Sunday, October 21, 2007

West Side Stories

I'm substitute teaching right now to make money until I find something more permanent - in the event that I actually do. A lot of my teaching jobs are on the west side of the valley. Now I don't mean "west" in the same sense that I live on the west side of the valley - which I do - I mean way out west. Like the other side of the tracks west. It was really interesting to see the difference. Here are some highlights:

In one class period alone I had no less than 5 girls wearing giant hoop earrings. Keep in mind that these kids are 14 years old.

On the way back from lunch I saw a fight break out on the street corner.

I felt like a minority.

I was thrust back into my own schooldays during one period when I noticed students passing notes. This isn't necessarily unique to the west side, I just thought it was funny. And I sure hope I was more discreet in my note passing than these kids.

Later that day I had dinner on the east side. It was good to see the label whores, the cookie cutter Utahans with big hair, and all other forms of conformity in their glorious rampant-ness. The thing is I'm not sure where I fit in better...

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Not sure where you fit in?!? Honey, if you show up with label clothes and big hair instead of hoop earrings I don't know WHAT I would do!