Names

I started to write a response to the comments on the last blog, but it became lengthy and probably deserves to be a blog in its own right.


As silly as it sounds, I have all my students pretend like they are in the US while in my class. I do this for several reasons, one being that it allows me to have the students pick and use western names. I teach something like 600 students and there is no way in hell I would remember even a fraction of their real names. I gave them a long list of popular first names and had them pick one, although I included a few unpopular dorky names for fun.
I have 3 students who chose the name Jason because their real name is jae-i-sun or something like that. I made a point of telling them that their name is Jason, and they have to pronounce it like that. One of them refuses and corrects me every time I say "Jason". Some of the names are funny as hell. I tried to get some girls to take the name Amy which means mother in Korean, some took it while others refused. Gerund is a good one, for sure, as is Gerald. If I ever have a son I'm still naming him Thelonious Maurice Wedding and he can go by "theo" or just "the" if he wants.
Some students chose the same names so I would give them numbers, like "Sally #1" and "Sally #2", the #2 would always vehemently object. I let most kids choose their own name but if they couldn't decided on one I had fun with it. I've got three boys who sit next to each other named "Moe, Joe and Bo".
One kid who named himself "Tom and Jerry", another "Tom Cruise" (they were just told to pick one first name). My predecessor was Canadian English teacher named Fred, the students seems to have disliked him so I got a few kids to take that name. One student insisted that his name English name is "Shopa", which is fun to say so I let him keep it.

Another named himself Tre Cool. When I got the Green Day reference, he asked me if I liked them and I didn't have the heart to tell him no. When I was in middle school I listened to several of the bands that Green Day got rich ripping off. I harbor a strong, irrational dislike for them because of this, but they're better than the crappy k-pop music that most of the students like so I felt ok about telling him that I liked them. Then he asked me if I liked Sum 41 and I had a say no. He seemed really bummed, but I couldn't explain other than telling him that I was too old to like them. Another kid named himself DJ Dragon, but most stuck to the list. I didn't tell them to use "Mr." but some did. I've got a Mr. Bill and for some silly reason I thought he might be referencing the old SNL Mr. Bill so I did the Mr. Bill "ohhh" scream and of course no one knew what I was talking about. .Because of the language barrier I can't really explain myself after these types of incidents and the end result is that my students think I'm crazy.

One of my favorite students is named "Mr Bob". On Thursday I asked for a volunteer, which is sometimes difficult because no one wants to do it, and luckily Mr Bob put his hand up. I took him out in the hall and then went back in the class and put up signs with locations like "post office" and "park" around the classroom. Then I blindfolded Mr Bob, brought him into the classroom and had students give him directions on "how to get to the ..." I stood behind him to make sure he didn't fall, but he did run in to the wall and chairs several times. Mr. Bob didn't enjoy being blindfolded. Although I asked him if it was OK beforehand, he seemed to be terrified. The poor kid's heart was beating really fast and after he took off his blindfold he was almost hyperventilating, I had the class give him a whooping round of applause, and then he put his hands up in the air and struck a Rocky Balboa pose. The only reason I am telling this story is because the Rocky pose was classic.


In other news, I've got some other English teachers in my apartment, 3 Americans and 1 Irish guy curses in ways that I've never heard before. All good guys.
I've been to the immigration office 3 times and am having a lot of difficulty getting my alien registration card, because of complications that are not my fault. Until I get it I can't get internet, which I need for several reasons, least importantly to post pics on this blog from the fancy ass camera that I am borrowing.

I'm extremely happy that I came to Seoul. I am living a very simple life, emancipated from possessions, familiar surroundings and the old habits that I left in dogtown. Of course I miss a lot of my city, the hoosier mansion, and friends (no family in St. Louis anymore). It's amazing how routinized my life was. For the past 6 years I did the KDHX thing every week. For the past 6 or 7 years Martina has been the only person to cut my hair. Almost every day I would drink coffee at Meshuggahs and see the same people, day after day, year after year. These things were great, and for the most part I was very content, but I now realize the sameness of life in STL was turning me into a complacent, soft and boring old man.
Now all I've got are a few books, a frying pan and some ties. Nothing is familiar. If I can get a couple of solid friends and internet in my flat I'll be set for a while.