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leeroy · Joined: 30 Jan 2003 Posts: 777 Location: London UK

A glimpse into the world of my class - names have been changed:

Yuji, a Japanese guy, fancies Rizko, a Japanese girl. She likes him as a friend and goes to his house for dinner - but doesn't like him. This is because she prefers Patrick, a shockingly racist and sexist Italian who is, nonetheless, quite good looking. But Patrick already has a girlfriend (not in the class), which hasn't put him off because he's (technically) seeing Gloria - a very pretty (but 4-foot tall) Colombian. Rizko technically still has a boyfriend in Tokyo, but as she's in London that's not really important. Rizko knows Patrick is two-timing his girlfriend with Gloria, but plainly (and inexplicably) wants him anyway...

This is where it gets complicated...

Yuji asked Patrick to not make a move on Rizko, which Patrick agreed to. Later that night he went home with her anyway, trying to keep it a secret from Gloria and Yuji. But Yuji followed Rizko and Patrick to the train station and saw them kissing. Yuji told Rizko that he knew, but promised to not tell Gloria. (Rizko and Gloria are good friends, by the way, and sit next to each other in class.)

Patrick and Rizko were seen going to the pub together (alone) by Harvey, a recently uncloseted gay Colombian guy. He was good friends with Gloria, and felt the need to tell her. Gloria (who is very trusting, I suppose) didn't think it was a big deal - and mentioned it to Patrick, who made some kind of explanation involving "Italian lessons". Whether or not Patrick will now beat up Harvey remains to be seen...

(I'm the only one who knows the full story, by the way, as different students have told me or implied different pieces of the jigsaw at different times.)

So, Patrick's got it going on with a) his girlfriend, b) Gloria, and c) Rizko.

Bloody hell, this is all going to end in tears! And to think, if we didn't have Friday afternoon pub visits I wouldn't know about any of it! Suffice to say, I don't share in any gossip with the sts - I only listen! Only got this lot for 2 more weeks, hopefully it'll all explode once I'm long gone...

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

The only things I understood in that whole message were...

Patrick is Italian.

Patrick has 3 girlfriends.

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing

leeroy,

Midnightstar · Joined: 07 Nov 2003 Posts: 20

Leeroy,
Great post! That was funny!!!!!!! Smile

Snoopy · Joined: 13 Jul 2003 Posts: 185

I work in a soap opera, known as the Gulag in Qatar. It bears little relation to the outside world and the large cast-list changes all the time. The only occasion I got into trouble over my scripts was when a page of my printout was snatched by some person who was in the relevant room and disappeared during the 20 seconds it took me to get from my my office to the printer. The page was soon on display in the tea-room. However, there are so many embarrassing facts in my chronicle that the felons went into hiding. Right, what am I bid for these floppies?

Snoopy · Joined: 13 Jul 2003 Posts: 185

Come off it, Mr Sperling, you beeped me once for the rooster word and now you have beeped out (English: bleeped out) an old Lancashire and Cheshire saying. There's nowt so STRANGE as folk.

Wolf · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 1245 Location: Middle Earth

It's not Sperling himself. It's the Robocop software that the board has installed. I think it's set on "apocalypse" rather than "censor out the bad words."

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Great post, leeroy - and quite realistic! My Chinese acquaintances played similar games here, sometimes involving me. It's hilarious, and sometimes it does end tragically. Let's hope Rizko is not calling the yakuzo!

leeroy · Joined: 30 Jan 2003 Posts: 777 Location: London UK

Perhaps you guys don't get it - this is REAL

Smile

Capergirl · Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2003 11:25 pm Post subject:

Wolf · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 1245 Location: Middle Earth

In my first work place and my current work place, there were all sorts of these soap operas. I got a chance to read about a lot of them when I asked my students to write about personal experiences last year.

I make a great effort to avoid them. If it doesn't involve me, then I don't involve me, either.

Lynn · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 696 Location: in between

When I taught IEP (Intensive English Program) here in NYC I also had similar soap opers. But I didn't know about them until much later when I was invited to a former student's house for dinner, and she told me all about the drama that went on. Hmp! I had no idea!