I told my class that while I respect anybody’s decision to practice religion, I myself do not feel strongly towards any one religion and don’t see the need for it in my everyday life.
After I told my students about my beliefs, my teacher pulled me aside and told me that I really shouldn’t say things like that in front of my students. Since we work at a Catholic university, the influence of religion is even more pronounced, and all professors are expected to be in full support of the Catholic faith. Thus, for me to say that I wasn’t a fully practicing Catholic was essentially against the rules for employees of the university. I was initially embarrassed and confused after my teacher told me what I should and shouldn’t say. While I myself attended a Catholic university in the States, I never felt like I had to change what I said or believed based on others around me. I have always been a proponent of freedom of thought and expression, and for someone to tell me that I couldn’t express my personal opinions was difficult to hear.
My job as an English teaching assistant includes more than just teaching students correct grammar and pronunciation. Another huge part of my job is teaching students about American culture. In my experience, the influence of religion is very different between Ecuador and the United States, and I suppose my students did gain a little insight into this difference from our brief conversation. However, another big reason I am in Ecuador is to learn about Ecuadorian culture. While I wish I could have more open conversations about religion with my students, I have also learned to respect this part of Ecuadorian culture even if I may not fully agree with it.
