Funny Co-Teacher's Comments

As far as people being offended by this thread... I think we all know there is no insult intended.  People are making mistakes in spoken English because there are infinite subtleties and innuendos that you could never really learn in school, even university.  For example: "I'll ride you home."  That's hilarious to me, because really, how could anyone know it has a hidden sexual (or other) meaning?  And really, I can see how a non-native speaker wouldn't see too much difference between that and "I'll give you a ride home."  I think it's important to develop a good relationship with your coworkers, so you can share a laugh with them when you tell them (in private) what "ride you home" could be understood to mean.  I think the worst thing you could do is NOT share the humor with them, then go & post about it on the forum.  That gives it a sort of icky feeling, but who would ever know but you?   Besides, hearing silly mistakes makes me think about my language a little more, instead of just taking it for granted.  I appreciate my students & coteachers for that a lot.

CT, after limping around for a bit: "Ohhh, these slippers hurt my foot fingers."

Many celebrities have strange names....like Bread Pitt!

LOL Korean's are blunt.   They have no shame and do not understand that embaressing other people is not ok.  I think most of us picked that up the first week when every Korean we met asked if we were married and how hold we were...All in all co-teachers are as much fun as English text on Korean t-shirts...

I slept all of an hour last night due to mosquitoes finding their way in (they're dead now)...

but this morning I got the oh-so-Korean, 'oh, good morning! oh. oh, you look sick. your color is bad, yes. you are sick?'
love you too, co-t :D

I was sent a Cool Messenger message about a month ago maybe, asking me to "Please rock my computer."  I was confused at first then realised they wanted to me lock/password protect the computer.  I did giggle a little bit- as I know that in speech the R and L sounds are difficult here. 

CT: You have very beautiful eyes.
Me:  Thanks.
CT:  Did you have surgery on your eyelids?
Me: No, I was born this way.

Don't worry,,

It's just cultural misunderstanding..

Don't worry,,

It's just cultural misunderstanding..

Yep.  After a lengthy debate over a topic and the Kteacher having exhausted all illogical arguments, the only thing left was, "Oh, I know why you don't understand.  It's because you don't understand Korea."

Yeah, I guess you're right.....

My bf had a good story from his school the other day, a few kids were asking him to follow them and they were yelling "Teacher! Come on my face!" in the hallway...

This is the best I've heard yet. Laughed out loud. Can't wait to have a few of these stories for myself.

CT: What does "do me" mean?
Me: Ummm. Well. It's a..ummmm.
CT: "Can you do me?" What does it mean?
Me: Okay. It's slang for "have sex with me."
CT: Oh. I see.

Today.  I teach an after school class at the DOE every other week.

CT: The DOE called about your class.  It is continuing this semester.
Me: Oh, yes, they gave me the schedule for the whole year.
CT: Yes, there are no classes on Wednesday in October or December.
Me: Hmm... will my schedule change?  I only teach Tuesdays.
CT: Yes, instead of teaching Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday those weeks, you will not teach Wednesday.
Me: But I never teach Wednesday.  Did they change my whole schedule?
CT: They don't have class on Wednesday in October or December.
Me:....Thank you.

^ Thanks! I needed a laugh!

LOL Korean's are blunt.   They have no shame and do not understand that embaressing other people is not ok.  I think most of us picked that up the first week when every Korean we met asked if we were married and how hold we were...All in all co-teachers are as much fun as English text on Korean t-shirts...

Apologies for the OT, but I still don't understand why anyone could find these questions embarrassing...  And that is from a western perspective, not just "accepting: the Korean one.  they are simple, relatively unimportant questions that should not be capable of embarrassing anyone by answering them.

Unfortunately I can't think of any comments recently to add to the actual topic.

LOL Korean's are blunt.   They have no shame and do not understand that embaressing other people is not ok.  I think most of us picked that up the first week when every Korean we met asked if we were married and how hold we were...All in all co-teachers are as much fun as English text on Korean t-shirts...

Apologies for the OT, but I still don't understand why anyone could find these questions embarrassing...  And that is from a western perspective, not just "accepting: the Korean one.  they are simple, relatively unimportant questions that should not be capable of embarrassing anyone by answering them.

Unfortunately I can't think of any comments recently to add to the actual topic.

Well, some people think being married is important and feel under pressure to get married, have a boyfriend/girlfriend or have children.  It can be a measure of success or status for many people.  That's true in the West, nearly as much as here.  Asking someone if they are married can put them on the spot and essentially asks them if they are successful. 

On a personal basis, I'm the last male member of my family line.  My grandpa had one son, and he had only one son too.  If I don't have a son, my particular line of the family just ended.  Answering the "do you have a girlfriend/are you going to get married/are you married" line of questions made me uncomfortable for a long, long time until I made my own peace with it.

Honestly, I don't find it rude, but I understand why it makes some people uncomfortable or embarrassed.  The same with age.  Some people aren't happy with being younger or older than their peers or their ideal age. 

It's an interesting thing though, how people open conversation.  In the US, most people open with "What do you do?" which is about as boorish (and boring) a question as there is out there, but it establishes pecking order right off the bat, just like Koreans do with age and marriage.  The only difference is what the great determinants of rank are. 

On the same note as the previous poster, my VP mentioned no more Saturdays but they never applied.

I re-signed at my PS for the max pay grade.  Principal replies to the effect that "Now you should be an extra special teacher going above and beyond."  Hmph.

Another thing to remember is Korean people try to find common ground so they ask questions to help relate to you. 

I am having the problem that I was adopted from Korea, and so when I met my principal, he started laughing because he said that my face looks Korean but he couldn't believe that I couldn't speak Korean. I was also asked more than 5 times when the other Korean teachers were talking if I could understand what they were saying. I said no each time, but I started to get paranoid that they were talking about me in Korean. Anyone else had the latter problem?

Not a co-teacher, but some of the other male teachers were talking about me and said I looked "pure". I thought that was nice until my co-teacher said it meant I looked like a virgin.

Not from co-teacher, but from vice principal:   VP: Did you dye your hair? Me: Yes VP: You would look more beautiful if you didn't.  Nothing like having someone polietly tell you to fix your hair!