I don't know if it should rain or shower

There are certain moments when I feel painfully aware of how American I am, or at least how non-Asian. I received an email from a student (a Korean born in Japan who's adopted a name that falls in between the two cultures, makes fun of both, and is permeated by a sense of self-aware chagrin) since I felt so upset yesterday. It was probably as heartfelt as it would get from an 18 year old Korean-Japanese boy to his slightly older Chinese New Yorker SAT instructor. He's right on some points and yet some reveal how Asian, male and young he is. A lot of it seemed to be in defense of the class and how it talks over me, that this SAT course is only for a month. One point dealt with respect and how I shouldn't storm out of the room because my students won't respect me--he's got a point and yes, I admit I lost my composure but they forget how young I am too, that I am as far away from home as I can get in terms of distance, language and culture, and that my job is boring and far more demanding than I had ever anticipated. I guess I'm touched since he even bothered to email me and that custom, propriety and language barriers restrains the tenderness that I'm used to. I wish I could respond, but it's not really the kind of email you respond to. I wish students knew just how difficult it is to teach.