나는 이해를 못합니다... ^^"

The title literally means: I don't understand.
This is super random random and hopefully, considerably short for you guys. It's an interaction between me and a Korean guy at my volunteer club.

Guy: "Are you in the tennis class with me?"

Me: "No, why?"

Guy: "Really??" *frowns*

Me: "Yeah. I don't take any tennis classes. Maybe you mistake me as her?"

Guy: "Yeah maybe. You look just like her."

Me: *a bit crept out, starting to think whether I might have a doppleganger* "Hahaha really? That's interesting"

Guy: *laughs and suddenly...* "Are you Korean?"

Me: "Eh?" *dumbfounded* O___O

Guy: "Hahaha just kidding!"

Me: *sigh of relief*

I really wish I have enough guts to at least say "Annyeonghaseyo". After all, that's the only formal word I know in Korean. I'm not so sure if other words I picked up from Kdrama and Kpop reality shows are formal or not.

Seriously, this guy is the second Korean guy who thought of me as a Korean. I'm flattered really. I don't look a single thing like a Korean. Or maybe I look like a Korean for Korean people? I gotta ask Super Junior for clarification before I can stop blushing out of flatters.

Still about Korean people, I happened to make friends with a Korean lady in my dance class. She's older than me, older than any college students you've ever seen. She's most likely considered as an ahjumma, but what interesting is, she has young spirit and acts much like teenagers.

Lady: "Are you *my friend's name* friend?" (She's referring to a friend of mine which is also enrolled in the same class)

Me: "Yes."

Lady: "Oh, you're also from Vietnam then?" (Seriously, her Korean accent is cute!)

Me: "No, I'm from Indonesia."

Lady: "Ooh...Indonesia. I see."

Me: "Where are you from?"

Lady: "I'm from Korea"

Me: "Oh...*pauses* Annyeonghaseyo"

Lady: *smiles* "Ooooh...good, you speak it really good! Where did you learn that?"

Me: "I learned that from...*pauses for a second* my cousin. Yes, from my cousin. But I'm still learning."

Lady: "Oh but that's...gooood!"

Me: "Thank you."

You know, I was about to say that I learned it from Korean dramas and reality shows, but again, I have no guts to do that. She might think I'm some sort of an avid Kdrama and Kpop fan. And I don't want to embarrass myself for that as I'm not like a Korean maniac. :)

And finally...my very first real yet epic fail conversation with a real Korean. I don't mean to brag about it but for someone who doesn't have any backgrounds or informal/formal Korean language education like me, I'm quite proud that at least I can respond to basic phrases.

So this last conversation takes place when my friend from China brought along her Korean friend. My Chinese friend, who's a Kpop fan, happens to know that I love Korean music and dramas too. So she went...

Chinese friend to her Korean friend: "She's learning Korean too." *points at me*

Korean girl: (she spoke excitedly to me) "정말 (Jeongmal)?" (which means: "really?")

Me: *nervously* "네 (Ne)." (means: "yes")
I almost said 조금 "jogeum" which means "a little", but I was like having a cork stuck in one of my brain's nerves. So that word didn't make it out.

And OMG, I just realized now that "Ne" is "yes" in informal way.

Shoot, see? That's what you get from learning straight from Korean shows and dramas. But seen from my friend's reaction, I think she's totally okay with me. After all, she's about my age.

Finally I managed to at least respond to the simplest yet most basic Korean phrase. I have to thank those artists, singers, and actors I've seen for indirectly implanting me with some basic phrases. So...

너무 감사합니다... :)
(Thank you so much)