An English Teacher Everywhere I Go

One of the coolest things about being an American in Korea is that everyone I meet wants to use me for a quick English speaking practice session. The funniest moments are when parents literally push their kids toward me, encouraging them to say something, anything in English. After all, most Korean parents are paying big bucks to send their children to English Academies (Hogwans) and they want to see the results first hand. The other day Jesi, Brandon, and I were in a taxi headed for a Lotte Giants baseball game when a middle-aged mother pulled up along side of us at a stoplight. She had two children in the back seat, a 3-year old boy and a 9 year-old girl. The little girl rolled down her window and motioned for me to do the same. "Hi. Where are you from?" she asked. "How are you? I'm from the USA," I responded. The little girl then turned to her mom to translate what I just said. A moment later, as the young English speaker was attempting to ask me another question, the traffic light changed and her mother was forced to pull forward. Conversation over. Well, not quite... A few moments later, I see the same car backing up in the middle of the street so the little girl could talk with me a little more. The cab driver had a wry smile while Jesi and Brandon were cracking up. In the middle of a city of 4 million people, Korean parents are willing to do almost anything to give their kids a chance to speak English to authentic Americans. I'm an English teacher at school, on the street, in the gym, on the bus, and even in a taxi on a busy Busan street. Life here is just a little different.