I wore it today. For the first time even, I wore the slightest bit of make up to class. I also wore my glasses. I was feeling feisty, I guess.
My first class used to be my favorite. Class 2. Lots of good English-speakers. A few funny students. Used to be a blast to have a class with them. Lately, it's just been a chore. For some reason they started acting like punks and treating me terribly.
So class began like it has been of late. Me: Stop talking. Them: Chatter in Chinese. Me: Stop talking. Them: Less chatter in Chinese. Me: STOP TALKING! Them: Exasperated sighs and near silence.
They're giving presentations this week. They have absolutely no respect for each other, meaning they refuse to pay attention to the other presentations. They just talk and practice what they want to say. Out loud. It's really frustrating because I often can't even hear the presentations.
I got really frustrated after two presentations and stood up to tell them to shut up. It works better if I call out students who I've caught talking. Sometimes I make mistakes with their names. I have 160 students. Give me a break.
So I accidently called the wrong name for one of the students. The student whose name I did call got very, very angry. He started yelling at me in Chinese. All I could understand of it was, "We're in China! I'm going to speak Chinese!"
The other students were appalled. I told him to get out of my classroom. That he was going to get a 0% on his presentation, and I didn't want him in my class. He just kept yelling.
I tried to call my boss to get the distruption out, but the connection didn't go through. By the time I was done, he had left. But he left his stuff in the classroom. Fearing that he'd attempt to return, I sat his bag outside the classroom.
He came back in shortly afterward and continued yelling at me in Chinese. He got in my face, still yelling.
I said, "Are you going to hit me?! Are you really going to hit me!?"
Other students restrained him, I attempted to go on with class. But not only was I upset, I was a little frightened. I'm alone in a class with 40 students daily. If they want to revolt, they definitely outnumber me.
Shortly after, I got a call from my boss. She could tell that I was upset and said she would call the class monitor to find out what happened.
I went to the bathroom to try to sort myself out. As I walked to the bathroom, another student was apologizing to me (not the student who caused the ruckus).
After class, the student was waiting for me outside. I just kept walking when he tried to talk to me. But he was attempting to apologize, so I decided to hear him out. I eventually told him that he could come back to my class, but if he ever acted like that again, I would not accept him in class again. He said something about writing out why he was wrong for next class. Whatever.
When I returned home, still slightly on edge, I found several emails from other students apologizing. As well as one suggesting that I'm more good-looking without glasses.
I'm still wondering why today was the day I decided to wear masacara.
