Swimming Party

The fitness center where I swim had a "swimming party". Everyone from the 7am swim time that wanted to, could meet for dinner this Tuesday.

I decided I'd go (well, basically our instructor ordered us to go). It was good because I was able to meet some of the people in my swimming class. And Hyeon-hun translated for me.

It was a bit awkward though. One of the older gentleman really wanted me to drink with him. He tried every angle... He told me I needed to experience the culture, I needed to prove I was a real man, He was older than me and I had to do what he said.

I was able to refuse using the fact that I had to drive a motorcycle home (which he replied to with an offer to pay for someone to drive it home for me).

I really didn't like the pressure (but it's also part of Korean culture, and interestingly enough, many Koreans feel the same way I do). It created a bad feeling in me. I was polite, but at that point, I was ready to get out of there before the real drinking started.

There was also a 34 year old Korean woman who is an English teacher and she looked out for me. She translated what he was saying and then basically encouraged me not to listen to him.

And I think I accidentally flirted with her... there was another gentleman there who when he learned my name was "Lyan", he told me his name was "tiger". He started teasing the Korean English teacher that she was old. He told me to watch out for her because she was the classic old woman. She quickly asked me what he had told me... and I thought I'd be clever and have a little joke so I quipped, "He said you're beautiful."

Anyway, at the end of the night, I somehow ended up with her business card, several comments about being handsome, a request to ride the motorcycle, several subtle (or not so subtle) hints about dating older women, and a promise of help any time I needed it.

Run, Ryan, run.

It was a bit weird for me to analyze the night's experience and my actions afterward. I carried on conversation with multiple people. I smiled gently. I made eye-contact. I initiated conversation using the basic Korean I could recall. I raised my eyebrows and nodded to show I was listening, even when I didn't understand a word they were saying. I got the expected "You're handsome" a couple times. How do you respond to that? I just do a little head bow and say thank you. I really feel like it doesn't mean anything because it's said so casually.

Hyeon-hun said they really liked me. And I replied, "How can they like me? They don't even know me."

I think the fact that I'm polite and listen more than I talk, has a lot to do with it. It's amazing how such a simple thing can endear you to people.

If only they knew how draining it is for me. How I wish I could speak Korean. How I wish we could all be drinking coffee instead of beer. How I get tired of answering the questions "why don't you have a girlfriend?" and "why don't you drink?"

I have a feeling I won't be seeing some of them tomorrow morning for the swimming class due to hangovers.

Sigh... I wish there was some way to instantly learn a language.

And a parting thought... who is the real "Lyan" behind the smiling blue eyes? Do I even know?