Visiting my tennis coach's house

I felt like a foreign monster. I got into the backseat of my tennis coach's wife's minivan. Bak Hang-suk's (coach's wife) two kids immediately went to the front. I mean really! It was 5 degrees (C) outside so I had legwarmers, shorts on top of them, three shirts, a sweatshirt, a blue, gray, and red scarf wrapped tight around my neck, and a large black headband. So what I got into the minivan with my racket preventing me from getting in the door the first time around? Is that really a cause for her two small kids, Kim Dae-hyun and Kim Gab-bin, to run into the front seat with a look of terror on their face like I was going to kill them?

Bak Hang-suk had to sooth her daughters' cries by saying, "Son saeng nim" "She is a teacher". Her efforts were futile. I just looked scary and ridiculous to these two little tykes. Oh my goodness, they were both so cute though. I just wanted to eat them, just not in a monster-ish way.

I took off my shoes before stepping on their floor when I got to their house. Bak Hang-suk had tea boiling as soon as we got in. She is such a good wife. I'm trying to find myself a husband that will do the same. Nebi, get working. She gave myself and the coach, Kim Kyu-min a cup. *Just a side note: In Korea, the woman does not take the family of the husband (Kim being the man's family name). Instead they keep separate names. The kids are the ones that take the father's family name. Hence, Kim Gab-in and Kim Dae-hyun, while the wife's name is Bak Hang-suk.

So, where was I? Good husband hunting, tea. Oh yes! We began the lesson. I just wanted to go over some basic phrases. I started off with formal phrases then went to informal expressions like, "It's a pleasure to meet you." "It's nice to meet you." "What's up?". Then Kim Kyu-min repeated me. We went on like this, but the real learning starts with getting used to the different sounds. We have the ability to hold a conversation and I told him even if his grammar is not 100% correct, do not be afraid to speak. It is the only way you will learn.

Time was nearing an end. I heard the kids splashing around in the bathtub. Right before I was about to go Gab-in runs out of the bathroom decidedly I guess to confront the monster, me. She is about 4 years old. What bravery, what courage, WHAT! a naked little girl. She runs over to the table with her towel around her and then she says, "O pa", and rips her towel off for the world to see. I started laughing. Kim Kyu-min told his daughter in a nice voice to go put some clothes on. I said, "It's ok to be naked." He got embarrassed and his cheeks turned red.

Gab-in wasn't done yet! She comes out of her room this time dressed and has the towel over her head. She heads straight towards me. I was wondering if she was going to try to headbutt me. So I got ready to take her down if need be. I have to look out for number one. Haha, she stopped right in front of me and takes the towel off her head. Then she puts it on and this time I take it off. She starts cracking up. I put the towel on my head and she reaches for it. We both had a nice laugh at this silly game. It reminds me of the pillow game I played once. Pillow game you ask? Yes, I asked too. You sit in a room and close your eyes, only one person has their eyes open. That person is the one with the pillow. The point is to throw the pillow at the unsuspecting people who have their eyes shut and watch their reaction. Sounds ridiculous right? It is, but so fun and scary.

I get ready to leave and finally the two kids show me their acceptance. They say, "AnnongheKaseyo" or "leave in peace (the literal translation)" and they bow their tiny little heads. I can't wait to go back tonight.