My Son Has Problems

A week ago the kids here were driving me mad. They still have their moments but are trying a lot harder of late. One kid in particular, Song Jin spent most of last week out in the hall. Wednesday he was in class for all of two minutes before I quickly guided him back out and down to his teacher because I'd had enough of him. The teacher must of called his mom because the teacher told me she just learnt that Song Jin suffers from one of those medical abbreviations educators, parents and doctors love to label inattentive kids with. (Adults get to have selective hearing but kids have a disease.)


Yesterday afternoon, the mom visited our school pushing Song Jin into my classroom and following him in with a giant gift weighing her down. She then went on speaking the fastest Korean I have ever heard. This is what I understood before she hit her fastest cruising speed. "Hello, I'm Song Jin's mother and I'm sorry I can't speak English. I just want to appologize for Song Jin. He likes to study English, ^%%^ ^I)(& %#!! *)(*&% (*())*%^#! (*()*)_&*^%$ )&**^#@% *&^||!%&*,.>,< Song Jin #$%^%$ A.D.D. Thank you very much. Say your sorry. Bye." She then pointed to Song Jin who apologized and they left, leaving a gift sitting next to my desk.


I would of struggled picking it up last week but because I've been working out this week I was able to hoist it up onto my desk with ease. Once I knew she was far enough away I opened it and found a huge replica of "The Divine Bell of King Songdok the Great." (I didn't even know he had a bell.) It's a huge bell and unlike most touristy things here it's made of quality wood and metal. I like it a lot and it's definitely something she didn't need to give me. I just don't know where I'll put it. My apartment has no room in it and I don't feel comfortable keeping it at school in case students ask where I got it. I guess I'm supposed to now treat Song Jin better but that still depends on him.