Today's post is just a short little story.
Its purpose is to make you smile.
To put life into perspective so to speak.
It is also a true story.
And takes place in one of my third grade classes...
As I've mentioned before, I am an English teacher in a Korean middle school.
My third graders are at a point in their lives where Korean dreams are made or destroyed.
Their next step is to gain access to a prestigious high school
in order to be accepted into a good university.
Getting into a good university is the way you get a good job in Korea.
It may sound incredulous, but these third graders are worked to the bone
in the hope of achieving their dreams.
They are also only 15 years old.
This youtube video is a perfect example of what I'm trying to explain.
This is the case in most Korean schools.
However, in my school, my students have not gotten this memo.
My third graders have somehow bypassed crazy busy
and landed right in the middle of crazy.
Last week, while teaching one of my last third grade classes of the day, one of my girls asked me "Teacher! You like cat?"
Because this is the inexplicable world of third grade I made no mention that this question
had nothing to do with my class
(we were discussing artwork and artists in case you were wondering).
I was just happy she was speaking English.
I answered with, "Did you ask me if I liked cats?"
She nods.
I respond "Yes, I like cats. I really like all animals."
(Look at us having a conversation!)
She says, "Look! I have cat!"
(In a normal world or another school, you would expect a picture of a cat
- maybe on a book?)
Nope.
She moves back and points at a bump inside her shirt.
And I burst out laughing.
I say, "Why would you have a toy cat inside your school shirt?"
Silly children.
Then this experience becomes a leeetle strange.
Slowly, she starts unbuttoning her school shirt.
My immediate reaction, "No!!!!!!"
She smiles knowingly, "It's OK Teacher I have two clothes"
Um OK? Wait, what?
And then... I see the toy cat she was hiding inside her shirt.
Except.
It is definitely not a toy.
It is a real cat.
A living and breathing kitten which is living inside her school shirt.
Now, I'm pretty sure that they do not cover this in the
two week orientation they gave me before I started teaching.
So all I could come up with was
(after the small scream I may have let out)
"WHY? HOW? HUH?"
Everyone thinks this is hilarious by the way.
And then an equally disturbing and compelling question enters my befuddled brain.
"But, cat, toilet? where toilet?"
I mean, it's a kitten, it needs to use the bathroom.
It has most certainly not been potty trained.
And again she smiles, that all-knowing third grade smile,
and says
"Teacher, I am toilet"
