I get it now.
I completely understand how people who don't speak English feel, when surrounded by loud, obnoxious English-speakers, who are oblivious to being in the presence of those who don't understand a word they're saying.
Everyday at lunch-time, I sit at a table full of Korean teachers. Women who use the hour to vent, laugh, gossip and chat... in Korean. I have eaten with them every day since I started working at this school. Initially, it was difficult for me to ignore the banter. And because I didn't understand it, all I heard was loud noise as I ate my lunch.
This week, something happened. As I sat in my regular spot at the lunch table and ate my kimchi, I noticed that I'd drifted off into my own world. I no longer heard the teachers chatting in Korean. It was silent (in my head, at least). I quickly realized that the chatter had all along been some kind of white noise... that I'd become used to. So much so that I didn't hear Mrs. K ask me a question about my weekend plans.
I have quickly come to understand how lost non-English speakers must feel, when surrounded by these words almost everywhere. At least this is me, in Seoul. I know I can go back to Canada or to other English-speaking countries and be just fine.
At lunch, after I snapped back into reality, I quickly counted my blessings for having English as my first language... and for the ability to drown out the white noise.
xo
SC
Image courtesy of CartoonStock.com
