First Day of Classes

For the first time in 12 years, I started work at a new school, a school 9,900 miles away from Dalton, Georgia, and, based on the behavior of the kids, a school seemingly in some kind of time warp, reminiscent of an era long since passed in America.

As I walked through the doors of St. Joseph's Institution International, several students greeted me with a cheery "Good morning!" and throughout the day they impressed me with their manners and generally positive, respectful decorum.

The day began with an assembly in which the students listened attentively, maintained their silence, and applauded politely for the various presenters. In the classroom, it was much the same. Sure, there was the occasional chatter, but for the majority of the time, the kids listened, remained on task, and did their work. It was a real pleasure, and I'm looking forward to getting to know the kids in my role as a special education/ESOL teacher.

I'm sorry for the delay in this post. It's been a hectic couple of weeks moving to Singapore, finding an apartment, getting over jet lag, learning a bit about the city, and going through a school orientation.

I'm slowly getting settled into my apartment, a 474-square foot condo a few minutes from work. Singapore is considered to be the most expensive spot in the world for real estate, which I learned firsthand with my $2,300-a-month rent. Fortunately, the school gives teachers an extremely generous housing allowance.

So far, my educational colleagues have been quite welcoming, and I have nothing but kind things to say about Singaporeans. Before I arrived, I heard stories about the government being strict, but, really, I haven't felt at all inhibited in my actions. Singaporeans obey the rules, and as a result, life functions rather smoothly, and I don't have to worry about some of the annoyances experienced in other cultures such as litter, graffiti, muggings, or worse.

Singapore is safe, pure and simple. During the orientation, one of the new teachers asked if it was O.K. to leave personal belongings in a school public area. The principal laughed and said that it would be there a week from now.

Singaporeans seem to love food, and there's ethnic delicacies from around the world, which should lead to my waistline expanding over the next couple of years; shopping, as evidenced by countless malls; and smart phones.

As many of you know, I've never been a fan of smart phones. Until moving to Singapore, I used my old flip phone, which never failed to amuse my students or friends, but my love affair with the flip phone has officially ended.

Actually, I had no choice. When I visited the cell phone provider to open a new account and told him I owned a flip phone, he just laughed and then said respectfully, "I'm sorry, but we just don't have flip phones in Singapore."

I can see the benefits of a smartphone, but I still long for the days when a phone was just a phone, especially witnessing Singaporeans on their phones at all moments of the days.....walking on the street, sitting in malls, riding on buses. It never stops. I've never seen so many people talking, texting, and surfing. It seems to be a national obsession.

The other day I read that more than 70% of Singaporeans own a smartphone. As with the United States, I wonder what that's doing to real face-to-face communication.

That's about it. I'll try to do a better job of updating my blog, once I get settled in more in Singapore.

I appreciate all of your words of encouragement and support.