While walking home from the grocery store I came across a man in his late fifties or early sixties. When he saw me be began speaking rather loudly (read as nearly shouting) in Korean. The closer I came to him, the more animate he became. I did what any sane person in my situation would do... I kept walking and pretended that I didn't see him. When it became obvious to him that I didn't understand a word he was saying he switched to English. "Very tall," he would say while pointing at me. All I could do was keep walking and nod at him everytime he said it. As this was happening I couldn't help but remember a famous line from the Wizard of Oz... "We're not in Kansas anymore Toto..."
The next day I found out that there would be a "Grand Meeting" that evening and that my presense was not only requested, but required. My first inclination was to be annoyed, but upon finding out that dinner would be provided that switched to excited as it would give me an actual chance to meet the people I'd spend most of the next year working with. Now, some of you may know that I've been training at a different school than the one I'll actually be working at at and if you didn't before you do now. Fortunately or unfortuantely as the case may be, we arrived to late for the actual business portion of hte meeting and headed straight to dinner. I'd had the opportunity, albeit brief to be introduced to my fellow teachers when I went for my health check, but only really was able to catch their names. When I walk in the restraunt, I'm greated with "Hey, Gimli is here!" At first, I don't catch on that they're referring to me... I mean why would I think that a dwarf's name from the Lord of the Rings is being used in reference to me...
It turns out that before they'd set eyes on me it was decided to nickname me Gimli. In a word Awesome.
After dinner we slipped across the street to a Norebang, which is a kareokee bar. This place was sweet. I'm talking private room, lazers mirrored walls... I expected Snoop to walk in at any second. I'm not much of one for singing, but this place had so much atmosphere that I couldn't help myself. Also, how much fun is it to watch people that just met each other do a coreographed dance routine to a song in Korean? Answer: too much! The entire evening I was referred to as Gimli. Even today at work I heard one of the teachers tell a student that Gimli was not a jungle gym. Good times had by all.
Next time, I explain where I am and why I'm doing this, discuss how it feels to be stared at like a three dollar bill and talk about the classes I'll be teaching.
Awe Gimli, my students and I thought you made an amazing jungle gym! Glad to hear you're enjoying yourself!
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