Over my time in the TEFL course, I had communicated many stories to my family about it. One night I had the bright idea of inviting one of my conversations partners to dinner at my house. That person turned out to be Sung.
Sung arrived quite nervously. I inquired as to what the problem was and he replied that he was anxious to speak English so much. I assured him that my family was understanding and very friendly, which put him at ease. Surprisingly, he drove up a little early. I asked him if he had any difficulty, but he pulled out his iPhone and showed google maps on its screen. Technology: the universal language.
I introduced Sung to my parents and brother, all of whom were very welcoming. Most of my family has visited Seoul, so there was an immediate connection with him. We sat outside and conversed for awhile about a wide array of topics. One point that stuck with me was that he expressed a longing for Seoul. While he has truly enjoyed his time in America, Sung truly missed all things Korean.
My mother prepared a truly delicious dinner, one that was truly American: hamburgers and side dishes. As a professed lover of meat, Sung ate like it was his last meal ever. He even had seconds. Once the nervousness subsided, his English improved. We exchanged many stories and shared in even more laughs. It was truly a wonderful evening.
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