To think I was just sexually harrassed by polyglot children?

[BossyBitch]

Probably IABU, but this shocked me anyway:

I'm an expat in a non-English speaking country (relevant).

So I'm sitting in a bus on my way to the office the following conversation between two boys, neither of whom looked any older than 11 at most, occurs:

Boy 1 (in local tongue): somethingorother English class today ...
Boy 2 (in English - with a really thick accent): I'm arriving at 9 o'clock!
B1 (also English - even thicker accent): more like 9 o'cock [gestures in a way makes it abundantly clear he knows exactly what this means and stares directly at me]!
B1 & B2: laugh, keep staring, luckily get off at the next stop

I'm not really sure what I find most horrible about this? Two kids clearly making crude remarks at a grown woman (albeit probably under the assumption that I'm local and don't get that sort of English), ESL kids even knowing that sort of English or feeling completely helpless at a situation which would have resulted in any grown man being threatened with instant castration.

So, AIBU or just getting a bit old?

I don't understand?

Nine o clock?

Nine o'cock - with the L crucially missing. And accompanied by a gesture that clearly signalled massive boner.

You are offended as some eleven year olds said 'cock'?

Ask yourself what a local woman would do. In Middle East and Asian countries local women would expect to be able to discipline (physically or via a tongue lashing) any rude child on the spot, and I'm guessing that is the same in your country. They got away with it because you're foreign, next time don't let them off.

I don't understand. What is 9 o'clock a euphemism for?

Oops. Missed the missing L.

TBH it sounds like typical prepubescent boy conversation.

No, I'm offended at being leered and gestured at by 11-year-olds in a way that would have made me tell an adult to go fuck themselves. And a tad surprised to find they even know that word/pun, seeing as English is clearly not their first language and not even one they seemed particularly good at.

I think you might have been living in an oppressive ME culture a bit too long if you find some preteens laughing about a rude word offensive.

I mean I can't precisely call them misogynist fucking creeps, now, can I? They're kids FFS!

I think it's pretty normal behaviour for kids, I would classify it as cheeky but certainly not sexual harassment.

I suppose you need to react in a way that is appropriate for the country you are in.

Harassed? Really?

Sounds like young boys doing what young boys do! Not sure what was quite so offensive really.

I thought I must have misunderstood but if not them my advice is...

Eleven year olds are silly. Silly show offs who think they are the bees knees.

It's rude to talk about cocks and do the hand gestures for cocks on buses. If they were my children I would have told them off for it. It they were doing it in my classroomI would tell them off.

If I heard them say 'nine O'cock on a bus I'd roll my eyes.

Just so we're clear: are we saying it would also not be offensive if a grown man commented, made lewd gestures and stared at a strange woman while on public transport? Because I'd find that hugely offensive personally.

I guess I'm just taken aback at this being kids.

11 year old boys can be cocky little dicks, what they needed in return was a witty retort.

It wasn't a grown man though. It was a little boy. Children aren't adults. I'd be bemused if an adult asked me to tie it's shoe lace or cried when it fell of the playground equipment. Both of which happened to me yesterday with eleven year olds.

They arent grown men.

Kids that age always find rude words funny. Especially when its a rude word in another language. When i started french at school we all looked through the dictionary for tge rude words.

They found saying a rude funny.

I find the "boys will be boys" attitudes on here deeply depressing......

I think you're right OP - how do 11yo boys even know the word cock, in English?

Actually, youtube, rap music, films, all picked up from there probably. Sad.

Its not boys will be boys at all.

Its sometimes kids and early teens do daft stuff.

I'm not saying boys will be boys, I'm saying children will be silly. I've definitely said rude words on a bus to my friends when I was a child and thought I was hilarious. I wouldn't do it now though.

If your position I'd just tell them off for being rude! I live in ME and would have no problem telling off a local child

11 year olds (boys and girls) will be silly and say stupid things sometimes, I'm sure I'd of found that hilarious at that age but obviously not now!

I mean I can't precisely call them misogynist fucking creeps, now, can I? They're kids FFS!

No, they're boys. Wither at them.