Treated better than I deserved

Yesterday I took a trip to DaeJeon with some of the International Office staff.  We visited WooSong University to learn about their student exchange program.  It was a great spring day with plenty of sunshine and some rare warmth we haven't had much of yet.

Upon arriving we were escorted in to a meeting room with the Vice-President who spoke very good English. He proceeded to ask me if I wanted coffee or tea.  I was surprised he was asking me, so I answered I didn't need anything and that I was fine and thanked him.  He insisted on giving me tea or coffee, so I consented to tea.  In a few moments a student helper walked in with tea for all of us!  No one else had been asked.
Then the Vice-President looked at me and asked me what I wanted to know about their program and that for my benefit he would speak English, if that was OK with me.  Little did he know I knew no Korean, at least at that level!

I felt uneasy as he kept looking at me explaining in English their program while the rest of the staff with me seemed to be ignored.  I finally was able to hand the conversation over to the Korean staff with me and the conversation then proceeded in Korean.  I was still being looked at as Korean was now being spoken.
Eventually we went outside to be escorted to another campus.  I was introduced to another WooSong University leader who graciously bowed to me and shook my hand while just nodding his head at the rest of the KNU staff.

While returning to KNU, everyone in the van broke out in loud laughter and they were looking at me!  Now I was really uneasy.  What was up?  Why was my name being used in the van (in Korean) and suddenly everyone starts laughing hard?  Tenny finally spoke up in English and said, "Ron, we are all laughing because their Vice-President thought you were the Vice-President of KNU!"  I looked over, and the REAL Vice-President was laughing with the rest of them!!   Now I joined in, and the whole van was in an uproar at what at happened!

I told the KNU staff that I wandered why I was served first and was the one being talked to.  I just thought they were glad to see an English person they could talk English to.  I had no idea they thought I was the Vice-President of KNU!  I don't know if anyone enlightened the poor man or not.  I was happy our whole group was not offended and just went along with it!

In my last blog I talked about getting a BD cake I did not deserve because it was not my birthday.  On this trip I got honors I did not deserve because I am not the Vice-President!  Is it any wonder I love this place?!