Despite the fact that these last few weeks have been relatively normal here in Salvador, I managed to find some inspiration this morning in my Geochemistry class.
Technically my classes are supposed to be finished because the last day of classes according to the academic calendar was July 7th, but due to the lack of planning and organization of a certain teacher, I still have class. All that's left for us to do is our final test, which he told everyone he would be announcing at the end of today's class. People were already starting to get frustrated as the class is already a week over schedule. At the end of the class, he announces that some students have told him that because the classes are supposed to be finished, they shouldn't be obliged to come to class. After hearing these students' complaints, he then made a few phone calls to the direction of the university, and discovered that they were right - no one was obligated to come to class after the last day of classes on the academic calendar. For that reason, he told us, he would be changing the date of our final test to after the strike has ended - which might go on for months. The whole class broke into an uproar - myself included. Can you imagine having just one class left before the final exam, and then having to wait months before being able to write it? The teacher, seeing the students' despair, backed down and told us that it would be next Monday.
Little situations like these happen all too often here in Salvador. At first, I really didn't mind, and just went with the flow, telling myself that this was all part of the cultural experience. First week of classes no classes because the teacher's still on holiday? Not a big deal. Teacher sends an e-mail at midnight saying that tomorrow's class will be cancelled? It happens.But this is getting to be too much. At the same time, I'm not sure how some Brazilians will take it if I start openly criticizing everything here that is starting to frustrate me - I'm maybe a bit out of place to do that.
