The Love Triangle in Washington

Getting my picture taken with Kim Soo Hyun...ha, if only!

Well, we are in the Country of epic Love Squares. I will tell you that what you've heard about couples here is probably true:

Yes. Couple shirts exist. In fact, they are everywhere. 

Buying separate meals or Popcorn at the movies? Please. Everything is in a couple set here. 

"Let's go ride bikes together." Literally means together. Like, on the same bike together. It's sickeningly adorable.

Lovey, dovey. Everywhere. 

Jenee and I actually witnessed something that looked like it was straight out of a drama the other day.

This guy was just standing there awkwardly while this girl sobbed on him: we're talking right out on the street, he's standing there and she's got her head against his chest and her arms were just hanging down...then he lifted his hand with this completely somber expression on his face and kind of patted her on the back. 

I've never really seen anything like it in real life. And I mean whatever was going on was probably terrible because that girl was full on bawling....but...I guess I can't really describe what witnessing that scenario was like. I kinda sorta totally looked around to see if there were any cameras filming near by.  

But these interesting "drama moments" don't stop with just the adults we've encountered here... 

Jenee has a girl in her kinder class (soooo she's only seven, lol) named Victoria and apparently she's quite the Juliet of her day since she's stuck in the middle of a tragic love triangle between two suitors: Robert and Thomas (both, also, seven). 

Robert has the biggest crush in the history of little boy crushes on Victoria. He looks at her with adoration-filled eyes and pats her head with infatuation. 

But no matter how much attention Robert adoringly bestowed upon young Victoria, he has forever been cast aside (aka friendzoned) because the girl of his dreams is totally in love with a different classmate: Thomas. 

So today during lunch poor Robert (who hates kimchi) made a big deal about it being kimchi day and was like, "Ewwwww kimchi!" 

Victoria just looked at him with this total grown-up expression on her face and was like, "You're a big boy, Robert, you need to eat kimchi." 

So, Jenee decided to ask her, "Who's your favorite boy in the class?" 

And Victoria looked over at Thomas, who was totally shoveling kimchi into his mouth and was like, "I like Thomas, he eats kimchi." 

Que Robert and his face crumbling like his heart had just been crushed into a million pieces.

Then Rony, Jenee's Korean co-teacher, gave Robert a pointed look and told him, "Robert, if you eat kimchi Victoria will like you." 

And thus this drama is to be continued. 

Romance isn't the only thing in the air here. If you're familiar with Korean culture (or pop-culture, for that matter) in any way you are probably already aware that with the romance comes the bromance. 

It's pretty much the cutest, funniest thing. 

Guys here are weird.

No really. 

Putting the whole bromance thing aside for just a second, we've totally seen numerous guys snapping selfie photos. It's embarrassing enough for a girl to be caught totally sneaking a selfie-shot with her phone...but dude, guys do it here like they are running for the next top model or something. It's like they don't even care if people are looking. It's super hilarious. 

But anyway, back to the bromance. 

So, I have these two boys in one of my afternoon classes: Anthony and Jeremy. They both make me want to tear my hair our and repeatedly beat my head against the wall on most days but...they are also so funny I just can't even...

The other day I over-heard them talking in Korean and I said something (it was probably a screechy "HEY! What are you guys talking about?!" because that's usually the case) and they just looked at me and Anthony was like, "Teacher. We are ca-po-ru." (Konglish for "couple"). 

I was just like (trying not to laugh because they are second graders) "Oh, really?" 

And he was like, "Yes. We are ra-bu ra-bu." (love-love, lovie, dovie). (giggle, giggle, giggle) 

Then, yesterday in class I noticed that they were both wearing orange shirts so I was like, "Anthony! Jeremy! You match!" 

And because I totally walked right into that one Anthony was like, "Couple shirt!" 

And Elin, my one girl in that class, looked up at me and said, "Teacher! Anthony and Jeremy are Monday-Wednesday-Friday couple!" 

Then they all busted up laughing because it's so hilarious and Anthony and Jeremy are just really good friends but...like I said, bromance is a thing here. Guys are not afraid of being much closer with other guys and it's totally normal. Like giving each other hugs, talking pictures together, holding hands (the boys actually don't want to hold the girls' hands lololol). 

It's so cute. And it's so sweet. But it's so weird. 

I guess dudes are just a little more in touch with their feminine side in Korea. 

Anyway...that's been our super exciting week so far. Whoo hoo. Guess what? TOMORROW'S FRIDAY!