Today after work, in between buses, I decided to stop into this little coffee shop that I have been walking past the last couple of weeks. Figured since it was right at the peak of rush hour, and chances are any bus i would get on, I would be packed in like a sardine. It was so lovely inside, with Nora Jones playing the background (and I will refrain from getting sentimental about how Nora Jones reminds of Dan, and kind of makes me sad), but anyway, I asked for a coffee, but they didn't serve drip coffee, so I then decided on a Latte. It was kind of cute, but she said they didn't have lattes but then asked if a "cafe latte" was okay. I affirmed that a cafe latte was just fine. Anyway, I was just sitting there watching the world go by and about 15 minutes in, the girl behind the counter asked if I liked it. I told her it was the best cafe latte I have ever had. (I KNOW I say that whatever I am having at the moment is the best I have ever had, but this one really was true. It was amazing.) She then told me that was the first one that she has ever made. I was really surprised by that, and told her that she has natural talent for it.
We then started talking for about an hour about Korea, travelling, and everything in between. It was wonderful because I asked her some questions that I have been curious about. For one, you don't have to wear socks all the time, like I thought! How happy am I? Well, kind of sad too, because I didn't pack ANY of my sandals. I also found out that I have been saying "hello" when I walk into a store and "hello" when I leave a store! (Oooooops!). To say hello it is, "Anneyong Haseyo" to say Goodbye it is, "anneyong he Kaseyo". I also asked if I could practice a few Korean phrases on her to see if she could understand me, and to my delight she could. I guess "phrases" is stretching it a bit, but I can say: right, left, go straight, stop right here please, take me here please, hello, goodbye, nice to meet you and thank you.
They want to practice their English, so I told her that we can make a deal that when I come in, I will teach them a few new English phrases in exchange for them teaching me a few new Korean phrases. I am only at this bus stop 3 times a week, so I am going to make it a point to go in there once or twice a week after work.
I was also at a bus stop earlier today and this woman was trying to talk to me. I sheepishly shrugged and pointed to my ears, trying to say that i don't understand. Anyway, she kept talking louder and louder and slower to me. In a way it was kind of comical, but it also started getting a little uncomfortable after about 10 minutes of it. I felt bad that I didn't understand, and was really wanting that bus to hurry up and get there.
When I go to that coffee shop next week, a good phrase to learn is, "I'm sorry, but I don't speak Korean". I have been approached on numerous occasions with the slow & loud talk, so it would be nice to be able to say something back, rather then pointing at my ears.
Speaking of loud talking, I stopped in the grocery store after the coffee shop and I was down the spice aisle and walked past this flustered Scottish woman trying to find chicken bouillon cubes. It was kind of funny really, because she is holding up some chicken breasts, shaking the package at the clerk and saying "CUBE" "SQUARE" incredibly loud to her. The store clerks had the look in their eyes that I had at the bus stop earlier. I stopped and asked if she was looking for chicken bouillion, because ironically enough, it was on my shopping list. I told her where it was and the store clerks were very thankful for the rescue on that. I can't imagine what the clerks thought she was trying to say and wondering why she is shaking her chicken at them like that. Anyway, that woman had only been in Korea for about 5 days, so I could sympathize with the deer in the headlights, frantic, oh my god I am in Korean look. I am actually glad that I am no longer in that phase---the initial freak out phase. I am still clueless most of the time, but my bearings are getting somewhat straight and I am able to walk into more and more situations with a bit more confidence than I was that first couple of weeks.
I say "hello" about 300 times a day (literally) in a relatively short period of time. Not the Anneyong Haseyo version either. At school when I walk anywhere there are waves upon waves of little "hellos" coming at me from all directions. It is really cute. I try to make all my Hellos sound like it was not the 100th time I just said hello in the last 50 feets. Again, I was forwarned that "hello" is probably the only word most of them know, so they LOVE to practice on me all day long. Some of them will throw in a "hi" for good measure too. Also if you ask any Korean kid how they are doing, they will always give you a blanket, robotic answer of, "I am fine". I am trying to change that up in class a bit, and give them other options, but for now, they are all fine.
We then started talking for about an hour about Korea, travelling, and everything in between. It was wonderful because I asked her some questions that I have been curious about. For one, you don't have to wear socks all the time, like I thought! How happy am I? Well, kind of sad too, because I didn't pack ANY of my sandals. I also found out that I have been saying "hello" when I walk into a store and "hello" when I leave a store! (Oooooops!). To say hello it is, "Anneyong Haseyo" to say Goodbye it is, "anneyong he Kaseyo". I also asked if I could practice a few Korean phrases on her to see if she could understand me, and to my delight she could. I guess "phrases" is stretching it a bit, but I can say: right, left, go straight, stop right here please, take me here please, hello, goodbye, nice to meet you and thank you.
They want to practice their English, so I told her that we can make a deal that when I come in, I will teach them a few new English phrases in exchange for them teaching me a few new Korean phrases. I am only at this bus stop 3 times a week, so I am going to make it a point to go in there once or twice a week after work.
I was also at a bus stop earlier today and this woman was trying to talk to me. I sheepishly shrugged and pointed to my ears, trying to say that i don't understand. Anyway, she kept talking louder and louder and slower to me. In a way it was kind of comical, but it also started getting a little uncomfortable after about 10 minutes of it. I felt bad that I didn't understand, and was really wanting that bus to hurry up and get there.
When I go to that coffee shop next week, a good phrase to learn is, "I'm sorry, but I don't speak Korean". I have been approached on numerous occasions with the slow & loud talk, so it would be nice to be able to say something back, rather then pointing at my ears.
Speaking of loud talking, I stopped in the grocery store after the coffee shop and I was down the spice aisle and walked past this flustered Scottish woman trying to find chicken bouillon cubes. It was kind of funny really, because she is holding up some chicken breasts, shaking the package at the clerk and saying "CUBE" "SQUARE" incredibly loud to her. The store clerks had the look in their eyes that I had at the bus stop earlier. I stopped and asked if she was looking for chicken bouillion, because ironically enough, it was on my shopping list. I told her where it was and the store clerks were very thankful for the rescue on that. I can't imagine what the clerks thought she was trying to say and wondering why she is shaking her chicken at them like that. Anyway, that woman had only been in Korea for about 5 days, so I could sympathize with the deer in the headlights, frantic, oh my god I am in Korean look. I am actually glad that I am no longer in that phase---the initial freak out phase. I am still clueless most of the time, but my bearings are getting somewhat straight and I am able to walk into more and more situations with a bit more confidence than I was that first couple of weeks.
I say "hello" about 300 times a day (literally) in a relatively short period of time. Not the Anneyong Haseyo version either. At school when I walk anywhere there are waves upon waves of little "hellos" coming at me from all directions. It is really cute. I try to make all my Hellos sound like it was not the 100th time I just said hello in the last 50 feets. Again, I was forwarned that "hello" is probably the only word most of them know, so they LOVE to practice on me all day long. Some of them will throw in a "hi" for good measure too. Also if you ask any Korean kid how they are doing, they will always give you a blanket, robotic answer of, "I am fine". I am trying to change that up in class a bit, and give them other options, but for now, they are all fine.
I'm literally laughing out loud over the image of the perplexed clerk wondering why Westerners shake bags of chicken at them. Thanks for the great imagery! Hello!
ReplyDeletei'll never think of bullion the same!
ReplyDeleteIt's like a game of charades sometimes as you try to mime out what you want to say.
ReplyDelete