It was after a sat down at the cafeteria-like table with about 15 Korean men that I realised maybe this wasn't such a good idea.
A few of them were speaking directly to me, in English, many of them smiling at my slow talking answers.
But there was something in some of their eyes that made me think this just wasn't right.
It was by invitation that I had joined the table. One of my favorite students dad's had asked me about four times before I finally sat down.
It DID feel like elementary school. We were in the gym and the tables were filled with food - and drink! - sitting side by side. The bright florescent lights brought it all back. All we need was some Guns & Roses ballads and we' d be all set.
I was certainly breaking convention - or at least I felt it - but I had been told a number of times that foreign women don't really have to follow the rules. And I was invited....
After about 10 minutes of chatting I excused myself, to go to the ladies but also to remove myself from a situation that I wondered might be making the men uncomfortable.
Thinking about it later, it was probably more that how could they start chatting away about their wives in Korean if we were there.
I took a break upstairs with the female teachers - something I'm quite glad I did because although I had no idea what they were saying, A-language paid off.
I came back down to the 'boy room' about 30 minutes later and found two familiar boy faces - D and J. I spent the rest of the evening with them and the men they were chatting with.
And I felt right at home. A group of english speaking male Koreans had gathered at one end of the table. And they were quite happy to natter away with me.
I'm not sure if it was that I was foreign or that times are just changing. But it was an experience I thouroughly enjoyed.
A few of them were speaking directly to me, in English, many of them smiling at my slow talking answers.
But there was something in some of their eyes that made me think this just wasn't right.
It was by invitation that I had joined the table. One of my favorite students dad's had asked me about four times before I finally sat down.
It DID feel like elementary school. We were in the gym and the tables were filled with food - and drink! - sitting side by side. The bright florescent lights brought it all back. All we need was some Guns & Roses ballads and we' d be all set.
I was certainly breaking convention - or at least I felt it - but I had been told a number of times that foreign women don't really have to follow the rules. And I was invited....
After about 10 minutes of chatting I excused myself, to go to the ladies but also to remove myself from a situation that I wondered might be making the men uncomfortable.
Thinking about it later, it was probably more that how could they start chatting away about their wives in Korean if we were there.
I took a break upstairs with the female teachers - something I'm quite glad I did because although I had no idea what they were saying, A-language paid off.
I came back down to the 'boy room' about 30 minutes later and found two familiar boy faces - D and J. I spent the rest of the evening with them and the men they were chatting with.
And I felt right at home. A group of english speaking male Koreans had gathered at one end of the table. And they were quite happy to natter away with me.
I'm not sure if it was that I was foreign or that times are just changing. But it was an experience I thouroughly enjoyed.
Comments
Hope all is well. Thought I would post a comment just in case you didn't get my email from a couple of weeks ago. You said you were hvaing some email problems so this is my backup. I am loving hearing of all of your adventures. I love picturing you as a teacher!