don’t know (which is the truth). Then we get on the topic of guns and gun control in general. Once again, not exactly the image of the US I want to project - so I do my best to put the issue in as positive of a context as possible. But they of course know quite a bit about the issue, so I finally had to resort to the idea that the US is a safe place, and that as long as you avoid bad neighborhoods you are very safe. (I definitely did not bring up the fact that guns are now allowed in bars in Arizona!) Then a student asks me if young children really accidentally kill each other with their parent’s guns! All I can say is wow. Just then the teacher pipes up, and says, “let’s change the subject.” In my mind: “Oh thank goodness!” But he continues with, “Do you know what the plans are for ground zero? Is it still just a big hole in the ground, or is there some building going on?” ... I’m sure I looked like someone who had just seen a ghost! Of course, I don’t really know (since I avoid most things September 11th related). But then we discussed 9/11 for what felt like an eternity. Some students asked questions about the twin towers and all that (they are all in training to be architects or interior designers - so these are pertinent questions) and then the teacher starts talking about a TV special he had seen with footage of the towers and people’s reactions and how it was really the best documentary about 9/11 that he’d seen yet. He then asks, “do you plan to see it?” All I could think was, “no I don’t plan to see it. Since I have the image of the towers’ collapse forever imprinted in my mind, I really don’t need to see it ever again!” but instead I politely said that it’s still much too painful to see things related to that day and then did everything I possibly could to not well up with tears. I then immediately changed the subject to positive things about America - like California and NYC and national parks and the Grand Canyon! The students got really excited when I told them that I lived in the same state as the Grand Canyon and that I’ve seen it. I also brought up Obama - which usually results in a positive conversation, since most of the French love Obama - except it didn’t work this time! I asked, “what do you guys think about Obama?” Crickets chirp. “What did you think about George Bush?” Heads shake in disgust. “So you like Obama then?” Teacher: “well, he hasn’t really done anything yet - how can we know if we like him?” Ummm. He has done quite a few things, like, you know, improving international relations. So then a student asks what I think about the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to him. I respond that I think it’s more of a comment on the past presidential policy, but that I’m happy that Obama’s peace initiatives and goals of improving international relations are being recognized in a positive light. It seems a bit odd, but overall I’m happy with the idea. Silence. Apparently the French think it’s silly and premature. Yeah... So, all in all, a successful class.

The really frustrating thing about all this? I’ll only have these students one on one, so I really won’t get a chance to correct their image of my home! Sometimes I forget that it’s so easy to get down on your own country - especially when there are so many things that happen that you don’t really agree with. But the thing is, no matter how frustrated I may get over gun control or other political issues, I have to remember that at the end of the day I am an ambassador for my country. In so many ways it’s my job to create a positive image of the US. I really wish that I could have avoided those subjects all together - but I guess I was able to answer some burning questions? I suppose that it’s necessary to talk about the tough subjects, but I was hoping to be able to avoid it until I could at least create a positive image first. Oh well, C’est la vie.

On a much more positive note, the teacher has invited me for dinner sometime! He has a daughter who is 23 and lives in Paris (and really likes to speak English) - and he thinks that “if you two get along, it might be nice for you if you want to visit Paris sometime.” So nice! And this is the French in a nutshell. Tough talk and then a dinner invitation. And I thought I was blunt!

But even all of these political conversations couldn’t get me down - as I walked out the door to catch the bus, I looked around. And do you know what? I live in France and I love it here!