First Bumps

So first bumps in the tropical-brick road here. I've discovered I won't be a fantastic teacher just straight off the bat. I know I know, its a shocker that a brand new teacher should have a bad class, in her second week of school. But hey. Anyway, we'll be behind alittle in my class, which only means the class on monday will be alittle akward in its format to make up for this. Not the end of the world I know. Anyway, I don't think the students really minded, but they are my chief worry, since I really really don't want to fall into the trap of being the easy friendly teacher who no one respects. But my class was easy this time since my co-teacher with the keys was completely unkowingly late, and then the experiment was botched because of bad equipment. ick!
On the other hand students automatically respect teachers alittle more here because of corporal punishment so I won't come out of this quite as bruised as I would back home. Which presents its own interesting moral dilemma. Philosophically I'm not opposed to corporal punishment in certain situations as long as its done justly. But in practice, watching 3 seperate classes all get wacked in one day by a teacher I like does give me the heeby-jeebies alittle. And I do mean everyone. So the fact that my weak stomach can't stand behind what I'm philsophically for brands me not a way I'd like. On the other hand, I also benefit from the fruits of corporal punishment in that students in classrooms here are infinitely more respectful of new and inexperienced teachers here than they ever would be at home. (especially in the light of a bad class) So the fact that I can't morally commit one way to this situation and yet, am enjoying the fruits of it, also doesn't strike me as very ethical. And yet above it all, they really haven't been so bad here. No student recieved a strike that 10 minutes later wouldn't be fine. And I've heard in some places teachers do go to far. So I don't know why I should be that unsettled about it. Plus, its not my culture so is it really fair for me to be making ethical claims about the rightness of a societial structure which I don't fully understand? Yea, really unsure about it at the moment and I'll let you all know more later.
On the other more funny in a bad way note. You know how in the past in the u.s. people would say, "go get a switch so I can hit you with it" well, one student really did have to run and get the switch that everyone felt the brunt of. Pole sana!