Collective nouns

Semana Santa can't come any sooner. You can tell that everyone--from the staff to the children--are ready for a break. I don't doubt that there's some sort of sordid telenovela-ish tale going on at about every school, as there's definitely been a fair share of intrigue at mine. And everyone is painfully aware that, unfortunately, no drama is complete without preconceived notions, miscommunication, and outright exaggerations. An "us" against "them," and lately, "me" against "you" mentality that's slowly festering the halls.

P, one of the women who's doing her practicas at my school, asked me if some of the assistants had been making fun of one of the teachers during the morning break. Nervous, I chuckled lightly, and tried to explain that the laughter had a "background story," that it was all in "good fun," and that, actually, we were also laughing at one of our fellow assistants. Somehow, this led P to remark that for the most part, we assistants (at my school, anyway) keep to ourselves, occupying one corner of the humonguous staff table like a knight occupying a chessboard, speaking in our rapid English and not bothering to commiserate with the rest of the staff.

I nodded in agreement. Everything she outlined was spot on. I offered that some of us perhaps felt too awkward, too intimidated to speak in Spanish, or that there were maybe cultural or--more likely--generational differences, as only three teachers are under 30. I was aware that P didn't mean to be on the attack. She was just stating the obvious. The more I reasoned, however, the more it seemed like I was making excuses for our proclivity for comfort, for the familiar. So, I let "slip" that there also seemed to be, or at least, there had been, some unresolved "issues" between teachers, and between teachers and their assistants.

I left it at that because I've been pretty much oblivious to the hostilities. I work with the program coordinator, with two groups of second-years, and from what I can tell, we're getting along fine. There's no scandal, so to speak, no heinous crime committed. So, the only time I am brought back "in the loop," is when one assistant confides in another and I just happen to be in the same room. By dint of recording events, however vaguely, I am indeed involved. Because I'm in the same room half-listening to this would-be intimate conversation I'm involved. And because I'm also an assistant, also a foreigner in self-exile, I'm sometimes roped into agreeing, as an act of solidarity. "Us" against "them," "me" against "you."

Truth is, nobody knows the whole truth, just fragments. She said, he said, they said, but that's not what I heard!

Exhausting, but kind of unavoidable. I wanted to explain, not apologize. I wanted to share with P that the laughter was more complicated than a mere jab, that it wasn't about that specific teacher, or any of the staff, really. More about "us," than "them," whoever we may be.



(Image: Learning Page)