Single teachers

During my first week of school, the principal and my head co-teacher took it upon themselves to tour me around the school and introduce me to everyone.  This was very nice because it got me oriented in a place where I previously had only known where my office and the bathroom were.  The uncomfortable part was how they introduced everyone.

Mostly they just introduced me to passing students and teachers and showed me different classrooms.  Normal enough.  But there were two stops that made me feel a bit uncomfortable.  

Now I have to take a moment to tell you the most asked question I get here in Korea from students and teachers alike.  It is:  

"Boyfriend?"

No, I do not have a boyfriend.  

I understand that they're just naturally curious and honestly a small part of me finds the questioning adorable and comforting because it's the kind of thing people in Iowa ask on a constant basis, but on the day that I was toured around the school, the issue of me not having a boyfriend was taken to new heights.  

Not once but twice during my tour they stopped a male teacher, shook him by the shoulders, and my principal, who speaks basically no English at all, uttered the phrase, "Single teacher!  Single teacher!"  Again and again.  While laughing.  And the poor men who got suckered into being introduced to me as a "single teacher" just lowered their heads and blushed.  I did the same.  Because really, how do you respond to that?  "Oh, nice to hear that you're single.  I just moved halfway around the world and we don't speak the same language or anything but I'm sure we'll make a great couple since our boss seems to think so."  

No.  Inappropriate.  

I am happy to say that since that initial meeting, both of those teachers took over 2 weeks to say hello to me.  In English or Korean.  And one of them only said "Hi" after being prodded by the art teacher to do so.   I'm pretty sure he's the one that's most scared of me.  So now I have learned that it is possible to intimidate men without even being able to speak to them.  Impressive, no?