snafus

I'm dedicating this post to hilarious snafus that occur when people are learning a new language/culture.

Every week, my elementary school students write a journal entry. Today, one of them finished her entry with:

THE AND

My coworker had a student write in her journal:

My best friend's name is Diana. Diana is my best friend. I like Diana because Diana is my best friend. My best friend is Diana.

In Korea, it is polite to put one hand on your lower arm when you are handing something to someone, especially money. When I was at the bank, I tried to hand my passport to the bank teller, but accidentally put the hand that I was holding my passport in on my arm and handed her... my hand.

I was given a notebook at the beginning of my training to write stuff in. (What stuff, I have yet to discover, so it must be classified, mysterious stuff). The words on the cover are:

I'm NOT Okay.
Anger at yourself while failing to do your best is good because it will make you try harder next time.

Every day I ask my kindergardeners how they are feeling. Then I draw a face next to their name on the board that depicts that emotion. Recently, my kindergardeners learned parts of the body and so whenever one of them wants a nose on their smily/frowny/angry face, they tell me:

I am nose. I am nose.

Whenever anyone's elementary students are confused by something, they will ask:

This is what? Teacher, this is what?

I've gotten so used to thanking people in Korean that it seems to have replaced Hello for me. This means that I keep walking into stores and saying Thank You instead of Hello.

So yeah. That's all for now. Cheers!

P.S. Please comment if you want to say anything! I don't have any magical powers to see who has read the blog, so if you have anything to say, please say it. People keep talking to me over email and skype about the blog entries- put your responses here! I like to feel loved.