It’s All Okay, Teacher

I gave a quiz yesterday, and when one of my students handed his in, he told me “It’s okay teacher, you can take as many marks off as you want.” Gee, thanks, I’ll do that.

“It’s okay” is sort of the unofficial mantra of Yemenese students. If you’re late, gazing out the window, sleeping, or just don’t feel like coming to class this can be remedied by a reassuring “It’s okay, teacher” and a slight nod of the head. I am curious what the Arabic translation is because once I learn it I think that I could get away with murder.

This is due to the fact that they manage to pull some sort of Jedi Mind Trick when they say it. I have had students bring me their homework a week late and after I already handed out the answers, and when I point this out they simply utter those three magic words and before I know it my hand is reaching to take their assignment before I can stop myself.

There was one time that I took my students outside for an activity and while I was supervising them one of the students wandered off and answered his cell phone. When I went over to yell at him he gave me the Yemen “wait” gesture (bring all your fingers together to make a point, then hold up your hand in front of your face) and told me “Okay, it’s okay, Teacher” and continued talking. I walked away and it took me about ten seconds before I turned back and confiscated his phone after I came to my senses and realized that actually it was NOT okay.

Now we know how those guys managed to get past security in 2001:
“Hey, you can’t take that on the plane!”
“It’s okay, I can go ahead.” Nods.
“Uh, yeah, it’s okay. You can go ahead.”

Just goes on to prove how weak-minded myself and the rest of America are.

Well, it’s okay, I guess.