conversations with Grace.....

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Yesterday when Claire got off work, she and a friend went to a nail salon to get manicures.  There is an energy among us this week, to do some special things to declare the end of summer and beginning of a school year.....Roger took the boys to get a new outfit for school and out for dinner and laser tag last night for that same purpose.....and Precious is getting invited to play with lots of friends this weekend.  Grace is waking up from jet lag....and feeling the same energy.  Claire showed her the mani when we were fixing dinner last night and Grace oohed and aahed.....and asked if she could paint her nails.  Claire gave her the basket of supplies we have here and Grace sat at the dining room table after dinner looking over her options.

I have mentioned before that I wish my dining room table could talk.  If I ever write a book it may be about what this table would say.....but for tonight.....the blog will have to do.  Grace tested out a dozen different colors on a paper towel before she decided on her plan.....and she worked on fingers and toes....and then used remover and tried again.....and spent alot of time doing her nails.

I asked her if girls went for mani/pedis in Korea.  She said there were lots of nail salons but high school and college girls are not allowed to get nails done.  Only adults.  Girls in school wear uniforms and are not allowed to have their nails done.  I started to worry.....since she was doing nails at my table would I get in trouble?  jeesh.  we are so getting kicked out of the international student program!

She said "no.  my mom doesn't care when I am here.  It's just in Korea."  Well Grace.....I hope so.  eek.

I should have left it at that.  I should have.  I didn't.  I decided to talk to her about human trafficking and nail salons.  Because.....why not?!  She was clueless....I had to define it for her.  There are lots of nail salons in Korea.....and so we talked about how trafficking happens and what it means......and she was wide-eyed and innocent.  Her family is Christian and educated and maybe its just not on her radar.....until now.  In my house.  She's smart.  Her English is good.  Her response:  "They have alot of episodes on Law and Order on Netflix about trafficking."......hm.  well?  ok.  

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