Story seven

By Ken MacDonald
‘Not yet after a vacation’

On my last youth trip I was assigned to a small group of 27 unfamiliar teenagers, and had to take part in those ridiculous activities such as the “I have Never Ever” game and volleyball on our knees, and creating a Small Group Number 28 rap chant.
One member of the group was a girl just off the plane from Korea who entered the room the first day looking like Rip Van Winkle awakening from a bad dream, or possibly to one.
She was also extremely shy and didn’t know enough English to tell us much more than her name.
She had in her possession a little gizmo that could translate typed words into Korean, but it was almost no help when the leader spoke.
“Okay, like we’re going to, you know, get in a circle, and like, Collin will say, you know, ‘I have never ever fallen off a trapeze,’ and all of you guys that have fallen from a trapeze will like, sit down.”
Chen Hung would look around the room as if she was pleading for someone to pull out a gun and shoot her to death right then.
I figured my help was better than none, so I’d gently drag her into the circle, speak for her, or spend 10 minutes translating a single word, that by the time we’d worked it out, the group was on to drawing SpongeBob SquarePants for our team logo.
But Chen Hung and I became fast friends, and on the last day she asked me to stay after the meeting (in pretty good English, I might add). When I did, she presented me with a purse containing Korean coins. We took a picture, and the group leader and I tried to sort out how Korean mail works so we could write. We scoured the internet, and tried charades to let Chen Hung know what we were attempting to discern, but finally just gave up.
We did get an email address out of her, so for kicks, I wrote her last week, and after a few days, heard back from her. May I share?

Hello~
I am chen hung!! how’s you getting along?
Thank you write e-mail for me!!
You like a gift so I’m very happy!!
I want to we can see!!
I’m very miss you
And i am very miss small group 28 all !!
I want to continuation communication!!
can you an asnswer in write a your house Rd??
And can you understand my e-mail?
becouse i’m not good at English __
bye bye!!

I replied that yes, her English is understandable, though I was having some trouble with “write a your house Rd.”
And I asked her some questions about school and her family.

Hello~
ha~ha~ thank you an answer for me!!
So I’m very happy
And you can understand my e-mail !!
So i’m now very happy too!! HA!HA!HA!
I’m now answer for your asking!!
I’m now not in school~
Becourse I’m not yet after a vacation!!
I’m 18 August after a vacation~
So now very sad _ _
Becourse I’m 18 August I’m will middle school the 3 grade....
But in USA a higher school 1 grade..

Yes! I’m just now;a moment ago made facebook!
But I’m don’t kow what play It,...
I’m have two a younger sister!!
(They are is twins!!)
And mom dad and me!!!
haha!!
un.. next also give you e-mail!! passable?
Bey~Bey~

Passable? Much better than my Korean. For that matter, better than my Spanish.
In fact, I think she’s ready for Microsoft Tech Support.