When did my name become teacher?

After three months of hearing Korean children scream, "TEACHER!!!" I finally feel like one. Or at least I finally realize that I am one. I have to say it is one of the best feelings I have felt. A few specific anecdotes have made me consider being a teacher forever...never subscribing to another desire in my employee career. Many of them come in the form of fantastic creative writing. My students constantly surprise me with their ability to express themselves creatively through their foreign language...and then I realize I may have something to do with it.

"Korea doesn't have any resources, so Korea made their people their resources."

"I can keep a promise, but I’m bad at keeping track of time. So I no longer make promises that are about time."

"My winter vacation was forty-two days short."

Their ability to write scholarly, sarcastically, or creatively isn't such as a surprise as their speaking. Our school largely focuses on writing, so while I am impressed with their writing, when developed and thoughtful sentences escape through their mouths, I tend to stop dead in my tracks...especially when they build one about me.

"Vanessa, you know a lot of Korean words, how did you do that?"

Me: "You know a lot of English words, don't you."

"Yes, but I have a good teacher."

After busting out my wallet to show kids what American driver's licenses look like...

"Vanessa, I respect you."

"I was just curious, who taught you English." ...good question. ha.

These few instances have been storms of thought and diction in a drought of English expression. Most of my students speak very slowly with very broken English. But, it is these breakthroughs that make me feel like maybe my job has merit and that to them I'm not just an alien-looking blonde speaking in a indecipherable language, but rather their teacher.