"Alice in Korealand" and "Peas in Pods"

People that know me well will tell you I've had the nickname "Poz" for as long as they can remember. Truthfully, the name first came around back in 2nd grade when my soccer coach at the time insisted on calling me "Pozzie" (rather than "Pozdol"), while I ran aimlessly down the soccer field. From there, "Pozzie" became "Poz" (since one syllable is always easier to say than two apparently) and when my fellow teammates (many of whom were my fellow second grade classmates) started referring to me as "Poz" in the classroom, in the lunchroom, and out at recess, the nickname took on a whole new being and became what is my most beloved nickname. From second grade up through my first few years as a "working adult" in Palatine Dist. 15, I have friends across the board that even if they themselves don't refer to me as "Poz" on a normal basis, still know it as the nickname I've "had forever".

And so....like with any new adventure with meeting new people, experiencing new things, etc., I came to Korea thinking that this "infamous nickname" would carry on across oceans, across distant lands....(perhaps even across the N. Korean boarder! (-;) and would defy all language barriers, all accents, all ridicule, all.....

Ok. Let's be serious. Honestly, all I thought was that having the chance to "start anew!" would allow me the chance to share the "intrigue of my past", the "humbles of my beginning", the history of "Poz"....
"Is that what we should call you then?"
I found myself staring blankly at two of my fellow teacher friends (both London natives) straight in the face as they posed the question concerning my nickname.
"Pohz? That's how you like it then, no?"

Let me interject at this point and say that I absolutely LOVE British accents - they're hilarious! I always feel so proper, so dainty, so lovely, so..."Pride & Prejudice" ;-)

"Well...when you say it like that," I began, "It sounds more like Pods...ya know? Like 'peas in pods'?"

They laughed hysterically.

My one friend of the two (Hye-sin is her name) had already attempted to reign a new nickname on me prior to when this whole "pods" conversation took place. With her silly British wit, she had insisted on calling me "Alice"...mostly because she couldn't remember (or bother herself I suppose...ha!) to finish saying the rest of my name. My other friend, Joy, would then look at Hye-sin and say "her name is ALLISON! ALLISON! Not ALICE!!!" And then the two of them would get into some sort of British frenzy as I stood there, amazed, as the two discussed my name and what it is I "should be called".

Regardless, Hye-sin decided she liked the name "Alice" and that "it suited me" - much more-so than my other nickname "Pods" did ;-) And while both her and Joy still like to joke around and call me "Pods" in their British attempts at saying "Poz", they more regularly have been calling me "Alice"....and so it stands....."Alice's Adventures in Korealand..." ha!

It's strange having a "new nickname" I suppose....but it's one that these new friends have come up with, and so I can't help but be amused by their silly, British "creativity". Who knew? Unfortunately, "Poz" can't seem to withstand international boarders, but just because some call me "Alice" and some call me "Allison", doesn't mean I'll ever forgo the name "Poz", no matter where I find myself landing ;-)


Here I am with my British girls: Hye-sin (left) and Joy (right)