Being a foreigner, I tend to stick out a bit. I see it sometimes in the faces of the people on the street when they look at me. They aren't startled or taken aback at the sight of me, as say one would be at seeing an amputee or something; it's more subtle than that, like seeing a black hockey player.
Some of the people I interact with have a cursory knowledge of English and want to practice it. These conversations usually extend no further than, "Why are you in Korea?" or, "Where are you from?" (I respond to the latter question with simply "USA" and if they ask what city, I tell them Philadelphia, since it's close to home and maybe somewhere that they've heard of before. The one's who have heard of it almost always respond, "Ah, Rocky, yes?")
The most common interactions with random Koreans on the street are with kids. Typically there's a group of them hanging around somewhere, and take note of me when they see me. As I pass I am greeted with a barrage of sardonic hellos and how-are-yous. It's a common joke among fellow teachers that any kid who is able to say "hello" and "how are you" has just proved that they've been in a hagwon for at least 2 years, and just used the entirety of the English that they know.
It's an interesting thing, being on the other side of the looking glass.
i've also had an experience similar to this recently. People give you funny looks and don't realize it when your eye looks jacked up. Also children have no shame, they just stare.
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived in Madagascar, I would get stared at everywhere I went. I never knew if it was because I was white or because I was twice the size of anyone they'd ever seen.
ReplyDeleteSame thing happens to me when I walk down the street. I always figured it was because I was making out with Matty when we were wearing nothing but neon thongs. Or that it was because I often forget to put clothes in public, or that I always aggressively pick my nose and eat it, or that I carry around a stuffed cat and argue with it in public. But now I realize it is more than that.
ReplyDeleteYou tried several different paths to getting a laugh there, Andy, and it looked pretty bleak when you resorted to nose-picking. But, you finally hit paydirt with arguing with a stuffed cat in public.
ReplyDeleteThis "never say die" attitude will serve you well.