English teacher and overseas life

By Jang Cheol-ho

When Tiffany and I walked up a steep mountain, someone whispered “aigo.” Tiffany asked me what it meant. I answered that when we Koreans face hardship, we utter “aigo.” During World War II, some Koreans were forced to build a bridge on a Pacific island. Korean workers moaned with “aigo” so much that the locals called it “Aigo Bridge.” Tiffany is interested in history of the Far East. I lent her my book “Wild Swans.” She appreciated it and returned it with a note on the last page.

Tiffany came to my mountain hiking club with her coworker who was a member of the club. She is a native English teacher in an elementary school. I was her guide and it reminded me of my American life. When I was in America, I failed to make American friends at work. At work, I got along with American coworkers, but after work the relationship was not connected to my private life. At first, after work I tried to participate in American social gatherings. However one day I stopped by a Korean church and since then my life was centered on the Korean community.

Tiffany has learned a lot so far and has met so many interesting people. The education office provides her classroom management and adult education. She feels like the training rejuvenated her and gave her new ideas on how to be a better teacher. She feels that since she has been here she has learned a lot that will help her with what she wants to do in the future. Someday she hopes to live and teach around the world. She has always had the blood of a traveler in her. At first, Tiffany traveled alone. She rode a bike along a big river and went paragliding at Danyang. With time, she made some Korean friends.

After I got to know Tiffany, I became interested in English education at elementary schools. On a bus I happened to sit beside an eight-year-old girl. When I asked her about the movie “Frozen,” she said she could understand the story in English because she was taught English by her native teacher at school. I asked her several questions about English. Instead of answering my questions, she stared at me and said. “If you are good at English, please sing the song ‘Let it go’ in English!” I was amazed by how cute and smart elementary school students are.

When I worry about the struggles of paying rent, Tiffany said that it is very similar in America. The last place she rented in the U.S. was owned by a landlord that claimed to be of meager financial means, but he owned a huge house and several vehicles. He charged her much money for her place and said that she was getting a bargain. She sympathized with my plight. It can be frustrating to work so hard for a living and barely be able to afford housing.

Having lived overseas, I understand Tiffany to a certain extent and have tried to help her. She enjoys her Korean life on her own and wherever she may live in the future, I hope she will have good memories of her life in Korea.

The writer is an engineer. Contact him at atom@kepco-enc.com.