Week 4, FriYaY

6-3 was like pulling teeth, I actually had to stop and laugh helplessly during class because at one point I asked boys to raise their hands and only saw two in the air. “Uh we only have two boys in class? Hello? Are y’all okay?” After that, hearing 6-4 noisily barrel down the hallway into class was a huge relief. Energy I can handle but a class that doesn’t even understand the question “are you a boy” is a challenge. I don’t know what to do with apathy.

I wish I could have all my classes from the year beginning, and I also wish I could teach in the other sixth grade classes; I’m only present for one of their three weekly classes. I would make everyone answer in complete sentences from the start and reinforce that mistakes are okay as long as you try. “Abigail’s English School” coming to a place near you…

As promised I did the makeup on my coteacher! I told her her eye shape reminds me of my friend in the States and she said “probably because I got plastic surgery” (double eyelid surgery). I asked her if it was painful and she said “If I had to go back now and do it I wouldn’t, it hurt”. After I finished, she was so surprised she couldn’t believe it. She said she felt very shy and thought her husband and son might be scared.

Now, I just did some very basic eyeshadow but for someone who doesn’t wear make up at all it must’ve been a big shock! It’s interesting to see other people’s face differences: I’ve tried make up on another friend or two. My eyes are really long so I actually had to buy a special eyelash curler (“I have… Special Eyes”) and I seem to have a lot of eyelid space, so I’ve tried to learn from mistakes in the past and not just copy my routine directly to someone else’s face. But I’ll find out Monday if her family agrees that I’ve improved my makeup artistry…

After school I passed my third grade girls in the neighborhood. We all cheered “yay it’s Friday!” At the bus stop, in front of a bustling fruit stand, a woman smiled and bowed at me and I realized that she’s one of the homeroom teachers. I returned it then did it again when getting on the bus. Korean style. I just wish I could remember what grade she teaches…

After work I headed straight to Hankuk University to meet my two summer friends for dinner. Standing outside the main building, memories!, a woman started to say “이문과…” but when I turned around she realized I wasn’t Korean and said “oh” then left. My clothing style (linen dress, sneakers), hair texture (natural but similar to a Korean style perm), and skin tone are similar enough that this is not the first time I’ve been mistaken for Korean, of course, until my very non Korean face is revealed.

At the fried chicken restaurant the waiter gave us an English menu. But since our Laos friend doesn’t speak English, I had to ask him for a Korean menu and the three of us cracked up at that. When I flagged him down to take our order, I started out in English but he asked if Korean was okay so I ordered in Korean and as we were one of two groups eating at 5pm, he was privy to our entire Korean conversation which I’m sure was strange but fascinating to him. (Between the three of us our shared language is Korean level 1).

We followed with pingsu because ALWAYS and my friend nearly gave me a heart attack when she stopped in the doorway and turned to me with huge eyes.

“What happened?”

“That guy is really good looking”

I also have it on good authority that I’m way more fun than their new Canadian classmates who only hang out with each other. We plowed through a chocolate pingsu and now I am officially done for the day.

I’m so grateful for the friends I made over summer and I’m looking forward to a full night of sleep~