It's a curious thing. Can the concept of a schedule be cultural? School starts on this date. Holidays will be on these dates. A field trip is scheduled on that date. The ceremony will start at this time and it will finish at that time. You will be paid on this date. The rules/expectations are such and such. And so on.
When I taught at NYC, everything was in writing. A big black binder we received at the beginning of the year that we signed to say it was received and read. Discipline procedures. Emergency procedures. Salary-steps. Meetings. Overtime. School rules, times, holidays. Most questions were answered. And if they weren't, you had a union rep to ask these questions to. It's kind of a typical picture of American regulation. Slightly over-the-top.
In comparison, Turkey's relaxed. Not scheduled. Slightly unclear. Changing easily.
For example, for a while there, school was going to end last week. Today, on the rare given and translated schedule, there was going to be an event from 10-11:30. I was told in the morning it would start at 9am. When I found my students, they told me they would leave 30 minutes later to the event.
So, I found a chair outside, a sunny spot, and thoroughly enjoyed my latest book.
It's how I've adjusted culturally.
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