Silly Boy

I call Danny “silly boy” because he is silly, he is a funny kid who always has me in stitches. I love him. I want to steal him. Shh! No, not really. At least, shh. Don’t say anything to anyone. No, but seriously, I can barely take care of myself or my cat (when I had her, but then left her with my bestie and old roomie, Erin) so there’s no way I’m gonna go take a child who I’d have to hide and provide for. Booo that idea. Anyway, what I was saying, oh! Danny is so great. Yeah, I call him ‘silly boy’ on almost a daily basis, and have since day 2 pretty much. Well, today I found out from Amy Teacher that “silly” translates to “stupid” in Korean, and that I guess Danny had said something to his mother about this and she was worried and I saw her and Amy talking today, but didn’t think anything of it. And, oh! My heart just broke. Tears welled up in my eyes and a frog leapt up my throat. “No. No! That’s not what I meant at all!” Amy said she knew and she explained to Danny’s mother that it was a cultural misunderstanding, but just to make sure they knew how incredibly sorry I was and how not stupid Danny is, I knelt down to Danny after lunch, cupping his chubby cheeks in my hands and said, “Danny is not a silly-stupid boy. Danny is so smart. Kate Teacher thinks silly means funny. Kate Teacher thinks Danny is a funny and very smart boy. Oh! Danny is so smart. Danny knows this, right?” and bashfully and smiling he says, “Yes.” Just to make sure that his parents know this, because I think Danny is just an agreeable child I wrote a note home to his parents, apologizing.

Ahh! These cultural differences!! I also learned just this weekend! that to wave someone over you face your palm down and wave them towards you rather than palm upward waving towards you – which is a way to beckon an animal. Oy vey! It’s like this every day. I make such a ‘tard outta myself here. I’m trying, but it’s hard.

‘nother thing, on Monday, Danny came up to me in the middle of me explaining something to another student, put his nose against my nose and giggledy-whispered “playroom?” AH! These kids kill me! They’re so cute, smart and hilarious! It’s hard to be strict with them when they’re only four and make me want to laugh with their enthusiastic shenanigans. Though I did get evaluated today and there were no complaints from Amy Teacher just bigger actions with the new vocabulary and more attention paid to my new student Arthur, who wears a gold bracelet and seems to be a bit of a momma’s boy in terms of needing constant attention which is hard to give in a class of 5 other students who also need attention, but he’s great and he’s smart and today he didn’t cry at all and his mom didn’t have to come to school with him, so already he’s making improvement and it’s great and he’s cute as a button – and oh! this job is hard, but it’s good. I just wish we didn’t have to sit inside when we’re through teaching, but the pro’s outweigh the con’s in most of the situations, so I shan’t complain any longer… today. Farwell, adieu.