Amy as a crazy sore thumb . . .

    Um .... ok, so as I have mentioned before, anywhere you go in South Korea as a "waygook" (foreigner) you are, well, extremely noticed. In my experience, Korean people are very peaceful, friendly, and insatiably curious  Some days I find I just don't want to deal with the ritualistic peering eyes and barrage of questions in confusing English I endure at the bus stop everyday. I have found the best way to avoid such encounters when unwanted is to disengage by means of sunglasses and ipod. Today was one of those days. 

   I was walking down the alley to my bus stop when a Korean man in his mid forties stops me in his extended bright yellow van. He makes a movement which implies take out your earphones. (Apparently even my best efforts can be foiled by eager spectators.) and I oblige. He asks me with a giant smile where I am from. He says, "I want speak English with you. We go now, I take you . . . We have tea, eat, drink . . . I want be your friend. . . .  Get in . . .  Where are you going? . . . .I take you." I told him I had to go to work and he insisted as he patted his passenger sear "Come, come, I take you." 

    This whole spontaneous conversation has my red flags standing at attention. In the states, we don't speak to strangers in vehicles whom demand you get in there car. In the states, smart girls definitely don't get in the vehicle of the aforementioned stranger. In fact, a girl that does that kinda stuff is never seen again. But I am not in the states and this endearing man with gentle eyes and a giant smile that beems with ecstatic joy in the thought that I might just sit down and talk with him . . . and, well, abandoning better judgement . . .  I got in the van. 

    He took out a piece of paper and wrote down his name "Kim Chun Ock" underneath it he wrote his phone number and under that he wrote 'Good Friends'. He kept emphasizing that we would be good friends. He went on musing about our life long acquaintance: exchanging emails and phone calls long after I went back to the states. My heart started to pound as I considered the possibly tragic mistake I had made in getting into this Korean's van, but I tried to tell myself that, no no... he was not a phycho killer, he was just really excited at the thought of a friendship with a "waygook". Grinning ear to ear the whole time, he rambled on in barely English and I understood most of it, I think. He wanted to make plans. He wanted to talk. He went so far as to say that if I called him he would pick me up and take me to and from work everyday where we could talk 'englishee' together. 

    We picked up his sister who was waiting on a corner up the road. He said "I must stop. I made promise to give ride to my sister." A middle aged Korean woman lumbered into the back of the van with three bags plastic grocery bags: one full of corn in husk, one full of colorful towels, and the third full of whole fish. (My confidence in the fact I was going to get to work was fleeting.) "She works at Soju Bar. I take her to work then I take you Hagwon." The newspaper headlines were passing through my head "Stupid American girl disappears in Suncheon .  . . " But he did as he said. He took her to work and then he took me to Hagwon. 

    As we pulled in to the parking lot I can't say I wasn't relieved. He reminded me to call him when I got off work and he would take me home. He said, "Have good day." I smiled I got out of the van, very much alive and replied  "It was strange but nice."  As he drove away he waved and exclaimed "Very happy to meet you!!" I slowly walked in to the Hagwon a little jaunted by the whole experience. Did that actually just happen to me? Was I just a victim of a hit and ride?

     Later I asked a few Korean teachers about this surreal experience. They insisted that my new good friend was guilty of nothing more than a little (or maybe a lot) of eccentric courage. They encouraged me to meet with him, to be his 'native speaking' friend. "Not to be worried", they consoled me. After all, Koreans love speaking English with English people. They did however have one suggestion:" Until you know Mr.Kim better, maybe it best you ride with bus."