The Genesis Child

In Korea, you will often find many Koreans that are desperate to speak English with you. Even if they don't actually speak English, they will try. This can be funny, confusing, and sometimes really annoying if you are in a hurry or the person happens to be drunk. But try they do, and you have to give them credit for at least attempting it. In my Middle School the head teacher is also the Science teacher, and is married to Jon's English Co-teacher. Mr. Yoon is his name and he really is one of the nicest people we've met on the island. He's not the typical Korean male in authority. He is compassionate, funny, jokes around with everyone, and you can tell he isn't full of himself and power hungry, like a lot of other males in authority (for example... my ridiculous macho, misogynistic Elem school principal, but that's another story for another time).

Anyway... Mr. Yoon and I get along, and his English is better than most, except for the other day. We are sitting in the teacher's office/lounge and it is break time. Joanne (my co-t ) and I are sitting there talking and Mr. Yoon joins in. As we are talking one of the 1st grade students walks in to get something and leaves (he's one of the brightest students, ever). Mr. Yoon points to the student and says "Ahhh Genesis Student!" Thinking I mis heard him I'm like "huh??"

"Genesis student! Genesis Student!"

"Uhhhh, the beginning student? What?" I turn to Joanne thinking maybe it's a Konglish word I just don't know. Or is he really referring to the Bible? I'm racking my brain for every option. She has no clue either, so we wait to see if it becomes more clear.

So Mr Yoon gets frantic, and keeps repeating it and repeating it.

Finally Joanne asks him in Korean what he means, he answers and she starts laughing, hysterically and exclaims "GENIUS!"

Finally everything clicks, it's all coming together, poor Mr Yoon had been trying to say the Genius Student (which the student is).

The thing I love about Mr Yoon is he can laugh at himself so he starts laughing so hard he is crying, and we are all getting a good chuckle out of it.

So later in the day I see Mrs Yoon (his wife and Jon's co-t) and I explain the story to her. Her response was giggling and this little loving comment " Oh I'm going to make fun of him when we get home."

What a fantastic wife :)