...and then again

I was talking to Jeong Min before class. He asked me if North Carolina is near Ohio (because his family is moving there next month.) Our conversation lasted until Varikyutt (no photo available) entered the room. He must have heard us talking because he walked up to my desk where I was seated.

Jeong Min

A little background: on the first day of classes for me, I asked the students to write a short biography so I could get to know them. Varikyutt explained in writing that he had been previously taught in British International Schools. (Sure enough, he speaks with a perfect British accent.) He also wrote, "My hobbies are killing digital people, commanding armies, playing sports, and terrorizing my friends' secrets. I hate cartoons, and I've had bad experiences with Australians and Americans. My hero is Adolf Hitler." (How fast do you think I walked to the guidance counselor's office?)

Seven weeks later, as I finished my conversation about America that I was having with Jeong Min, I turned to Varikyutt and said, "See America is a pretty good place to live. You said you don't like Americans. I'm American and you like me."

In his beautifully deliberate Cambodian manner, with his beautifully deliberate British accent, he said, "No offense, but you kind of creep me out."