Week 11, Friday
My outfit was a hit from sixth grade to teachers to the office staff. S told me to put my hat back on before class and then addressed the class saying “doesn’t she look like she’s from another country today?“ To which students started shouting yes! Russia! Germany! France!
At lunch the subject teachers and G also mirrored this enthusiasm. I’m surprised that my hat was the talk of the town and not my eight dollar Karl Lagerfeld coat that I found at community thrift store in Orlando. G said I should wear the hat in Monday for the fifth graders but I really think she wants me to wear it so guitar teacher can see LOL
For grade 6 I played the comedic routine in which I asked the class who is taller, me or S? I am very clearly taller so they all had a laugh. S pouted at me to stop so I selected a student to stand next to me in the other classes. They’re motivated by comparatives so that they can diss each other. I’m okay with that. S and I compared hand sizes at one point (she has CHILD hands) and then I helped solve a debate between two boys by forcing their hands together. I also arm wrestled a girl on the front row.
One grade 5 boy came in between classes to say hello. I thought he was eating chocolate but upon closer inspection it was a very small squid.
In 6-2, where I have my fan club, all the girls gathered around once again before class. I told them my hands were cold and suddenly I had five different people holding my hand. They also pet my fuzzy sweater in amazement, boys included.
Surprisingly this was repeated again in 6-4. After class some girls asked “how old are you?”. I replied “my Korean age? Or American age?” Upon hearing it they were shocked. I said what, am I old? The girls said “no, you are young!” and the boys said “yes, you are old”.
Hanging out by the security guard station were 3 fourth graders including Clever Girl and Rowdy Boy. Clever Girl called me over and the four of us had a funny conversation about who loves who and I antagonizedRowdy Boy “oh you love me??” which he vehemently denied while the security guard genuinely laughed at the scene we were making.
I noticed Clever Girl’s phone background and we had a whole discussion about K-pop. She said she can only stan one group even though I encouraged her to at least extend to Daniel Kang. And if you think I didn’t whip out my phone to show WayV photos then you are dead wrong.
One boy said “are those boys or girls” for which I had to shout Ya! And chase him around. We eventually bid farewell at which point I ran into the 6-1 homeroom teacher (he said “good morning” when we passed in the hall this morning which threw me for a loop: no one speaks English to me except the students) who had his hair styled away from his forehead which was too powerful along with four female students 6-1 students who waved cheerily at me.
I paid my bill, rode the bus, and met my Thai friend and co for chicken. En route I ran into an old classmate who said “why are you dressed for a date” to which I replied “I am dressed for a date, a date with Nana”.
The owners of the chicken restaurant were both serious people, but at least the husband opened the beer bottle for us. When I asked the wife for more plastic gloves she said just use one per person. I didn’t see her crack a smile until a guy came in with a puppy in an aquarium type backpack (This is the second time I’ve seen this backpack; the first time was at the park and a couple had taken along their pet rabbit). We ate a whole (small) fried chicken and two servings of chicken parts (none of us know which organ but it was delicious).*
We followed with my favorite street food hotteok which is a sweet fried pancake and then topped it off with coffee. Nana called the barista “Oppa” and I nearly lost it. When we were leaving she asked me if she owed me money and the barista replied to her question instead.
I actually did lose it then. She must have thrown him off with the pet name and I’m living for it. 10/10 should accidentally call a barista oppa and watch him fall to pieces.
*It would be another several months before I learned the name and body part: 똥집 [lit: poophouse] gizzards.