startled

i was startled by one of my students today. well, i'm startled by them rather often, but not so much that i remember to write about it here.

i was on my lunch break walk when i saw two boys climbing down a large wall that encloses the elementary school next door. i asked them what they were doing and one of them replied "nothing" - surprise #1: that he would know to say that. i said, "oh, that's great!" pleased that he had correctly used a word in english.

surprise #2 came a moment later when the other boy said "shut the fuck up." i was blown away! i can't manage to get them to stop saying "i'm fine thank you and you" and they're running around saying things like that! it's to be expected, of course, but it just took me by surprise. this boy never says anything - in korean or english - in class... so for him to come out like that was really odd.

i told him to never say that ever again and poked him in the shoulder. then i told all of his friends (as we arrived back in the school yard) that he was a bad boy.... which made them all point and call him crazy. hopefully he got the point, but i'm not betting on it.