Being judgemental

lucybelle started a blog post Being judgemental
April 13, 2012, 04:10 PM
Being judgemental

I try not to be, but hey, we're not all perfect!

There's this guy I work who is from Germany and teaches math and history to the kids in German. All the kids hate him, and I have to say he's really not that great of a teacher. Okay, niceties aside, he's an awful teacher. He also reeks to high heaven. Seriously, I can't stand being in the same room with him. His Spanish is horrendous and he's obviously got Asperger's or some social awkwardness thing going on. Most of the teachers can't stand him either because he's really... off. But I just attempted to stay neutral. I don't have any reason to hate the man, but I also didn't feel the need to be friends with him. I just sort of stayed away from him, but was cordial when we did talk.

Today, I walked in a room while he was asking another teacher where something was. Well turns out this business is right near where I live, so I offered to give him a ride after school. I'm so glad I did, and I feel bad I was so judgmental of him before.

Riding 20 minutes with him in the car really brought around more respect for this guy. Here's this guy, in his late 30s or so, who just up and left Germany because he thought his life was too boring. He moved to a completely different country where he didn't even speak the language. He got a job as a teacher (now I don't know why people always think this is so easy. I've met so many people who have switched from the corporate world to education thinking it'll be a walk in the park and they all end up being really bad at their job. Teaching is a different world, man! But that's a whole other conversation...) and found his own place to live and everything. He now wants to move to Nicaragua and open up a bakery. He told me that if it fails and he loses all his money, he'll just go back to Germany. What a plan! I mean these are the types of people I like to meet. Ones willing to take risks and live out their dream. Plus, I was surprised to see while we were driving he knew all the places. I guess I just thought he was the type to stay in his house and just be a hermit crab, but no! This dude gets out!

So I still think he's a horrible teacher who needs to get a new job, but the person he is isn't that bad. I'm glad I got to know him. And I feel bad for avoiding it for so long. He's just a person. And like all people he just needs a friend.
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4 comments
- #2
  
  Haley53 commented
  
  April 13, 2012, 08:32 PM
  
  Editing a comment
  
  I remember starting at a charter school in the 7th grade (was home schooled up until then) and there was this student who was also a bit quirky, and I never really understood what it was, simply that he was odd. :P It wasn't that I looked down on him or formed a negative opinion of him, but he was never someone I imagined associating myself with. And then the teasing started in, and I started seeing how cruelly the other students were treating him. I made a very blatant point of it to sit with him and talk with him and more or less tell the others to shove it when sarcastic comments were made. Turns out he had asperger's, but he ended up being my best friend all the way through to graduation, so I completely understand the pleasant surprise of not knowing how to approach/interact with someone you're not sure of and then finding out that they're a wonderful person. There's definitely a lesson in it as well. He sounds like a cool guy, though! I only wish I could be that brave!
- #3
  
  Moon commented
  
  April 14, 2012, 07:54 PM
  
  Editing a comment
  
  I had a friend, Mike, who I badly misjudged at first. He was very socially awkward, superior acting and standoff-ish, but it turns out he was severely bullied for a good part of his life, which made him very wary of people in general. Poor guy. He turned out to be a great conversationalist, well read, and very smart, I'm glad I gave him a chance and went against my first impression. When I start feeling all judgmental (happens too often!) I remind myself of Mike, and it usually does the trick.
- #4
  
  Tanja commented
  
  April 15, 2012, 01:52 AM
  
  Editing a comment
  
  I can get judgemental too sometimes. I try to avoid it though and I usually get along with absolutely everybody as long as they're not racist toward anybody. That I can't stand.
  
  Maybe you guys will become good friends in time, you never know! He sounds like a cool dude
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Being judgemental