Lessons in Language

I remember one day in my Conversational Spanish class at North Greenville when my instructor said that an indication that one understands a foreign language is when he/she grasps the humor.  I remember wondering what the importance of understanding why the chicken crossed the road in Ciudad Juarez was.  Or maybe it was significant because he did it without getting his head cut off or shot.

Yesterday one of my co-teachers posted several Hello Kitty pictures on her Facebook profile (remember, this is Asia).  One of the pictures was of Hello Kitty in a pink one-piece set of bunny pajamas.  It was complete with feet and a big cotton ball tail.  In my signature dry-humor sort of way, I casually commented that I have a set of PJ’s just like that.  After school Susie asked me where I got them.  No smile.  Serious question.

I understand now what my professor at NGC was talking about.  It’s not a matter of understanding the cultural humor, but rather having such a grasp of the language that you can determine when someone is being serious and when someone is not.  In light of yesterday’s events, I’m now concerned about this weekend’s English Camp in Osan.  The director of the camp asked if I knew any magic tricks that I could do and explain to the students in English.  Again, in classic dry fashion, I said I could saw one of the other co-teachers in half.  No response.  I won’t be surprised if there’s a long box with a hand saw waiting for me on Saturday.  

So an Octopus, a Squid, and a Blowfish walk into a karaoke bar….