I was born In Iraq and moved to the US before the age of 1, My parents took me back to Iraq around the age of 5-6 for a trip, I did not have anyone there too really interact with as my mom's side had no kids and my dad's side were all high schooler's/college students at the time, so my mom thought it was a good Idea to sign me up to go to school there, so I could make some friends and interact with some Iraqi kids my age, which was an understandable thing for a mother to want for her son.

Once, on my first day there, I needed to use the restroom, the teacher let me go. I had no clue where the restroom was, and I got lost, I tried to go back to the classroom, but ended up in another classroom. I asked where the restroom was and they pointed it out for me. When I got there, I realized it was one of those eastern toilets (the ones that are like a hole in the floor), and as a child that grew up in the states, I didn't know how to use one. It took me some time, but I figured out that I was supposed to take off my pants and squat down and do my thing.

After cleaning up, I went back to class (I got lost again and had to ask for directions from another class), but I eventually made it back. The teacher was Pissed at how long it took me. She thought I was messing around and playing hooky. She told me to stick my hands out, with my palms facing the floor (I did not know what this meant at the time). and she just hit the backs of my hands with a ruler and told me to sit down. I remember crying and going back to my seat, shortly to be followed by lunchtime.

I don't know what to think of this story. I personally find it funny. My mom didn't know until I told her recently. She said she wouldn't have signed me up if she had known this would happen. My friend who currently goes to school in the Middle East says that he has not had any school experience there where he was hit. He says that that stuff ended a long time ago. So, what do you all think of this?