At my job, we have the pleasure of working with a lot of wonderful Korean teachers. Some of them are ambitious. Two of my coworkers recently took the test (and passed) to become supervisors. In Korea, big accomplishments like that are cause for celebration. Some people will celebrate by buying a new vehicle. One of … Read More
Last night while listening to the latest MapleNamu podcast, I heard Chris say, “live your best life.” It is a phrase that I have wanted to cover before. I only started noticing people using it as a catchphrase in the last five years, but it has been growing in popularity since the start of the … Read More
Today we were brainstorming ways to improve the new facilities at work. My coworker suggested that we move the TV. It was a good idea. She asked me if she should call general affairs and I said, “It doesn’t hurt to ask.” The phrase, ‘it doesn’t hurt to ask’, is used to encourage someone to … Read More
TIDE: The movement of water due to the gravity of the moon. Today, I walked to an island! You might be wondering how that is possible, but there are a few places in Korea where you can do this. I went to Ssang-do island (쌍도) by Biin beach. When the tide goes out, a path … Read More
To bite the bullet means to do something that you do not want to do, but that you have to do. For example, you might be afraid of the dentist, but your tooth is hurting. You should just bite the bullet and go to the dentist. There is a commonly held belief that the phrase … Read More
Today my friends and I went to Taean to enjoy the ocean and the beautiful weather. It was a sunny day. At first, I forgot to wear my hat and sunscreen, but I remembered after about an hour. So, I put sunscreen on my head, neck, and face. Then, we spent a few hours walking … Read More
Yesterday, I wrote about the word spam. In that article, I used the phrase ‘make do’. ‘Make do’ means to get by with what you have. If you don’t have the right tools for the job, but you use other tools to complete the task, you are making do. Someone who ‘makes do’ is resourceful … Read More
One of Korea’s biggest holidays is Chuseok which is usually in September or early October. For a few weeks leading up to the holiday, stores are filled with gift sets. Most gift sets are hygiene products or food. They are also overpriced. I remember seeing a gift box of SPAM for the first time. I … Read More
Chewing the fat is a way to describe small talk. It can also be applied to friendly conversations. It gives the impression of having a relaxing conversation. Example: “What are you guys talking about?” “Nothing much, we’re just chewing the fat.” The history of ‘chewing the fat’ is not clearly understood. It is another phrase … Read More
You must have at least one large box of props that you can use. I have a lot of old gloves, scarves, etc. that I have collected for this game. You can get these fairly cheap from Daiso, or ask around for old clothes. One student will come up to the front of the class … Read More
