Freeform Friday 05 - Freshmen Questions

I spent all day yesterday at Los Osos High School speaking to freshmen about setting goals. Freshmen and sophomores go through a series of talks given by guest speakers; the point of the talks is to keep students away from drugs and gangs. I was asked by a friend to fill in and he suggested that I spend the first few minutes fielding questions so the students could get to know me better. I thought that it was a good way to break the ice between me and the students so I gave it a shot. Here are some of the questions the students asked me.

What ethnicity are you?

The students were fascinated by my ethnicity; this question came up in most of the periods. Maybe the question came up because I’m such an exotic mix: half Japanese, one quarter Swedish and one quarter Dutch. When I was talking about my Japanese roots, another student would inevitably ask if I could speak Japanese. Whenever anyone asks me if I know how to speak Japanese, I am prompted to discern their ethnic background and ask if they can speak that language. For some reason, if a person has a non-European ethnic background, it is assumed that he or she can speak the language. Tied to the issue of my ethnicity were comments that I look like Jon Gosselin from Jon and Kate Plus Eight. I told them that I might look like Jon but I am in no way as big of a jerk. I actually have some more choice words for Jon but considering the context “jerk” was all I could say.

Are you married?

I told the students that I wasn’t married but I do have a girlfriend. Some of the students were confused at the concept of me having a girlfriend. I thought it was because they assumed I was completely undateable but it was because they thought pastors couldn’t be married or even date anyone. I had to explain to them that Catholic priests take a vow of celibacy and can’t get married but as a Protestant pastor I most definitely can get married. They got really confused with all of the talk about Catholics and Protestants and then I remembered that they haven’t had world history yet. Once they found out that I have girlfriend, they asked me if she was cute. I said that she was extremely cute and very attractive but one of the students told me that I have to say that because she’s my girlfriend. I thought that was a good point.

Do you like your job?

I told them that I very much like my job because I like being around students. I also like that I can count video games and Wahoo’s runs as work if I’ve got students with me. I also like my job because it affords me the opportunity to spend all day at a high school talking to students about setting goals. It’s important to set goals, it is a good lesson to learn, but for me it was just worthwhile to be around students in a setting other than church. It was also good to see some students from our youth group in a different environment. Really, it was just a good day to be a youth pastor and be around some youth.

It was a good day but I was tired afterwards. After three periods I sent my sister, a high school teacher, this text:

I’m speaking to freshmen at Los Osos about setting goals. I’ve done three periods and I’m tired. I’ve got more respect for you now.

It was a long day but it was good day highlighted by time with students and the funny questions they can come up with if given the opportunity.

What is a funny question someone younger has asked you?