Bathroom Cornering

    Today, I was cornered by fifteen preteen girls in the bathroom. Traumatizing? No. Hilarious? Yes.

   So there I was, minding my own business. Just having finished a class at Dario Salas, I was tired, had stayed up reading too late again last night. Washing my hands, when a few girls came up and did the whole, "Hola Tía!" "Hello Teacher" kissing on the cheek saludos (greetings) business, nothing unusual there. I'm quite the new toy at school, I get all the attention. Lots of hellos in hallways, little kids waving in excitement to see the foreigner. Again, nothing new, I was a gaijin in Japan, I'm good with attention.
    Next thing I know, they've circled me! More keep coming. Apparently, the gossip of the school was I was dating the Professor I work with, Cesar, who I'm taller than, who is probably thirty or so, and who has a two year long relationship with a serious girlfriend. At first, I didn't understand their questions, quick preteen Spanish, with giggling in the backtrack. Finally, I understood what they were asking. "What is he to you? A pareja? A amigo? Su novio?" Well, nothing new there. Everyone in Chile wants to know if I have a boyfriend, who he is, all about my love life. Lovely.
   Then, to my consternation, when I said he was just a friend and that I work with him, they didn't even believe me, like that could even be possible, just friends. Several started yelling, "Well how did you meet him? Will you start to date him?" I guess the concept of a working pair, of just friends, doesn't exist for preteen Chilean girls. Nothing we had done or acted like with each other would give anyone any kind of ideas that we're dating, but to preteen girls with nothing but time will gossip about the new foreign girl and the guy she walks next to, and then proceed to encircle said girl in the bathroom on a snack break. Too great. I love the kids.