Iguana Eyes

It's become increasingly apparent that traits I once considered assets are more like liabilities here. Take eye color, for instance. I've always been quite happy to have hazel eyes but am now realizing they may not be very appealing to Korean tweens.

This afternoon, students in one of my Social Studies classes were doing all they could to veer off topic, understandably since the material was rather dry. In preparation for upcoming presentations, we were practicing how to make eye contact, and next thing I know, they're all gathered around me staring right at my face. Nervous about what they were thinking, I didn't have to wait long before one blurted out: "Teacher! Green and brown eyes!!" (Yea, I thought naively. They noticed!) Then they all began saying it as though it were some cool revelation until one boy remarked, "Iguana eyes." Bam! Right back down to Earth as I'm coming to know it in Korea.