As a 6'1" (186 cm) tall, blonde hair, very fair skinned woman in Korea, I get quite a bit of attention everywhere I go. It's 9 a.m. here and I've only been outside for maybe 25 minutes total, but I've already gotten about 10 uncomfortable stares plus two random "Hello"s from people I don't know. Standard for a day.
However, I particularly enjoy seeing the look of surprise on a Korean's face when I speak Korean to them. In the last six months or so, my Korean has improved dramatically from bumbling and slow, broken Korean to simple phrases come naturally and complicated explanations or conversations can be had if you are patient with me. And so, when I take a taxi or am approached by a Korean person I can generally make conversation with them without seeming like a complete idiot. It's a nice development and it only took 18 months to achieve.
I have two stories today:
On Valentine's Day I mentioned that I had a little grocery dilemma so I ended up at Home Plus where I made an unsuccessful attempt at finding cream. After picking up some hot dogs (which are HORRIBLE by the way... worst hot dogs ever), I hopped in a cab and said, "신포시장 가주세요" and off we went to Sinpo Market. After a minute he asked me where in sinpo I wanted to go, and I fumbled a bit as my apartment is kind of in a difficult to describe location as it relates to the market. So I just said, "길 알려줄까요?" Shall I just tell you the way? And he said okay. Then he looked at me and announced, I thought you were a Korean.
I beamed as I said, no, American. And we had the usual conversation: what do you do? Teacher. Where? How long? Do you like Korea? Do you like kimchi? You speak Korean well. etc. etc. Then he asked me "결혼했어요?" Are you married? To which I answered no. Oh, you're solo, he mused. To which I interjected, 근데 남자친구 있어요!" And so we started talking about my boyfriend. How old is he. Is he an English teacher? (HA) What does he do? I explained he is still in university, and the taxi driver asked, which university? 중앙대 I replied. And he said... oooooooh, GOOD! (Jungang Univerisity is considered maybe in the top 10 of Korea, just outside the SKY schools (Seoul, Korea, Yonsei University), so it's pretty cool to most Korean that he goes there. Then he asked what he studies. "채육" I replied. Physical Education. Ooooooooh, the taxi driver said, disappointed. "Engineering good! Doctor, good! 채육? hmph" I laughed and then we were at my apartment and I left.
Story 2:
Yesterday, I was walking home and on the street leading to my school a Korean woman was walking in the opposite direction on the other side of the street. I had my earphones in, jamming to some big bang, but I did notice that she was crossing the street and seemed to be looking right at me. So I took my earphones out, and our conversation, entirely in Korean began:
Woman: Are you Russian?
Me: No.
Woman: Where are you from?
Me: America:
Woman: Oh! America! Do you speak English well?
Me: (confused...) uh, yeah.
Woman: Oh good, do you speak Korean well?
Me: Uh, a little.
Woman: You speak really well! What do you do here?
Me: Teacher. That school *pointing*
Woman: Oh, my son is in the boys school next door. 3rd grade.
Me: oh okay.
Woman: At my house I have a son. I want him to speak English. Teach him.
Me: Umm, I'm a little busy. I don't know *this is weird*
Woman: I want him to speak English well, so what can I do? How much would it be to teach him?
Me: I don't know... uhhh *mumble* 40,000 won/50,000 won, for one hour.
Woman: Oh okay, and when can you do it.
Me: Um, I don't know, I'm taking a Korean class and I am really busy these days.
Woman: Oh you're busy. I see.
Me: Yes.
Woman: let's walk together. Where are you going? Where do you live?
Me: Sinpo.
Woman: Ah, Sinpo, okay. Let's walk. How long have you lived in Korea.
Me: Since 2009. A year and a half or so.
Woman: Wow! You speak Korean so well!
Me: No, just a little.
Woman: How long will you stay in Korea?
Me: I don't know exactly. 계속 (continually... without end?)
Woman: Really??? No! Why? How? 계속??
Me: I don't know exactly. I like it here.
Woman: Will you teach at that school always?
Me: No, I want to study Korean.
Woman: But already your Korean is good.
Me: I want it to be better. And I will go to Seoul to study.
Woman: Ah. But you don't want to leave Korea?
Me: No, I like Korea.
Woman: Why? (She legit couldn't understand why I would like it here)
Me: The people are nice. The food is good. My job is good.
Woman: The food? Do you like kimchi?
Me: Yes, I like everything.
Woman: Would you like to eat some 떡국 (rice cake soup) at my house? I have 떡국. Let's eat together.
Me: I'm sorry, I have to go.
Woman: Just a little 떡국 and we can talk. And my son.
Me: I'm really sorry, but I have to go study. I'm sorry. *walks quickly away*
I guess I missed out on an opportunity to a) eat possibly delicious homemade 떡국 and b) get a sweet tutoring job, but it seemed weird. In America, we don't just go to strangers homes and eat soup. I guess in Korea I could do it. I told my boyfriend about and he was like, wow, good job! GO! I was like, uh no.
That's it!
xoxo
A
No comments:
Post a Comment