First class with 2nd-graders and SG2 was fine, and my 4th period is cancelled, I heard. Minjoonie's been at my desk drawing pictures of guppies, Dawww. These are pictures of a dragonfly he caught yesterday, and of the toothpick he made it hold in it's tiny insect-hands.
The other kids were writing sentences for me and HH wrote the word "grape" on a piece of paper in Korean, and I corrected his spelling because he used a ㅂ instead of a ㅍ in 포도, which is an amateur mistake. There was much gloating on my part!
Went to the special needs room and was made tea by their teacher, who says I'm looking pale and thin. SCORE. I was born pale, but the thin part takes work. I actually think it's just because I was wearing a coat and not wearing lipstick--nothing like a big coat and colorless lips to make you look like a refugee from Oliver Twist.
Tall-Byeonghyun (not my genius kid, but a 3rd-grade C-level with a sweet heart) came by to ask me for girl advice, of things. I love, love, love being asked for advice, and this one was particularly fun/challenging, because Byeonghyun doesn't have much English and giving love advice to teenagers is always a minefield of insecurity and emotions.
The story goes thusly: Byoenghyun's buddy introduced him to a girl, and when she talks to Byeonghyun, his heart beats super fast and he's happy. But they mostly text each other and when he confessed his feelings over Katok, she said she just wanted to be friends. His question was, he's going to meet up with her soon, with a group of friends, so how should he act? Which words should he say?
He said all this with such darlingness and sincerity, I was really moved. With the help of a really good online dictionary, we figured out the few words of his I didn't understand. What I told him to do was to be fun and interesting. Without mentioning his feelings again, he can make her feel comfortable and charmed by making fun conversation.
When asked what subjects he should cover, I told him that movies, games and music are a good start. I said that the choice is 100% the girl's--it's up to her to decide if she likes him, but if he's pleasant and interesting, it could make a girl take a second look. He said, "so girls like guys who are good at conversation?" I confirmed it, he made notes on paper and went off to class.
I hope I said the right combination of things. Byeonghyun's a precious kid and the 3rd-graders are all getting to that age where they're ready for their first attachments/ first heartbreaks. I want to encourage them to respect a girl's wishes, to be as cool, fun, and vibrant as they can be, and to have good self-esteem regardless. You are special, guys!
BY's been at my desk asking me about Portal, a game that was popular when I was in college. He wrote "the cake is a lie" on my paper, which was a huge internet joke in like, 2008. Reminds me of my younger days. i never played the game, but I loved the song over the closing credits, which is a apparently from the point of view of a computer who has been workign against the player the whole game. At the end, the computer claims to have won the game and to be "Still Alive" despite the best efforts of the player. I'm really fond of the tune, the high voice, and of the oddball lyrics.
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2:30 PM Class with 3-9, 3-10 was good. Like, really good. They are really charmers, and they did well with their dialogue. Seohyung heard me singing to myself and said I should sing at the school festival, to which I replied that I already had to do so. When I asked him if he was going to perform, he said he preferred being a host to gaining the spotlight himself.
Minsu the Cat has been the apple of my eye lately, and today in class I told him directly that he was a cat. He was delighted by this, and proceed to act up in teensy-tiny ways that didn't actually upset the class but which showed what a sponge he is for attention. I like my Minsu.
My Wooseok came by, but when i asked him to write a short sentence, he couldn't. I had to coach him through writing "I like pizza" letter by letter and he didn't know that names of the letters unless I drew them in the air with my finger.
I've been in good spirits today, but my kids keep thinking I'm gloomy so I'm trying to put on the smile more clearly.
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