Some things are simply funny. There are also times in cultural adaptation that can feel random, awkward, or strange. You learn to see the humor in those moments too. Laughter can diffuse any number of other emotions that one might feel and turn it into a sweet memory. Perhaps that’s part of what the Proverb means when it tells us: “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” (17:22).
This week, I would like to share some humorous highlights of my time here:
During my first big dinner outing with friends to VIP’s Steak and Salad Bar, we tried a variety of things that were new for all of us. They introduced me to popular Korean cuisine, while I introduced them to ice cream floats. One of the new menu items for me was sea snails. Before learning from Young Gwang how to pull one from its shell and eat it, I asked him: “What does it taste like?” He contemplated and replied, “I think it tastes like…ocean.” For the record, he was right.
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Last month, we were handing out water bottles to families attending Sports Day. We made stickers to cover the labels, with information about our school. We also made flyers with info about our church. Since I couldn’t do any of the talking, I walked around with Principal Yu and carried the supplies. I had two large bags filled with cold water bottles hanging over my shoulders, and two shopping bags of flyers in my hands. When we were running low, some church members would refill the bags. It soon became very humorous to everyone around that I was just carrying large loads of handouts but unable to really talk to anyone at the event. So I was affectionately given a new nickname here: Donkey. But let’s be honest—"associate pastor” is synonymous with “beast of burden” in any culture!
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Speaking of donkeys—I am asked to read a story each week to the students out of a book of fables. We hope to improve their comprehension by having them listen and respond to questions. You may imagine why I had a lot of trouble keeping a straight face when I was asked to read the story entitled: “The Ass in the Lion’s Skin.” Sorry if it was just the “middle school” boy part of me that was holding back giggles.
But it got better. Here is how the story went: “An ass found a lion’s skin which a hunter had to put in the sun to dry. The ass put on the lion’s skin and walked through the forest. The ass scared all the little animals. He was so proud of himself. He had much fun scaring the other animals. The ass also tried to scare a fox. But the fox recognized his voice. ‘You aren’t a lion! You look like a lion, but you sound like an ass.’”
That’ll preach! I have actually thought of a few sermons since.
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Last weekend, one of the students wanted to impress me by translating our church bulletin from Korean into English before youth Bible study. The first line he wrote on the whiteboard was “Welcome to Always Blue Church.” I was grinning as I corrected it to “Evergreen Church.” Wow, what a difference a translation can make! I am not sure that people would want to come to a church that is constantly depressed (though I think some may exist).
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My male students are prone to interrupt lessons and share stories in class, especially if it means one-upping each other. You should have heard all the “oh yeah, well my fish was THIS big” kind of stories that came out during my lesson on hospital visits.
One boy claimed that he fell down the stairs and hurt himself. The next boy said that he fell out of a window and broke many bones. The next boy topped that when he said: “I was dead, but I became not dead again.” He then pretended to be a zombie.
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A very inventive idea came from Anne during that same lesson. When I suggested that they put an ice pack on sprained ankles or wrists, she offered this thought: “You can put fruit juice in the ice pack, and after it is no longer ice, you can drink it. Your stomach will be very happy too.” I may just plan to market that some day.
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Elder Jung told me a story that made me laugh about my own language mistakes (including the time in China when I told the apartment manager that I needed to “lose weight,” instead of “pay the water bill”). He was living in New Zealand when he tried to order a pizza by phone. He successfully requested a pizza before the man asked him: “Cash or check?” Elder Jung thought that the man was asking about side dishes, like they offer here in Korea. So he replied: “Chicken.” The man asked again, to which Elder Jung said: “I like chicken.” There was silence on the other end before the man finally said, “Ok, that will be $10.”
Elder Jung then told me, “After I learned later what he was really asking, I think that man couldn’t wait to get off the phone and tell others about the crazy Asian!”
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Last week, one of my students randomly asked me, “Do you like Michael Jackson?” I told him that I liked his music, and he exclaimed, “He is very, very, very (…this went on for a while) GOOD!” Then he excitedly asked me: “Do you know Billie Jean?” I began singing the chorus, while hoping no one would ask me what the word “lover” means.
He broke into a moon walk, ending with what might have been the robot. Not to be outdone, another student channeled her inner Mariah by belting out “When You Believe.” All of this, of course, had nothing to do with my lesson. But it sure was fun.
