Jo (성조) and Tim The following is a series of dialogues between a Korean English teacher and a foreign co-teacher. These conversations are based on real life situations, complications, worries and connections that occur between such teachers, in current educational institutions. These situations were observed on such mediums as: chat rooms, Facebook, Instagram, foreign magazine comment sections, and the professor’s personal experience. 

Tim arrived in Korea, yesterday. He is a total novice Tim arrived in Korea, yesterday. He is a total novice. He has just met his co-teacher, 성조. (In the teacher’s working area.) 성조 Hello. I’m 성조, but you can call me Jo. Tim How’s it going, Jo? I’m Tim. I just got to Korea yesterday, so I’m learning the ropes. Did you have a nice flight? I’ll bet it was uncomfortably long. Eh…I had an aisle seat, so it was no big deal. The taxi ride over here, though…. Oh? Did the driver yell at you, or something? No, nothing like that…I’m just not used to the kind of driving style…they have here. Aha! A bit like a racetrack, isn’t it? You took the words right out of my mouth. That’s a bit of a norm, here. But anyway, you made it to our hagwon , in one piece! Hagwon? Oh, right. This school.

Reflect and Discuss What “ropes” is Tim learning? What did Tim mean by an aisle seat being “no big deal?” We’ve met Jo. What did he mean by “racetrack?” “You took the words right out of my mouth.” “That’s a bit of a norm.” What does “in one piece” mean? How would you describe a hagwon?

Jo is getting to know Tim. (In the teacher’s working area.) 성조 Do they have any Asian restaurants in your hometown? Tim You have to really hunt for them. I’m from a small town in Indiana, so it’s not common. Why do you ask? I’m curious about what you think of our cuisine. Well. It’s definitely got a kick to it. …kick? I’m sorry, I don’t follow. Oh. “Kick to it.” It’s a kind of saying we use that describes a food that suddenly becomes spicy. Oh, I see! Yes, spicy and Korea go hand in hand. You’ll have to get used to that. What did you think of the food when you studied in California? I actually thought it was a little salty. For me, anyway. Salty? Hmm…now that I think about it, I guess we do lay the sodium a little thick.

Reflect and Discuss What does Tim mean by “hunt?” Cuisine. Well. It’s definitely got a kick to it. Give other foods that have a “kick to it.” Do you follow? Two things can go hand in hand. What does that mean? What does it mean to lay something “a little thick?”