Culture Shock, finally!

Each day of our orientation in Chicago culture shock was mentioned at least 10 times. While I have experienced minor bits, like our first visit to the chippy and learning that what looks like a dime is 5p and what looks like a nickel is 20p, the effects of culture shock have been minimal on my experience here in Belfast. Yesterday, during our team meeting, Joyce labeled my experiences early this week as culture shock. I would have never come up with that on my own, but as I recall struggling to keep my jaw from dropping, I guess it is the nasty effects, or welcomed effects of culture shock! Finally!

We were discussing the Castle High School kids and their behavior Monday at the Photography club, which Rosemary joined us for. I have now been working in Castle for about 3 months and have yet to see such awful behavior. The kids are the same kids I have been working with, only they seemed like completely different people. The complete lack of respect and amount of talking back was absolutely astounding. I don't even know what a teacher in the States would do in said situation. The 4 kids were mucking around the art room, waiting for the St. Patricks students to arrive. One was chewing gum, which is against school rules. Brian (the teacher) asked him to spit it and the kid flat out said No. Brian told him it was against school rules to which the kid replied 'good thing it is after school.' Brian then explained to all of them that photography club was still considered school time, that all the rules still applied.

The kid walked over to the bin, but left the gum in his mouth. He returned to his seat to continue playing with it. Now, I know we have all defied our teachers at some point, but we would at least try to hide it, ya know, only chewing when he turned around... not blatantly playing with it again right in front of him. Brian told him to spit it out and to just head home if he couldn't follow the rules and clearly didn't want to be him. The kid just said 'No.' Thus the moment my jaw almost hit the floor. The fact that he thought he had the option to refuse to go home, amazing. He ended up spitting out the gum, and staying. I was unsure about Brian backing off, allowing him to say no, that he wouldn't go home. But, I don't want to question how he does his job. He knows the kids way better than I do.

Next came one of the girls, mucking about, being generally disruptive, and having gum as well. Brian asked her if she really even wanted to be in the club, and told her that just like during class he could send her to detention for misbehaving. She said she didn't know if she wanted to be in the club and when Brian told her to spit out her gum, she said she liked chewing gum. Brian then gave her the option of chewing gum at home or staying for club. She chose to leave. Her cheeky behavior and talking back was nothing I would expect from her. She is in the play and I often have conversations with her. I was flabbergasted!

During conversation, I learned that this is very typical of Castle High students, that I guess I just happen to see them in good activities. I knew the school was rough, every time I mention I work there people in the community comment on how it is a nightmare, and how awful it is. I often see glimpses of it near the end of drama practice when they are ready to go home, and congratulate the teachers on their patience and hard work, staying after school to continue to work with disrespectful students, but I was baffled on Monday.

Our conversation led into general teenage culture, including teen pregnancy. I assumed that it was accidental, lack of education and means of protection, and unwanted. Boy was I wrong. Apparently, having a baby at age 13-16 gives a girl status. It gives her something that is her own, and is often seen as a possession. Also, it opens a world of opportunity, in the sense of community services and housing independent from her guardians. I think it was at this point that Joyce deemed me a victim of culture shock. The look on my face must have been pretty telling. Maura described the Nireland teenage culture to be trailer park trash, as she has spent some time in the US and understands the connotation. I laughed, but was saddened to realize that this is very true. What does this mean for me, for the partnership, and organizations like it? It means that the trend is hard to break, more work is needed to break the cycle and the social response to it. An alternative means of status is needed, self-esteem, and other things to take ownership in, not a baby's life.