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You
Joined: 31 May 2009
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 Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 12:31 am Post subject: What does it mean when a student asks if you have friends |
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Today I was teaching a class of 3rd and 4th graders and one of the more fluent students came to me after class to express his enthusiasm for the way I presented the material.
Then he asked me if I had any friends. This caught me off guard, otherwise I would have asked him why he was wondering. It would seem strange to me to bring it up again next week.
I am really curious about it though. What do you guys think he meant when he asked me that? |
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Gibberish
Joined: 29 Aug 2009
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| Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 1:06 am Post subject: |
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| He wants to know if you have friends. It's not that hard. |
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catchshime
Joined: 25 Jun 2009
Location: "I am not born for one corner; the whole world is my native land."
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| Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 1:13 am Post subject: |
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| They're kids man. If you say no, more likely than not they will say "I'll be your friend!" rather than "dude......." and just walk away. |
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The Gipkik
Joined: 30 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 1:43 am Post subject: |
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| It also means that the kid might think you're lonely being the only foreigner around. And in a strange country. The kid is perceptive. I like kids like that. |
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You
Joined: 31 May 2009
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| Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 1:56 am Post subject: |
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| The Gipkik wrote: |
| It also means that the kid might think you're lonely being the only foreigner around. And in a strange country. The kid is perceptive. I like kids like that. |
Aww. Yeah, I like this explanation the best so far. Warms my heart  |
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litebear
Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Holland
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| Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 4:17 am Post subject: |
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Certainly sounds like he was just being nice!
Real question is, do you?  |
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iammac2002
Joined: 12 Jun 2009
Location: 'n Beter plek.
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| Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 4:25 am Post subject: |
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| They're always asking me if I have a boyfriend. |
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You
Joined: 31 May 2009
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| Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 1:42 pm Post subject: |
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| Haha, Yes I do. When I first came to the school the boyfriend question was a standard one. I guess the person working there before me had one that kept her busy so she never had time to do things with the other teachers. |
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blackjack
Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Location: anyang
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| Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 2:56 pm Post subject: |
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I have had "Do you have a girl friend" no "why not you're a handsome guy what's wrong with you?" "You could find a korean girlfriend easily"
cues my nervous chuckle and oh look at the time |
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detourne_me
Joined: 26 May 2006
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| Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 3:56 pm Post subject: |
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| hehehe blackjack! |
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iggyb
Joined: 29 Oct 2003
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| Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 6:56 pm Post subject: |
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Didn't have time to read the other replies...
In Korea, it is a usual question - especially if you are not married.
They want to see if you have made Korean friends and like Korea and are enjoying your time in Korea and so on.....
....They want you to have a good feeling about your time in Korea....
Koreans are also highly social in terms of having many "circles" - informal groups connected to them somehow -- work, former schools, church, free time activities, and so on....
They get together a lot....
They don't enjoy private, alone time as much like we do in the US. |
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I'm no Picasso
Joined: 28 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 6:56 pm Post subject: |
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| The Gipkik wrote: |
| It also means that the kid might think you're lonely being the only foreigner around. And in a strange country. The kid is perceptive. I like kids like that. |
This. I get it out of every new English speaking Korean teacher who comes to the school. They assume that, because I'm a foreigner, I have no friends and spend all my time at home by myself. They're just trying to be welcoming and make sure you're not lonely.
Actually, I have my suspicions that it comes from them hearing about other Koreans' experiences abroad. My Korean students in NYC often felt extremely isolated, and like they couldn't break through the social barriers and make close friends with Americans. If your student has heard something like this, he may have just been making sure you were okay. |
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kabrams
Joined: 15 Mar 2008
Location: your Dad's house
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| Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 11:07 pm Post subject: |
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| The Gipkik wrote: |
| It also means that the kid might think you're lonely being the only foreigner around. And in a strange country. The kid is perceptive. I like kids like that. |
I think so, too. |
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Easter Clark
Joined: 18 Nov 2007
Location: Hiding from Yie Eun-woong
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| Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 11:52 pm Post subject: |
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| You wrote: |
| I guess the person working there before me had one that kept her busy so she never had time to do things with the other teachers. |
Maybe she did and maybe she didn't. One tactic to use if you want to avoid the obligatory fish head soup and soju followed by drunken singing, or an overnight camping trip with the principal to the middle of nowhere, is to *invent* a boyfriend or girlfriend and tell them you can't go because you've already made plans. Even better if you say that your "significant other" is Korean. |
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storysinger81
Joined: 25 Mar 2007
Location: Daegu
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| Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 2:16 am Post subject: |
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another possibility: the word "friend" in Korea means anyone your age who you speak to. Say, "of course" and move on.
Or do what some of the Korean teachers at my school do and spread 10 different rumors about your life and marital status amongst the student population so no one really knows what's going on with you. |
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