The No-Communication Zone

Sometimes I feel like I am in a no-communication zone. This morning I came to school to find out that we have only 4 periods today. Not a bad thing, except when you spend time preparing for more than that! And right now, I am writing this because I got to class and my little ninth graders triumphantly announced :' Teacher, we must go to the Dentist.' When I asked if they were all going, they replied YES. Okay, that's some info. But then when I came back to my office and asked my head teacher how long they might gone, I received a shoulder shrug, like that is the silliest question and how could you think this was an important question? Hm. This is when I am reminded that (as comfortable as I feel here) I am still in a foreign country!
Another example of this was when, on the way to my office this morning, I saw two ninth grade boys greeting each other with kisses on the cheeks,(three of them) and then something that 'looked' like a crotch grab. Interesting. I like the kiss thing, don't get me wrong, but it is still so strange for me to see.
So, two of my boys just poked their heads in, wondering why I am not teaching them. Hm. Better go, I suppose. But I told them I would be there in my good old time.