Connections... It's All About the People!

I had one of the best days ever on Friday. I'm slowly beginning to realize that my co-workers really do care about me.... really. They're not just putting on a show.


The teacher who sits right next to me... In-ji... she stays late at school almost everyday. Really late and on Friday, I asked her how late she would be at school, fully expecting her to say that she wouldn't be there that late because it was a Friday and she had plans or something like that...



"In-ji. When are you going to leave school today?"
"Umm.. Maybe 9 0'clock."
"WHAT??"
"I KNOW! But, I very busy!"
"You're a nerd!"
"NO! I opposite of nerd!"
"No, you're a nerd! How do you say nerd in Korean?"

"Bumsing. I am no Bumsing."

"In-ji, you're a bumsing!"


At this point, when I called In-ji a bumsing, other teachers in the area popped their heads up and started laughing because they knew what I was talking about and agreed with me! Pretty soon, there were about six teachers standing around and they were all telling me how to say "I am a nerd, I am "cool", you are a nerd and you are "cool" in Korean." Then some of the other teachers were saying that they were "Nalari" (which is cool) or bumsing. It was so much fun to connect with them... many of the teachers didn't even speak English, but they understand a lot of what was being said.


Then, the cool music teacher whose desk is in my row, said something in Korean and looked down, as if she were pouting...

"She said, she is jealous of the English teachers."

"Why?"
"Because they can speak to you and spend time with you often."

My heart was full. Not that I like it when people are jealous, it's just great to know that the teachers think I am someone worth getting to know and invest in.

Also, there's an interesting... project that I'm working on with some of the other teachers... I'll just say that the dance parties that I had at Bethel (and we had some good ones!) were nothing compared to what's coming... more on that later!

Below are some pictures of me with some of the younger teachers at school who are working on the secret project with me. In-ji is the one with her hood up in one picture and on my right in the other... she is, most definitely, on of the neatest people I have ever met! And, she's so popular at school too... she's really not a nerd... she's Nalari!