2. 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. 

3. 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.

4. 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?

5. 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.

6. 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?”

7. Jo and Tim are just leaving the hospital.
(outside the hospital.)
Tim
Jo, man. You are a lifesaver. I could have never communicated to the nursing staff, without you! 성조
Think nothing of it. Thankfully I remembered the symptoms of food poisoning.
I don’t know how it happened.
What did you eat?
There was this thing that was…I dunno…kinda like chicken? It was definitely fried, but the inside was still a little cold…but that was my first time having it, so I though that was how it was supposed to taste…
Could you describe it a little more?
It was kinda flat, with a flaky exterior. Maybe it was chicken or pork, but I remember they gave me a fork and knife to eat it with…oh! And some brown sauce.
I would advice not going to that restaurant again. Stick to McDonalds.
Aw man…I went there because I was sick of McDonalds.

8. Reflect and Discuss What do you think Tim ate? “Think nothing of it.”
Imagine you are in a foreign country, by yourself, would you eat something, if you didn’t know what it was?
What’s the benefit or gain?
What’s the danger?

9. Jo takes Tim hiking for the first time.
On a mountain, outside Seoul. 성조
Tim! I thought I lost you!
Tim
(panting) *huff* *huff* You’re like the roadrunner from Looney Tunes.
The what?
Never mind. How much further do we have to go?
Only about another kilometer.
I’m still on the Imperial system. Maybe give me a time frame?
Oh…um…maybe 25 minutes. No offense, but at the speed your going, it might be longer.
I think you and I have a different idea of what’s a hike. Indiana doesn’t have many mountains, so I’m used to a flatter surface.
Haha. Sorry, Korea’s a peninsula. We’ve got no place to go, but up.
No kidding. Korea’s great, and all, but it sometimes feels like the land of the never-ending staircase.
Hahaha! That was good! C’mon. Stick it out for 30 more minutes, then we’ll sit and drink booze on the mountaintop.
Now, you’re talking!

10. Reflect and Discuss “I thought I lost you.”
What did Tim mean by, “You’re like the roadrunner from Looney Tunes”?
No offense, but…
What did Jo mean by, “We’ve got no place to go, but up”?
Discuss second meaning.
Can you “stick it out?”

11. The Hagwon just finished its Chuseok Party.
On a mountain, outside Seoul. 성조
Congratulations. You survived your first 송편 making class with the students!
Tim
Right. And they only made fun of me 5 times.
Don’t worry about it. It’s not like theirs was any better.
Can I please take this thing off, now?
Not a fan of Korean traditional clothing?
No offense, but this thing is making me feel like I’m roasting.
Haha. OK, take it off. (Five minutes later.) Tim? I’ve always been curious what America’s Day of Thanks is like.
You mean Thanksgiving? Oh well, not much going on. Family gets together, watches football, eats a gargantuanly huge meal and then falls asleep on the couch.
The whole family just watches football?
Huh? Oh, no. My dad and uncles usually do. My mom and aunts do all the cooking.
So, the men sit and watch TV, while the women work? Sounds exactly like my house…
Except we don’t wear anything that roasts our insides…

12. Reflect and Discuss What are Tim and Jo wearing?
Is that still worn, these days?
“They only made fun of me 5 times.”
Gargantually huge meal.
“Roasts our insides?”

13. Bonding over Sibling Situations
At the E-mart shopping center food court 성조
What’s the word for brother and sisters, again?
Tim
You mean “siblings?”
Right, thanks. How do you relate to your siblings?
Don’t even ask! I can’t freaking stand my older brother!
Whoa! What’s wrong with him?
He’s such a damn know-it-all. Any tiny, miniscule mistake I make, he has to just point out and make sure he tells me the right answer.
That’s a bad thing, right?
Usually. I mean if your in business or a pharmacist, then sure, being perfect is a good thing. But if your just talking at the bar, it’s a real pain. He’ll stop the entire store if he’s short-changed a penny.
He’ll stop the store for a penny? Now that is too much…but I think my sister is worse…
How so?
Every five minutes, she’s asking if her hair is alright or her lipstick is on cutely.
Sounds like a confidence problem. But I’ll take that over a know-it-all, any day.
Try living with it for a few years. Sometimes I just want to tape her mouth.
Like I don’t know what THAT feels like!

14. Reflect and Discuss Did you catch the location?
What does “relate to” mean?
How do you relate to your co-workers?
I can’t (freaking) stand…
What is a know-it-all?
Have you ever encountered a know-it-all?
Has a boss or professor ever gotten on your case for a miniscule mistake?
Would you ever stop a store if they short-changed you (100 won?)