America is not the world.

I seem to continuously forget that just because something is commonplace in my life does not mean that other people would find it the same. I went to dinner last night with the other teachers at the school, as well as our director and her two kids.


(clockwise left to right: Julie, James, Aly, Cherita, Gina, Me, Sylvia, and Eric)

Julie had to stay late at work, so the six teachers were actually halfway done with dinner when she and her two sons got there. At one point, we were discussing odd food, probably when I was trying the ice noodle soup:


I mentioned to Gina that none of my lemon kids had ever had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and that I had made it for them to try. At this point, James interjects that he's never had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. "Why would I? Who would think of a sandwich with peanut butter and jelly on it?" This is coming from a man who eats bacon sandwiches for dinner. I told him I'd make him one to try, and his response was "I may not like it". I decided later that I wasn't going to make him one and bring it in like I did for the kids, mostly because they're better fresh, and it just seemed silly since we get a snack and lunch at work.
Regardless of if he ever eats one, I keep having to be reminded that what Americans find normal is not, in fact, universally normal. James likes mayonnaise with his fries, I like ketchup. So be it.

Oh yes. I believe a follow up is in order

After forgetting for two days to actually make the pb&j sandwich for my kids, I finally brought two sandwiches to school yesterday, cut in quarters since I didn't want to spoil their appetite for snack or lunch. One of the kids had actually done his homework, but still didn't mind eating mine. They seemed to like it well enough, but I think they were more impressed with the fact that I made them a sandwich and brought it in for them to eat than they were with the actual sandwich. But now they have all had a pbj. Now I just have to work on this whole tooth fairy thing...

This weekend should be busy enough. I'm going to try to do some cleaning and laundry tomorrow before I go out shopping with Cherita. No one has drying machines here - everything's hung out to dry. So if I want to wear some of my dirty clothes next week, they need to be washed and hung up by tomorrow morning, or they may not be dry by monday. Cherita's going to Dongdaemun, which has the largest underground mall in Asia. I'm a bit excited. Mostly just because I enjoy window shopping (unlike my mother), especially when windows look like this:

The mix of 80's neon colors and large letters, incorrect grammar and punctuation ("THIS IS A REALLY HARD.) and references (Batman) that I know the Korean people don't get just cracks me up. And then Sunday morning is my second Korean lesson, and in the afternoon I may go with Cherita to Dobang (I think that's where she's going) to check out a tattoo parlor. And no, mom. I am not going to get another tattoo.

It's a travesty! A travesty I tell you!!

I was working with my lemon class on one of their books, in which the characters are talking about the sandwiches they eat. I have picture cards to go along with the book, including a tuna fish sandwich, pbj, cream cheese and jelly, steak, chicken salad, salami, etc. So we're going through the sandwiches, and trying to get the kids to identify which picture is which sandwich. I figured they probably wouldn't know the cream cheese and jelly one. But they had problems with the peanut butter and jelly. So I asked them how many had had a pbj. No one raised their hands.

NONE OF MY KIDS HAS EVER HAD A PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICH BEFORE!

I immediately assigned them homework. They are to eat a pb&j tonight when they get home.

I'm still shaking my head. No tooth fairy is one thing, but this is just wrong.