Korean Kids

Korean kids are the cutest kids on the planet, in my unbiased opinion. I should know. I'm surrounded by them everyday. The church where I work runs a kindergarten on weekdays. My office is on the 3rd floor, and across the hall are two rooms full of 4, 5, and 6 year old boys and girls. I hear them belting out folk songs and practicing their ABC's. I hear their shuffling feet through my door as they scamper off to ballet or taekwondo class. I see them lining up outside the bathroom to brush their teeth after lunch (most Koreans brush their teeth after every meal). On some days, before going to my office, I'll peek into their classroom through the glass window of the door to see what they're doing. I'm worried what their teacher thinks of me.

So Korean kids are the cutest kids on the planet, but they're also little devils. They can be loud and undisciplined. Some of the boys have tried to pick fights with me. While in the bathroom, one of the boys splashed water on me and then ran into his classroom, knowing that I wouldn't follow him there.

They all seem to get a kick outta me. One of the 5 year old girls asked me in the cutest little voice, "Why don't you speak Korean?" (in Korean, of course). I answered, "Nah-neun babo-ya", which means "I'm a dummy". She and her friends started giggling. I think the fascination with me is that I'm the first ethnic Korean they've ever met who can't speak Korean.

For them it's quite bizarre, even unthinkable. They just can't seem to place me. I can see it on their faces: "Is he Korean? Well, he can't speak Korean. So he must be American. But he's not white."

I wish I could actually talk with them, but if I could speak Korean, their fascination with me would disappear. I would just be a creepy Korean man who needs to have kids or buy a puppy.





Yes, those are reindeer antlers that they're wearing. They're practicing for their annual Christmas Show.

I love that girl in the middle. She's like, "What choo lookin at, foo??"





Rehearsal





Showtime!