Do As the Romans Do

BY CHOU DAIMAO

Do you know how to call our teacher in Canada? How to show your respect to them?

My English teacher has told us many times that she doesn’t like the students to call her “teacher” and she wants us to call her first name, but many of us still call her “teacher”.

It makes her very frustrated.

I never called my teachers’ first name in China because it is rude and I must call them “teacher”. “Teacher” is not only a respectful form of address for all of teachers but also other respectable people.

If I dared to call my teacher’s first name, I would be expelled immediately. Even in my home, I was not allowed to call my parents and elder sister’s name.

Once I called my elder sister’s name while we played together, my grandma was very angry. She didn’t scold me because I was very little at that time, but she gave my mother a scolding.

“How do you inculcate good manners in young children?” she asked.

After that, I’ve never called my sister’s name except “sister.”

In this aspect, Canadian culture is so different to Chinese. People call each other by their first name and it is polite and friendly here.

If we don’t know this difference, our teacher would like to forgive us. But if she told us many times that don’t call her “teacher”, why couldn’t we change our mind and follow hers favorite?

Do in Rome as the Romans do. It is always the best way to show our respect. Am I right?