My Filipino Kid Taught Me Something

Sensei works on impulsive, so yesterday I spontaneously dropped my Filipino student a text, asking for his targets for PSLE as well as his stress levels associated with the examinable subjects.

That move caused me to shed my professional armour, and I remarked why I had commented at length on his poetry and poster (instead of his melancholic introductions for his compositions).

He then enlightened me that in the Philippines, his teachers had taught him and his classmates how to write poems since the third grade. This prompted me to share Brian Bilston, one of my favourite poets with him.

He must have gone to check out Brian’s work because he then sprinkled a word that left me scratching my head.

Raconteur.

Did you know the meaning of this word? It means “a person skilled at telling anecdotes or witty tales in an interesting or amusing manner.”

A lifetime of acing English exams and teaching English in all its myriad forms. But I have never encountered this word. Yet, raconteur is second nature to this boy because of the entrenched literary tradition of his country.

I was flabbergasted. Humbled. There is so much out there that I still don’t know.

I was not too embarrassed to admit to him that I had Googled the meaning of raconteur. We then started discussing our favorite words in English.

Among his list was sonder.

Yes, I had to Google it. It means “the profound, sudden realization that every random passerby is living a life as vivid, complex, and chaotic as your own.”

Loved it instantly. Reminded me of wanderlust and fernweh (a German word), which I proceeded to share with him.

I’m thankful that in the bone-crushing pressures mandated by the PSLE, I have serendipitously (one favourite word we have in common!) met a student who loves words.

For what they are. Not really to pass exams with flying colours.

So, this blog post is dedicated to students who love obscure, fancy, sophisticated vocabulary words. In all their unadulterated glory.