Caveat: A Modest Proposal

An elementary student of mine wrote the following essay, which was supposed to be about an imaginary trip. It could be read as a depressing reflection of shallow values and crass materialism and at least a small dosage of racism thrown in, to boot… but I've decided instead to read it as a satire in the vein of Swift's Modest Proposal. Hereforthwith I present her writing, unedited:

I will go to Africa with small boat just by oneself.
At first, I will go to African's village and give lots of money
 and play with them.
Second, I will go to the diamond mine and dig many diamonds
 with African children workers and take it to Korea and sell
 at a high priceㅋㅋ
Third, I will go to national park and photographing all of the
animals and plants and I will take small and cute animals put in
the small case.
Then I will go back to home and sell diamonds, cute animals, and
I will be very very rich person in the world.
                                                         finish..

Think of it as a perfect description of the modus operandi of contemporary global capitalism. As explained from the mouths of babes….  Even if it's utterly presented at face value, there are lessons to be taken here.

Caveat: Waiting in Line

Garrison Keillor said of the Democrats, "…the party of people who don't mind waiting in line." Somehow, this captures a lot. It's a little bit funny, too. Some days, I enjoy "A Prairie Home Companion," and other days, I don't at all.

Caveat: 물 밖에 난 고기


물     밖에   난       고기

water out-AT coming-out fish
A fish out of water

This proverb wasn't difficult. I guess there's a first time for anything.

Unrelatedly, here's an interesting quote – yet another thing I can hit myself with when I contemplate my lack of progress in language-learning: "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." – Thomas Edison. I am constantly missing opportunities to learn Korean because of this exact problem. My inherent laziness kicks in.

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