So, I arrive back at home yesterday morning and as I'm walking through the parking lot to my building, I see a young girl with her mother. The girl was about 13 years old and she was wearing a t-shirt with English written all over it. This is VERY POPULAR in Korea. It's friggin EVERYWHERE. Jae Cheol has recently taken to commenting about it anytime he watches a non-Korean movie or looks at a non-Korean website because of the absence of English t-shirts everywhere but Korea.
Well, yesterday I read this girl's shirt and my jaw dropped! Literally, right there in the parking lot. I went over to the mother and daughter and in stuttering Korean, because I was so shocked that I couldn't formulate a sentence, told them:
"Excuse me, your t-shirt. . . ! No, no, no! The English, it's not good. It's pervert English"
Naturally, the mother smiled and shuffled away from me because WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, CRAZY FOREIGNER? I really wanted to turn the daughter around, back to her house, make her change her clothes and confiscate her shirt. Instead, I just went to my apartment, feeling like a lunatic. Which is exactly how the mother perceived me.
The shirt said, "Everybody likes a slutty girl"
Ok, so maybe I overreacted. After all, not many people in Korea know what that means at all! But keep in mind that this was a sweet, innocent 13 year old girl. Immagine if she ever traveled abroad to an English speaking country with that t-shirt?!?!?!?! Obviously the odds of that happening are slim, but still. I told Jae Cheol when I got home and asked him if I should have just ignored it. He seemed to think that it was alright for me to have said something. After all, if someone is wearing an English t-shirt with the idea that no one will understand what it says, I have obviously just negated that idea. On the other hand, maybe I am just stuck in such an ESL Teacher rut that when I see something unusual in English, I HAVE to point it out. But I certainly wouldn't have said anything if the person wearing the shirt had been older than school age.
What would you/should I have done? (Funnily enough, I had just taught this grammar pattern that morning.)
Melanie - English Teacher
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4 comments:
I don't know. I would probably would not have said anything. Once in Masan I saw one of my students at the elevator wearing a Bambi tshirt. You know the one - Bambi with his/her wee rump up in the air and the English says "face down, ass up - that's the way I like to fuck". I was horrified and I asked her if she understood the words. She looked a bit embarrassed but just said "yes", and went on her merry way.
I think sometimes just don't get the severity or understand the *scale* of English obscenities. Like, shit is the same as fuck is the same as cunt. It's NOT - but they don't know that.
I'm sort of like that with Korean bad words too.
A/w - how you doing? I'll give you a call tomorrow.
We LOVE you!
You did your best. Not your fault if the mom ignores your warning.
(I think we all went out and bought that Bambi t-shirt)
I think I'd have done exactly what you did! I've spoken to several of my own student about their t-shirts...like the guy with the biker bitch shirt...
THis one was important though...13 year old girl, and a nasty shirt...yup- tell her momma.
Even if we feel like nutters.
MommaJenn in Canada...
Hello, hello! Since I have a daughter who could soon be in Korea, I am delighted to find your blog!
That is so interesting about Korean culture and I imagine I will even visit Korea within the next year or two. Who would have ever thought?
If you sew and you need anything, feel free to contact me and I'll send it to you.
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