What I am about to write, you will probably not believe.   I can hardly believe it myself.

I would classify the following event as one of the craziest and most random things that have ever occurred in my life.  

Scene:  Daegu, South Korea.  Wednesday, October 27, 2010.  Approximately 6:25pm.  I am at Daegu Bank station, on the platform, waiting for the subway to arrive.  

As I am waiting, I notice a young girl, aged somewhere from 12-17, in a yellow sweatshirt.  She approaches me from the right slowly, as one might if you thought you saw someone you knew but weren’t sure.  She stops about 1 foot away and stares intently.  I assumed it was one of my students, so I looked at her and gave a friendly smile.  However, I didn’t recognize her.  Maybe one of the 3rd graders I haven’t taught…

Ding! Ding! Ding!  The bell sounds to alert the soon-arriving subway.  As the subway starts to pull into the platform, the girl moves behind me as if to get in line.

She then shoves me as hard as she can towards the tracks… and the oncoming train. 

Admittedly, her shove was nowhere near hard enough for me to fall or stumble onto the tracks.  There was also a guardrail that I guess she didn’t compute. 

Nonetheless, I turned around in shock.  Maybe this student is really angry that I didn’t talk to her….???

“뭐???”  What???  I asked.   No answer.

I brush it off as an accident and continue to walk on the subway car.   The girl shoves me again.  As others hustle around me to get in the subway car, the girl then proceeds to take her fist and pound me in the back of the head.  3 times.  Hard.

I turn around, raise my hands in defense.  Surprisingly, my instincts are to react in Korean.  So I say, “하지마!” (Don’t do that!) and “그만해!” (Stop!).     (These are important words to learn as a teacher! haha)

I then try to walk away, down the subway car.  She grabs my purse and yanks me back.  I get away and run further down the subway car.  

This is causing quite a scene in the subway car.  I am embarrassed for the scene.  The Koreans probably assumed it was my fault, like I had done something to deserve it.   Did she steal her candy?  Did she tell her that Dokdo belonged to Japan?  

No.  I did none of those things.  

I think she has given up and I am safe.   As I look in the reflection of the subway car, I notice her slowly coming up behind me. 

Again, she takes her fist and starts punching me in the back of the head.  Not love taps.  It was like she was trying to knock me unconscious. 

That’s it.  I turn around and look at her and say “뭐???”  What did she want?  What did I do?  Why was she hitting me?  I really wanted to know!

She had no response.  Her face was extremely calm, with maybe a slight hint of confusion in her eyes.  She never said a word this entire time.  

Finally, with a low guttural growl, I said, “꺼져!”   This literally translate to “Off!” but depending on tone and pitch, it can be translated as “F*** off!”

With this growl, she stepped back.  Slight look of confusion…or was it fascination?  She then quietly walked away, back down the subway car.

In a jam-packed subway car, not a single person moved a muscle to help me.  Not a single person said any word to defend me, the foreigner.   I looked around at everyone in exasperation — a quiet plea for back up.  But I got none.  All I got were faces of disdain.  Some had looks of embarrassment, like this was their mentally challenged child that was acting out. 

I was luckily able to defend myself in Korean.  Had I not, I don’t know what would have happened. With tears streaming down my face — from shock?  embarrassment? —  I watched this little girl.  Other subway passengers moved out of her way as she walked.  Two Korean girls whispered nervously to each other as they eyed her.  

I reluctantly turned my gaze and stared back at my reflection in the subway window.   I exited at Banwoldang station, keeping a watchful eye behind my back.  The girl did not exit the subway.  

My conclusions:

• The girl had to be mentally unstable or extremely anti-foreigner.  
• She did not look mentally retarded or developmentally challenged.
• Her attempt to shove me in front of the train is appalling regardless of mental disability.  

My questions:

• If this girl was mentally unstable, why was she completely unattended?
• Why did no one on the subway step in to interfere?  

Actually, I know the answer. It’s because Korea prefers to turn their heads.  If there is a problem, ignore it and it will go away.  It’s how they treat students with mental problems.  It’s how they treat logistical concerns.  Like Gina, who has asked for a trash can for her classroom.  They have ignored it like the problem will suddenly disappear and Gina will no longer need a trash can.   

Korea cannot keep ignoring the problems that they are inconvenienced by.  It is time to address them.