Gum-Chewing Gangsta!

I found out today that some of my students are afraid of me. One of the other English teachers told me that they are afraid, because I look so different and because sometimes they see me chewing gum. She informed me that it is usually only gangsters who chew gum, and the students have never seen their teachers chewing it. Why is their first reaction one of fear? Surely, they know I'm not a gangster. Conformity is so highly valued here that it breeds xenophobia. Yesterday I wore two different coloured socks. (The socks match, but the toes and heels are different colors, if that makes sense) The students were so confused. Some of the girls saw my socks, turned bright red, and asked, "Miss Coffey, why your socks.... why your socks different?" Because I don't care. Because the sky is blue. Because your mom goes to college. You've hit the jackpot. Choose your own reaosn for everything! Independent thinking is utterly foreign to them. They've never been taught how to choose or think for themselves. It seems that everything is about what the group is doing. That's fine if they want to be that way, but I don't want fear to be a byproduct of that. I don't want to be feared. I want them to feel comfortable with me, and I want them to obey me. That's about it. ;o)

Sunday I went shopping with my kiwi friend. Good times. We went all over the outdoor and indoor markets of Dongdaemun. She bought clothes. I bought a tank top that ended up being too small, a pair of mis-matched socks, and silver hoop earrings. I've never worn hoop earrings before, because I thought it might look too J-Lo. Yesterday I wore them to school, which probably added to my gangster-like qualities. I guess Korea is an easy place to reinvent yourself, whether you want to or not.