My Korean boys...

My 3rd and 4th grade boys are such cuties. And Casanovas. We were discussing a chapter from Skylark (by Patricia MacLachlan) today and I asked them if they could relate to the feelings that come with farewells. The family in the story was going to be geographically separated for some time.

One of my students, we'll call him Casa One, said he knew what that felt like because he had to say goodbye to his girlfriend when she was leaving to America. Oh, dear, my heart did a funny twitch when I heard that and I wanted to pinch his cheeks, he was so cute!! Then another boy, Casa Two, proceeded to say, "Teacher, Teacher, I have a girlfriend too. I had one in 1st grade too and I still have one." I contained my giggles and responded by saying, "Oh, wow, really, was it the same girl?" No, he said.

Casa Three, but not really a casanova, explained quite articulately that he was in third grade and in his grade, he couldn't have such a lover because they just fight and chase each other. Basically, I think he meant they had kudies (sp?). But he made sure the rest of the class knew why he was single.

Casa Four, also, had a special someone. But he had a great dilemma. He couldn't pick just one. He was a popular one. Surely, this was a problem for him. He needed to commit to one but he would choose one then want another one, then want the old one back, and then a new one, and another...oh no. Finally he said, oh, but it's alright now because I've chosen one.

Then Casa Two called him "Casanova" and raised his hands, "Teacher, Teacher, I have blown wind (that is, in Korean expression, I've cheated) five times! I'm Casanova." I said, "Oh no, that's not a very nice thing to do!" Then I asked Casa Five if he had a girlfriend, and he mumbled something and said I don't know.

The only female student in this class was absent today. I think for good reason.

The discussion went on like this for a good 15 minutes and I just couldn't get myself to steer them back to the actual topic of loss and separation because I wanted to know more about how these little kids' confessed their love to the opposite sex.

So, I learned, this is the beginning stages of manhood for Korean males. An education I had never received growing up in Nigeria...

I recently learned all the terminology for "DATING" in Korea. Let me let you in on the culture of Korean dating. I thought it was funny. Also smart. First, I have to explain to those who are not familiar with this side of the world that there's language called KONGLISH (English plus Korean). Like Spanglish (Spanish plus English). Here are some examples:

*Yoo-Moh: Humor
*Peh-Shun: Fashion
*~ting: basically the idea is to add -ing, but actually with a "t" in front, so -ting to any word that describes an action. This applies to Konglish lingo for dating...

Here are some:

*Soh-geh-ting: basically, it means dating, but this is where the categorization is a little different from America. "Soh-geh" means to introduce. So someone with their match-making lenses might introduce two people they know and the two go on this date called "Soh-geh-ting." Basically, a date set up by a friend.

*Mih-ting: Meeting. Basically, group dating. So, again, through a match-making friend/acquaintance, a group meets to get to know each other. With the intention of meeting the special one. Many times, they play drinking games. Some people do it with water. Among many other activities, I'm sure.

*Buhn-geh-ting: Online dating.

*Deh-ee-teuh: Date

*There's supposedly a bunch more...haven't been told about them yet...

You get the idea...all of these words end with "~TING." This is Konglish. Anyway, I guess the main distinction between the dating culture here is the intricate participation of match-maker friends and family. I was initially weirded out by this because I had romanticized the idea of meeting him on my own initiative. But after warming up to the way things work here, and trying it out a couple times, it's actually a smarter/safer way to go. I must say though, I love my solitary and "freer" life right now, so it can be an annoyance when people constantly ask you if you have a boyfriend or comment on being at the age to get married. Whatever, though, I appreciate their concern and welcome the new cultural experience:). I wonder if this is an aspect of what they call a communal society.

By the way, don't take everything I say as representative of Korea. I am not it's mouth. These are merely observations through my eyes. And my right eye is shaped differently than the left, and they're both a smaller size and blacker tone than most of yours. Literally. And in the other way too. So I don't claim to be 100% factual.