I wish...

I was warned when I got here, along with all the other new teachers, not to make idle wishes in classes. They told us that often times, students will fulfill those wishes, and that within a day or two you will be presented with the item. You know, we all make little wishes out loud, or in passing that is more a thought than anything else. I wish I had a new belt. I wish I had a good pen that worked. That kind of thing. And bam! "Here you go sir." Always sir. The amount of disposable income these kids have is crazy. I've been told that it's not uncommon to get a brand new iphone or Blackberry, sometimes just because they may think your phone is just too crummy. A woman told me she complimented a woman's broach and the woman gave it to her.

So, the other day I was in class and we were doing a writing assignment about great vacations we had taken. They were kind of groaning about not having real "great" vacations, but rather just kind of dull, ordinary ones. I explained to them that I wouldn't be able to do this assignment with my old students, because many don't have the means to take a vacation, so, more often than not, they have never gone anywhere. "Watch this." my class assistant told me. "How many people have been out of the country?" Everyone raises their hand. "How many have been out of the Gulf?" Again, everyone. "How many people have been to Europe?" Yep, you got it. "When you go to Europe or somewhere else, who stays at the Four Seasons?" A sizable number of students raise their hands. "Wow," I say. "Rough life you guys, maybe next time I should go on vacation with some of you. Who wants to take me on their next vacation with you?" I say without thinking. I quickly realize what I have done as more than a dozen little Arnold Horshacks enthusiastically throw their hands in the air and shout that they want to bring me along with them. Time slows as I think about the dinner conversation that will be happening that night: "My teacher, Mr. A, wants to go on vacation with us. Can we bring him along!?" Shit I think to myself. How literally will they take this? "Or a belt!" I want to say. "I really need a new belt, " as I imagine the parent picking up the phone to ask the school why their teacher is inviting himself on vacation with the student's. It may be me, but it seems like it would be harder to give a poor grade to a student who has put you up in the Four Seasons in Geneva for Christmas break - "Hey, thanks so much, that was fun. Oh, by the way Bobby is getting an F in class, he needs to work to bring that up. Where are we going next?"

So far, and luckily, my vacation calendar remains open. However, I was informed today by a student that she ordered me a power bracelet and it should be here soon. Maybe I need to start working on my Christmas wish list.