Hello!

It seems that every Korean is taught at birth how to say "Hello" and "How are you?". I have walked down many a street with at least one person saying hello to me, just for the chance to get to use that one word they learned. It's really cute and refreshing compared to people back home who walk the streets with scowls on their faces sometimes. There have been several times where I have watched little kids with huge yet shy smiles on their faces as they muster up the courage to say hi to me as I walk past them. Then when I say hi back they literally jump back in absolute amazement that the phrase worked...or they're shocked that I can talk, I don't know! After that they will either run off giggling, or they will go farther to say "How are you?" and maybe a "Where are you from?", another common one. Grown ups will do this too, but more so on the weekends after they've been drinking. I'll pass by a hand full of people and then after I've passed one will shout out "Hello!" wanting to get it in before I left earshot, but not when I can look them in the eye. I've had people yell hello at me out of cars too! But like I said, I like it when they say hello. It's always friendly, and it's a lot nicer than having them stare at me which apparently is the only other alternative. Oh wait, there is one more, my favorite actually.....it's where my kids walk into my class for the first day, look at me wide-eyed and say, "Ohhhh Teacher! Your face....so WHITE!" Yes kids, I know, now let's go learn some English :)