Accidentally Profound

I believe that the children are our future.  That if we teach them well, and let them lead the way, and show them all the beauty they possess inside, then their laughter can remind us how we used to be.

So, it should come as no surprise that occasionally, one of these well-taught youngsters will come up with something truly profound.  This past week, I’ve come across two such cases.  One student is a current pupil of mine, and the other is a recently former.  I’d like to take all the credit for what they’ve said, but I know that might come across arrogant (even if it is the truth.)

The first, is from my student Pretty (and no I did not give her that name).  I gave the glass, which is reading on a first grade level, the task of copying vocabulary words off the board, and then writing sentences for two of the words.

We’ve been studying a book called “Things that Go.”  Here’s what Pretty came up with for the word “people”:

People is transportation.

My jaw dropped when I first read it.  At first glance, it would appear that the subject and verb don’t agree.  People is third-person plural, while is is the third-person singular form of “to be".

However, I think this presents us with something to ponder.  In this 21st century world with jets that get us across oceans in hours instead of months, and the Internet where we can connect with people instantly, are we really a plurality of people, or are we just one.  One people, together, singular.

Then, this metaphor.  People is transportation.  How true.  Transportation is the very thing that makes us a singular people.  Without transportation, we are all just plural individuals hunting and gathering in solitude.  With transportation “things that make us go” we are singular people.

Well done Pretty!

The next profound statement comes from one of my favorite former students Daniel, another first grade level reader.  I used to think him a pain in the butt when I encountered him in the halls, but after having him in class for a couple months, I found him insightful and funny.

On a recent test for another teacher, Daniel wrote the following:

Flowers are not funny.

The question he is responding to is irrelevant.  What matters is the sentence.  In four words, Daniel captures one of the deep truths existence.

Upon reading this, I have had second thoughts about pursuit of a career in writing.  At one point, my finger came precipitously close to using the delete button on my novel.

Daniel, you are a prophet and a scholar.

This Old House

During a class with some of my more advanced students, came an interesting insight into Korea. Koreans lay claim as a nation to a long history stretching back nearly 1400 years. What I know about their history didn't prepare me for this discussion.

We were reviewing a story about a girl who was going to stay with her friend overnight at a farmhouse out of town. The friend was telling this girl that their hour was over a hundred years old. The girl was afraid of old houses since they might have ghosts.

When discussing whether this story was realistic, the lone boy thought it was. However, the girls all thought that there was something that wasn't realistic. I asked one of them, Lucy, what she thought.

"A house can't really be 100 years old."

I chuckled until I realized that she was serious. I thought a little more and realized that it may be true in Gohyeon at least. I've seen photos from during the Korean war, and the entire valley was undeveloped land that was used as a POW camp. Certainly nothing in the city--save the POW museum--could be more than fifty years old.

However, is this true for the rest of Korea? I've certainly seen, since my time here, that construction goes up cheap and quick. Buildings are demolished and rebuilt in the manner of months. I've seen entire blocks torn down remade in the one and half years I've been in Geoje.

I told the students that the house I lived in back in the US was about forty years old. They gasped. None of the students lived in homes that were more than seven years old. I wonder how old some of those farm homes are out in the very rural interior of the country. Does Korea really rebuild itself so often, or are my students just ignorant?

Grab Bag

I'm in a bit of a random mood, so a random blog entry.

Number of prescription pills I'm taking daily to fight my two week-old throat infection:

18

 

My best line of the line of the night (shamelessly tooting my own horn): 

"Since there are three of us, should we order three shabus, or just shabu shabu."

 

Wait a second, I think you're insulting me...

Today my kindergardeners all said goodbye to me in silly ways.

Nadia: (a cute little smile and a wave)

Yuna: Goodbye watermelon!

Caroline: Goodbye banana!

Adam: Goodbye dong-ku-meong!

 

Items I bought at the temporary fair in Gohyeon's free public parking lot for W1,000 ($1)

A package of Sharpies of various colors.  (below)

A shoehorn  (below)

A glorious, magic pyramid filled with a golden pig gold dust, gold beads, and gold coins.  (below)

 

Items I passed on also W1,000:

• the bin of porn DVDs
• polished rocks each the size of a fist and mounted on a wooden stand
• a box of three handkerchiefs labeled "Fashion"

 

My Pride, My Joy:

During my lunch break a couple days ago, I came to a group of construction workers who were crowded around some things that had been set on the curb for garbage pickup.  They seemed especially excited about this wall hanging.  However, they were on their lunch break and I'm sure didn't have an easy way to tote it around for the rest of the day.  But I was just a block from home, so I picked it up.

 

One word: phenomenal.

"Dung whore"

This is the first in a new series I hope to populate with many funny stories about what my young students say.

One of my favorite little guys has the English name of Adam.  I teach language arts to his class of four-year olds.

He constantly says this phrase 똥구멍 "dong-ku-meong."  I never knew exactly what it meant until a couple days ago.  See, dong, is very close to an English word, "dung."  And as far as I can tell, like "dung" is in English, "dong" is acceptable word for feces.

I've asked a couple Korean teachers what this meant and none could explain exactly what it meant since they were so embarrassed.  Then, Christmas eve, I went out with some people from work.  I asked the Koreans about the phrase.  They were shocked that our little Adam was saying that.  Funny thing is, he says it A LOT.

A conversation with Adam will often consist of, "Dongkumung Joshua, this, donkumeong class, donkumeong candy" you get the idea.

Then, the Korean woman said, "Dongkumeong means Dung Whore!"

Me and the female American teacher started laughing.  We are the two Americans who teach Adam and hear the brunt of donkumeong.  What she had said was funny, but then, we realized what she had meant to say: dunghole!   Even Koreans who are excellent at English will occasionally invert L and R sounds when speaking English.

Dong is of course feces, and "ku-mong" means hole, opening, slit etc.  So, this kid was literally going around saying, "poophole, poophole, poophole."  In practice, it means a**hole.

 

The things kids say....