Hello!!!

Nearly everyday some adorable kid walking down the street will say “Hello!” Sometimes it’s a kid on their own, other times a parent has encouraged forced their child to speak. In general, kids prefer to travel in packs. It’s from these small swarms of kids that I get the most hellos. I can see these kids from a block away. The whole pack sees me and gets visibly excited. I hear words in Korean like “foreigner, look, and American.” There are other words too, and I imagine that they are daring each other to speak to me.

Eventually the moment comes when we are actually passing each other and the bravest kid lets out a big “HELLO!” I always return the greeting at which point everyone giggles. Sometimes the rest of the pack is emboldened by the ‘hello initiator’ and a whole chorus of hellos follows the first.

If I’m standing next to a group of social kids at a cross walk or some such place, then I continue the conversation. I ask “What’s your name?” and say “Nice to meet you.” or “Have a good day!” Some kids look around in total panic as if they are thinking, “WHY? Why did I say hello?” A really confident kid might ask “Where are you from?” When I say, “I’m from the United States.” The pack of kids erupts with “Ah! USA, USA, migook!”

This is usually the furthest extent of a conversation with kids on the street. It always makes me laugh. Even though I don’t know them, I’m a little proud of the kids for taking the initiative to have a spontaneous interaction. I can also identify with their happy giggles. It’s exciting to speak a foreign language in an authentic situation for the first time. I’m always overcome with a feeling that I’ve pulled off a feat. “It works! These words actually work!” It’s like learning a password that everyone around me knows, and I’ve been let in on the secret.