Last week I began teaching and I have to say that I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Although the kids have almost no clue what I am saying I know just enough to Khmer and we can meet in the middle most of the time. The rest of the time ends up being a class laugh session.
I usually begin with some simple vocab that I can easily describe or draw pictures on the board. Occasionally we come across a word like 'responsibility'. Easy enough right? Well it begins with me slowly (and I mean s-l-o-w-l-y) pronouncing the word a few times with the class repeating. "Responsibility" I say "responserbity" is what I get back. Okay so I need to break up the words into phonetics, so I write on the board 'ree-spons-eh-bill-it-tee' and am able to get them to pronounce it correctly after about 4 times. Next I have to try and explain the word.
This is where things get difficult. I am going through every possible explanation I can think of in Khmer without just giving them the word (because I have no idea how to translate responsibility) and even trying to explain it in basic English. The kids just don't get it and about 5 minutes after trying to explain I think I am beginning to frighten them because I am over enthusiastic at even the most feeble try. I finally go and ask my co-teacher who has taken a phone call and left the room. He gives me the word and I go tell the kids. By this time they are all laughing hysterically at my awful pronunciation of the Khmer word and I am laughing at their pronunciation of the English word. All in all the teaching has been okay, and although its very slow moving every class I feel like my pronunciation is really helping them hear and speak clearly.
Onto my funny story of the week. So everyday out back of my house there is a group of gentlemen who play soccer and on Wednesdays and Thursdays I go to join them. There was a small carnival last week and it had a few rides and some small games kids could play, and it happened to be right next to the field where we play soccer. The carnival usually plays American music (Beyonce, J-lo, Pit Bull, etc.), but no one can really understand anything being said and the lyrics are mostly harmless.
Except for one song.
Now picture me, 23 year old male with a sixth graders immature sense of humor and only fluent English speaker for miles, playing soccer with all these Khmer people who brought their kids to a fun day at the carnival when this song comes on http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/g/gillette/dont_want_no_short_dick_man.html.
No joke, I am in the middle of the field and gasping for air, laughing so hard my face is turning purple. It had to be the funniest thing that has happened to me since I arrived and my only regret is not having anyone who understands what is going on. Most of the town already thinks I'm nuts because I walk everywhere, and don't know how to hand wash my laundry, and now they are witnessing a first hand total mental breakdown of this new stupid American who just arrived last week.
Needless to say I was a bit embarrassed and my family kept asking what is so funny but I didn't have the heart to tell them and still don't, but I am now officially known as 'that crazy Barang' but its okay because it was well worth what I got out of it, even if it made me look nuts.
No comments:
Post a Comment