Smoker Boy
I had the craziest thing happen to me a few weeks ago. I was teaching one of my classes and part way through the lesson I noticed one of my students on the back row had disappeared. The door is at the front next to me, so I would have known if anyone left. I was really confused. I asked the class where he was, but of course no one said anything. (curse that whole saving face philosophy). I walked to the back of the classroom where there is a little room. It’s mostly for storing brooms and other cleaning supplies for the students during their cleaning break. I went back into the room and found the kid smoking!!! That’s right my friends, full on smoking during my lesson. Of course I couldn’t help but to bust up. Did that really just happen? I asked the student, “Are you seriously smoking right now?” He knew he was caught so he quickly through the cigarette on the floor and tried to hide it under his foot. Well too late buddy, totally caught you. I then spent the next 10 minutes of class lecturing about why smoking is so disgusting. I told him I hated smoke. It smells bad, gives me headaches, makes your teeth yellow, and worst of all it can give you cancer and kill you. I went on about how it is illegal in America to smoke until you are 19. I told him if he ever wanted a girlfriend he better stop smoking, and all the girls in the class agreed with me. Smoking in China is simply part of the culture, especially for men, but I think the student understood what I said. I have now nicknamed him Smoker Boy and every class I ask him if he has smoked. He claims he hasn’t, and hopefully he’s not lying. I text him quite a bit and we are actually really good friends now. I probably could have gotten him in trouble with his head teacher, but honestly I think he learned his lesson. I don’t know if he is scared that I’ll still tell on him or what but he pays way more attention and participates a lot more in class. I hope he will at least stop smoking while I’m here. It was the craziest thing. It’s times like this where I think, this would NEVER fly in America. Gotta love China.
I had the craziest thing happen to me a few weeks ago. I was teaching one of my classes and part way through the lesson I noticed one of my students on the back row had disappeared. The door is at the front next to me, so I would have known if anyone left. I was really confused. I asked the class where he was, but of course no one said anything. (curse that whole saving face philosophy). I walked to the back of the classroom where there is a little room. It’s mostly for storing brooms and other cleaning supplies for the students during their cleaning break. I went back into the room and found the kid smoking!!! That’s right my friends, full on smoking during my lesson. Of course I couldn’t help but to bust up. Did that really just happen? I asked the student, “Are you seriously smoking right now?” He knew he was caught so he quickly through the cigarette on the floor and tried to hide it under his foot. Well too late buddy, totally caught you. I then spent the next 10 minutes of class lecturing about why smoking is so disgusting. I told him I hated smoke. It smells bad, gives me headaches, makes your teeth yellow, and worst of all it can give you cancer and kill you. I went on about how it is illegal in America to smoke until you are 19. I told him if he ever wanted a girlfriend he better stop smoking, and all the girls in the class agreed with me. Smoking in China is simply part of the culture, especially for men, but I think the student understood what I said. I have now nicknamed him Smoker Boy and every class I ask him if he has smoked. He claims he hasn’t, and hopefully he’s not lying. I text him quite a bit and we are actually really good friends now. I probably could have gotten him in trouble with his head teacher, but honestly I think he learned his lesson. I don’t know if he is scared that I’ll still tell on him or what but he pays way more attention and participates a lot more in class. I hope he will at least stop smoking while I’m here. It was the craziest thing. It’s times like this where I think, this would NEVER fly in America. Gotta love China.
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