Cross-cultural, Daily Living, & Adjustment Issues

I will be living in an apartment on campus at a public middle school. I have a woman friend in the city. Can she visit me without it being an issue? I imagine her spending the night would not look good, but are visits to watch a movie or something a problem? Any insights into this? I very much want to observe all protocols. Thanks.

There is great deal of variability in tolerance among foreign affair offices in regard to overnight guests of the opposite sex: some (perhaps most, as of 2009) will just look the other way (especially if such overnight stays are infrequent or the girl is identified as a regular or steady girlfriend) while others will make a moral issue out of it (and this can also be the case at private schools as well, although it comes up far less often). Your best bet is to simply ask another teacher about this. However, absolutely no one will ever openly question or try to interfere with a daytime guest.

Related to this issue is one in which the foreign teacher invites same-sex friends or family members to join him or her as long-term house guests. Most foreign affairs offices and particularly private school owners will have a problem with this as it raises liability issues, especially if the guest is not properly registered with the PSB. If you need to put up a friend who is, for example, between jobs and needs a place to stay for a few weeks, it is best to first run this by the FAO or school owner as a courtesy. Generally speaking, if you take the time to explain the situation, the school will just go along with it.