Friday, February 22, 2013

Ktown sisters.

This is a post about my Ktown Sisters. Meet Hwa Jung and So Young. They are both beautiful  intelligent, sassy Korean women who I spent the previous year working alongside. Not English teachers mind you. Ethics and Math are what they teach the kiddies.

Recently I found myself once again staring across a coffee table listening to my two Unnies(sister in korea) tell a story in Korean. I don't understand a whole lot but I didn't mind. There is something wonderful about sitting there, hearing them laugh and catch up.

And while I sat there I thought back on the previous years Shinangians. Yes that is what I called it.
So Young, is notoriously sassy. Whenever lunch time would begin everyone was leaning in to hear her words. Hwa Jung was the counter balance. And together they decided to adopt me.

Our conversations would take strange patterns. For example:

So Young feigns a whisper: Hwa Jung is Miss Korea.
'Who the heck is 'Miss Korea?' I wonder but play along: Oh?
So Young: Very skinny. VERY skinny. (So Young gestures to all of her friend. drawing a straight line up and down...Thank you Vanna very flattering)
 ohhhhhhhhhhhhh. yes. (I nod vehemently)
So Young: But she never wear dress.
(This is curious information indeed): Why not?
So Young leans towards me and whispers intensely: DRAGON TATTOO
Still clueless.: She has one?
So Young motions across her throat with a pretend knife: Gangsta Gangsta.
I narrow my eyes and size up the potential danger: Oh....Hwa Jung are you a gangsta?
Hwa Jung comes far too close and grabs my arm: Follow me.
I stretch back on my heels and arch an eyebrow: where?
Hwa Jung laughs darkly: To the bathroom....
I  let my head wobble my answer: errr...No....thank you.



So Young has done more for me than many in Korea. Her kindness and willingness to help me has made it easier to be so far from home.  She invited me with no questions into her friends, told me schedule changes, and found me rides to work events. So Young is NOT fluent. but as she has told me before gestures can fill in the gasps...and of course an English-korean dictionary.

So Young told me over dinner that "We are not friends, we are family."
My lovely sister is getting married on Sunday. What a wonderful way to spend my last weekend in K-town. She has made me promise to tell her when my "mister Big (she is obsessed with Sex and the City)" comes along. She is determined to see me off and wedded. To the right man of course.

Many times my "sister" has explained that she will only allow such a thing once she has examined him thoroughly.  So Young  expressed this idea by placing a cup on a counter and searching it's surface for imperfections.  I tell you....poor guy. He might have a hard time earning her approval, and that's ok by me.





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