This past Sunday, Son Miyung-ai invited me to her home. I sat with her and her daughter in the living room watching a Korean singing contest on TV (similar to American Idol but on a MUCH smaller scale). In most Korean homes they eat on the floor, with a very short table (it actually just occurred to me that my "night stand" is a dinner table heh heh), and you share everyone's food. So Son Miyung-ai and her daughter ate off "my" plate and I started eating off of theirs too. Not a lot of conversation took place and at times it felt somewhat awkward, but it was still incredibly special to be invited to her house. It was the first time I have been invited to any Korean's home, so it was wonderful to see this side of the culture that I have not yet been privy to. Her house is a very modest two bedroom apartment, which by American standards is incredibly small ( I had a studio one time that was about the size of this place). It is very homey and you could tell there is a great deal of TLC put into her home. It was just what I pictured her home to look like.
After dinner, Son-Miyung-ai and I went on a long walk. We talked a bit and I helped her clarify a few new English words/phrases she recently learned from her tutor. All in all it was a pretty special evening and I am very grateful that I was invited into her personal world. I think I will have her over to my home sometime in the next month. Possibly for a belated-make shift thanksgiving dinner. I won't be able to get the majority of the fixins' here, but I will make do with what I can find (and able to cook, since I don't have an oven).
My contract is up in 3 months, and she is expressing a great deal of sadness at my departure. My relationship and the close friendship I feel with her is truly inexplicable. We just have this connection, that was obvious, from the first time I went into her store. We just have a close bond/kinship that falls somewhere between mother/daughter and old friends. I am incredibly sad to leave all my kids behind, but it will be much more difficult to leave Son Miyung-ai. I am not sure why I am mourning my departure, when I have 3 months left! I'll stop now.
I went in for my nightly kimbap fix this evening and she started testing out her new English words on me, somewhat surprised at the way they have started rolling off her tongue. She then runs to google translate because she wanted to express more than her current English vocabulary permits and typed in, "It is like a dream that I am starting to speak English" and then she went on to say that she "always wanted to learn, but thought it would never happen for her"--given her age, I assume. I gave her an open-ended invitation for her and her son to come visit me in the states and that I would be their personal tour guide (and hotel and friend and chauffer).
As always I am amazed at what a close, affectionate culture it is here. There are just not the same hangups that you would find in many western cultures with closeness, particularly with boys. Here, boys of all ages are very affectionate with each other (holding hands, giving each other shoulder massages etc), and it is very nice to see that there is not the same sort of hangups and name calling that would take place, even as young as elementary school, in many western cultures. Today, one of my 5th grade boys was talking to me and then just started giving me a shoulder massage (a really awesome one, I might add). It was not in a "weird" or "creepy" way either. His friend was right there and they just seemed like they were just having a typical conversation, and it was no big deal that one of them was giving the teacher a shoulder rub. One of my third grade boys has been giving me a high-five every time every time I see him for the past several months. This past week the high-five was upgraded to a hug (surprised me in the best possible way). It made my day getting a hug from the little guy. I respect many things about Korea, but I think at the top of the list is the closeness and very open affection they share with their family/friends and people they accept into their close circle.
Tidbits:
I was given an incredibly kind compliment from one of the teachers at bad school. He tells me, "I want to say to you--- that you look prettier than you looked last week". It was a very sweet compliment--However, I am not sure what has changed so much since last week! :) Most compliments I get here, come with a little ding as well. I have gotten, "Oh you lost weight. You look better. You don't look good with more weight"..... Either way, a compliment is a compliment and I'll take them....
My students current favorite past time to harass "Christine Teacher": Stealing my phone and changing the language to Korean. Ohhhh just endless fun!
After dinner, Son-Miyung-ai and I went on a long walk. We talked a bit and I helped her clarify a few new English words/phrases she recently learned from her tutor. All in all it was a pretty special evening and I am very grateful that I was invited into her personal world. I think I will have her over to my home sometime in the next month. Possibly for a belated-make shift thanksgiving dinner. I won't be able to get the majority of the fixins' here, but I will make do with what I can find (and able to cook, since I don't have an oven).
My contract is up in 3 months, and she is expressing a great deal of sadness at my departure. My relationship and the close friendship I feel with her is truly inexplicable. We just have this connection, that was obvious, from the first time I went into her store. We just have a close bond/kinship that falls somewhere between mother/daughter and old friends. I am incredibly sad to leave all my kids behind, but it will be much more difficult to leave Son Miyung-ai. I am not sure why I am mourning my departure, when I have 3 months left! I'll stop now.
I went in for my nightly kimbap fix this evening and she started testing out her new English words on me, somewhat surprised at the way they have started rolling off her tongue. She then runs to google translate because she wanted to express more than her current English vocabulary permits and typed in, "It is like a dream that I am starting to speak English" and then she went on to say that she "always wanted to learn, but thought it would never happen for her"--given her age, I assume. I gave her an open-ended invitation for her and her son to come visit me in the states and that I would be their personal tour guide (and hotel and friend and chauffer).
As always I am amazed at what a close, affectionate culture it is here. There are just not the same hangups that you would find in many western cultures with closeness, particularly with boys. Here, boys of all ages are very affectionate with each other (holding hands, giving each other shoulder massages etc), and it is very nice to see that there is not the same sort of hangups and name calling that would take place, even as young as elementary school, in many western cultures. Today, one of my 5th grade boys was talking to me and then just started giving me a shoulder massage (a really awesome one, I might add). It was not in a "weird" or "creepy" way either. His friend was right there and they just seemed like they were just having a typical conversation, and it was no big deal that one of them was giving the teacher a shoulder rub. One of my third grade boys has been giving me a high-five every time every time I see him for the past several months. This past week the high-five was upgraded to a hug (surprised me in the best possible way). It made my day getting a hug from the little guy. I respect many things about Korea, but I think at the top of the list is the closeness and very open affection they share with their family/friends and people they accept into their close circle.
Tidbits:
I was given an incredibly kind compliment from one of the teachers at bad school. He tells me, "I want to say to you--- that you look prettier than you looked last week". It was a very sweet compliment--However, I am not sure what has changed so much since last week! :) Most compliments I get here, come with a little ding as well. I have gotten, "Oh you lost weight. You look better. You don't look good with more weight"..... Either way, a compliment is a compliment and I'll take them....
My students current favorite past time to harass "Christine Teacher": Stealing my phone and changing the language to Korean. Ohhhh just endless fun!
It's so wonderful to have a close friend who makes you feel at home when you are so far away from home yourself. That friendship will last a lifetime!
ReplyDeleteYes...I sure hope so. She has added so much to this entire experience and I am thankful every day that she is my friend.
ReplyDelete