Game On.

You really just never know what they will ask you...
 
One typical (or so I thought) afternoon in the teacher's lounge I walked over to get some coffee. I always pass one of the head teacher's desk on my way and she always smiles at me or says something in Korean to comment on my outfit or "nice appearance" that day. She is always so pleasant and kind so I always just smile or say hello to her in Korean. Many of the students or younger teachers seem a bit timid of her since she is an older woman and cause of the hierarchy of respect in Korea and how serious they take it they usually just bow or nod their head to her to say hello respectfully.
Anyways, this particular afternoon while I was standing at the machine getting instant coffee she smiled at me and then motioned to me with her arm. I smiled back a bit confused because this was unusual and then continued to get coffee. I then heard her chattering way in Korean to a few other teachers and then again she motioned with her arm to me. It almost looked like she wanted to fight me or something. I began to get a bit nervous. Then one more time she motioned with her arm kind of looking like an arm wrestling thing. I thought, this couldn't be, does she really want to arm wrestle me?? At first I just laughed it off like "ha yeah wouldn't that be funny" NO...
Yup.
Next thing ya know I am lead to the teacher's coffee table and all the other teachers are gathering around. I think I blacked out for the next 15 minutes not really knowing what to think. Is this actually happening? Am I about to arm wrestle a 70 year old Korean woman in the teacher's lounge?
 
I am put in a seat at the head of the coffee table and she sits across from me. Teacher's gathered around and interlaced our fingers together and had a countdown from 3 in Korean. I literally wanted to die. I didn't know what to do! Do I let her win cause she is older and that's the respectful thing to do? Do I try really hard or do I pretend I have to use the bathroom and run out of the school back home to avoid this entire situation? Ha, nope. GAME ON.
 
I am not lying when I say I was actually trying really hard, and she not only beat me once...but she wanted a rematch and then beat me TWICE. (sigh.) She did this all with a huge smile across her face. This goes with another thing I've noticed in Korea. OLD PEOPLE ARE STRONG HERE! I kid you not it must be something in their diet cause I literally pass 90 year old Koreans both male and female pushing massive fruit carts along the road selling them even in the rain, cold or snow. They are bent over and have more wrinkles than a prune, yet they don't even look tired. They are some of the healthiest older people I have ever seen. I don't even think they believe in nursing homes here. Just hospitals incase some get sick. But even when I pass hospitals they actually allow some of their patients to roam around on the streets for ciggarette breaks all the while they are stilconnected to their portable IV stand just sliding along on wheels with them as they walk. It's quite a sight.
 
Anyways, back to the arm wrestling match. I cannot leave Korea with any dignity knowing that during my first arm wrestling match a 70 year old Korean woman beat me...twice. I am going to work this problem out and do what I have to do to increase my arm strength and then when she least expects it one day, give her the ol' arm motion for "it's game on, round two time."