Most of us have embarrassed ourselves in a language we didn’t fully understand. As a college student in Vienna, Austria, I did such a thing on a streetcar one day. I needed the conductor’s help, and when he asked, “Where are you going,” I thought he said, “Where are you from,” because the words are similar in German. My answer–“America.” Other passengers giggled, and I knew I’d gotten the words mixed up. The man smiled and told me, “We don’t go that far!”
A year later I befriended some Koreans at Princeton Seminary. During that time I liked to wear colorful socks, and one day a male Korean told me, “I like your sex!” At first I was shocked, until I realized he meant that he liked my socks! I didn’t correct him, needless to say, because he would have been mortified.
Many years later I’m teaching Korean graduate students at Biblical Seminary. Most of them have theological degrees from Korean schools, and many are pastors, but they want to study in America. First, however, they need help understand how to write for an American academy. I’m happy to be helping them develop their reading and writing skills. We often share laughs at how we misunderstand each other. I have the utmost admiration for them—if I were in their shoes studying in Korea, well, let’s just say I’d be in big trouble!
Tags: Biblical Theological Seminary, Princeton Theological Seminary
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