on monday and wednesday nights from 7 pm to 8 pm, i tutor two m6 (senior) girls. they're in a low-level class, so their english isn't particularly strong but they're awesome girls. they're sincere and they're trying so hard to learn english and they have great senses of humor.
during our first wednesday session we had about five minutes left. i didn't know what to do so i reached for the standard topic of girl talk: "so, tell me a secret."
they sort of giggled at first and didn't wanna tell me anything, but eventually we got to talking. they told me some pretty interesting things, actually--things that will stay at our tutoring table and never make it into the blog. we talked for about 20 minutes about their secrets and i was like, "welp, ok, time to go, bye!"
"teacher...do you have a secret?"
how do i both maintain the image of professionalism (ha, i know, like i've ever actually been a professional) but also share something intimate about myself that will eventually deepen my relationship with the kids, which will make us better friends, which will encourage them to learn english, which will give them better job opportunities, which will give them a better life? how do i come up with such a secret on the spot!?
"um...next week."
so the tradition of secret wednesday started. mondays are serious--we study for the GAT PAT, which is thailand's version of the SAT. wednesdays are for chatting and catching up on life.
last night a new girl came. in the last 10 minutes, i turned to her and said, "so, tell me a secret."
"really?" she looked at the other two girls. they nodded.
"yeah, tell me a secret." she giggled and asked the other girls in thai if she was seriously supposed to tell me, this teacher figure, a secret. yes yes yes, the other girls encouraged her. they'd already shared their secrets; it was new girl's turn.
"well...i....like....a.....boy," she admitted, followed by a fit of nervous and embarrassed laughing.
"who is he?" i asked
"he goes to univeristy," she said
"oooh, an older boy. what university?"
"kasetsart." this is what i'm made to believe is a prestigious university near bangkok.
"oooh. how did you meet him?"
"i saw him on tv." i was a little weirded out, but i dunno how local tv works around here. maybe everyone watches and he was being interviewed or something.
"who is he?"
"an artist." i thought this meant painter. turns out she meant actor because the other two girls quizzed her on who it was, and when she answered "gun" (which is both a name and a weapon), they squealed and the smartest girl corrected new girl and said he was an actor.
"well, have you ever met him?" i asked.
"oh, in my dream!" she answered. the thing is, she was completely serious about all of this. this wasn't a giggly celebrity crush. she legit likes this famous actor. she went on to tell us that she's in the fan club and how one time she bought a ticket to his concert but for whatever reason it didn't work and that was her one chance to meet him and she was so upset it didn't happen. there was no way i was gonna break this girl's heart and tell her that she had no chance in dating this famous guy.
"you should talk to him," i suggested, because hell, why not try to meet and date this famous actor fellow? he's only 19, she explained, so they're pretty much the same age. and he lives fairly close by.
"i tried! but my ticket, it didn't work."
"no, i mean email him or something. just you and him." the other two girls think this is a sane suggestion. i know i'm being sort of mean and giving bad advice, but this girl'll figure it out sooner or later.
the conversation blended from her actor crush to another girl's crush on a boy at school, and before we knew it it was after 8 pm and time to go home. secret wednesdays are the best.
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