Editor’s note: The following is the fourth in a multipart memoir series written by Alek Sigley about his time studying at Kim Il Sung University.

When I was in North Korea, people addressed me in various ways. The dormitory staff called me “guest Alek” (알레크 손님), while to the staff of the External Affairs Office I was “mister Alek” (알레크 선생). 

These terms of address may entail respect, but also imply a certain degree of distance. “Guest” (손님) places emphasis on the commercial nature of one’s interactions, while “mister” (선생), in the North Korean context, is a term of respect