Education vs. the Real World

I know I am supposed to be updating about Poland. But, this is my blog and I'll do what I please, thank you very much. Last night will go down as one of the most professionally awkward nights of my life which makes it more than blog-worthy.

Here is a little background on my living situation which should make this all much easier to understand. I live with the other language assistant (Spanish) and three French students. They are out of high school but still attend a pre-university program at the high school. We have a legit five bedroom, two bathroom apartement.

Ok, on with the story. Last night was one of my roommate's birthday party. I wasn't really aware of this before it was happening. I just thought there were some people coming over or something. No big deal. I was very wrong. At about ten the birthday girl came and invited me out to the party (I had been planning lessons, skyping away my Saturday night). I walk with her to the living room and I am told that its everyone from her program at school. At this moment my brain starts to panic a little.

At University I was told over and over and over to never be in a situation that looks even remotely like this. Yes, she is my roommate but her friends are my students. I am not going to drink with my students. I can't. How can I ever imagine to have respect in the classroom if the entire class has played drinking games with me? No. Not an option. Needless to say, I headed back to my room where I stayed for the rest of the night.

Should have been the end of it right? Nope. Through out the night until about 4:30 am while I was sleeping someone would occasionally wander into my room (thinking it was one of the bathrooms), flick on the light and then apologize as they hurriedly left and closed the door.

It really wouldn't have been that bad if the music hadn't still been blaring and if seeing these students at school was not part of the equation. In Washington educatiors are not even allowed to drive home a stranded student in the middle of the night because there are too many possible 'what-if's'. So, to me, this was a cardinal teaching sin. At University we even had a whole class on appropriate student contact. The professors encouraged us all to delete our Facebooks and any other social networking site we are involved with because they could leave us in horrible situations. We had lectures on 'Electronic Touching' meaning that there should be absolutely no interent contact with students while you are a teacher unless it is through your school email.

All of that is perfectly fine theoretically. But what do I do now when I get out of the shower and there are students in the hall on my way to my room? All of those countless education classes did not prepare me for this. I'm not sure if the rules are different because I'm a language assistant and not an offical full time faculty member or if this is just old hat for the French.

Conclusion? I blame the Pilgrims and their puritan ways for my inability to navagate my way through this very European situation.