Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kermo]

Chatting with taxi drivers is a great way to challenge my unsteady Korean skills, and often a great source of Konglish. I would bet the farm that y'all have some humdingers. Share! Here are a few of mine:

A few weeks ago, I attempted to direct a driver to Itaewon. He repeated my destination to confirm it, and I replied merrily,
"Majayo!" (correct!)
He bellowed unexpectedly,
"ENCOURAGING SHOUTING! ENCOURAGING SHOUTING! YOU CHEER ME UP!"

Speaking of taxi drivers' English skills, I was headed for Kyobo Tower in Gangnam so I pointed at the building. The driver identified it in an exaggerated accent: "Kyobo ToWERRRR." I agreed, and repeated the name. He replied "Oh, you speak English very well!" Er, thanks.

Usually conversations, whether in English or in Korean, follow some very predictable lines. We establish where I'm from, when I got here, my age, and often my marital status. Often these adjossis will flirt a little, or talk about my eyes, but one of them just floored me the other day.
He spoke to me in Korean about my smile, and pointed to the corner of my mouth, saying he loved it. Then he asked in English whether we were going to have sex. When I replied in the negative, he immediately switched topics and told me of his great love for Elvis Presley and The Eagles, specifically Hotel California. How did I let that gem of a man slip away from me?

[laogaiguk]

Taxi drivers are the best for practicing your skills and for really learning about a place!

[Mashimaro]

Had one poor bugger tell me about how all his relatives were stuck in north korea so he couldn't see them on holidays like most people and how he lost his good job durinf IMF.. very unfortunate guy but pretty cheery disposition all the same

[Ya-ta Boy]

I've never had propositions for sex or anyone shouting, "Engcouraging shouting" at me. Outside of finding that one in three taxi drivers have a close relative living in Chicago, I haven't learned anything interesting in a taxi conversation.

However, I have had some little taxi adventures.

When I was living in Hongdae I had to leave work in the middle of the day to go to Immigration. I got downstairs at 2 and was getting hyper when dozens of empty taxis sped on by. But finally a guy stopped and I got in. After telling me that he wouldn't take me to Immigration the driver explained it was shift change time which made me a little relieved about why I had had a hard time being picked up, but I was mostly concerned with trying to figure out why he wouldn't take me to my destination and just where the heck he was taking me. We were tooling down the street and when we would come up with another taxi he would shout something at the other driver. Finally, after several no goes, he got the right answer to his shout and we both pulled over. He indicated I needed to get out and get in the other taxi. I was more than a little confused, but since he refused to take any money I was happy enough to escape. The other driver whisked me off to Immi and also refused to take any fare. All I could conclude was that the first driver had been shouting, "Will you take this poor pathetic waygook saram to Immi for free?"

[laogaiguk]

[winnie]

Interesting...I had a similar experience going to immi yesterday.

Knowing that it was a far distance from my apt, I took a bus, then a subway to the proper dong, and then hailed a cab, b/c I didnt want to navigate with my map in the snow storm. I knew the cab ride shouldn't have been more than 2000 won....since I was in the vicinity. Well buddy starts taking me into the next dong...and so I told him, hey, it's back there(in korean). He proceeded to do a few u-turns, and asked at least 4 other cabbies.....this wasted 30 mins. Turned out I was a five min walk from immi. He only took 1800 won, which is the initial fare....and told me he was sorry.

On another night, I had a young guy...told me he was single, graduated from uni...majoring in dairy farming, and couldn't find a proper job. His english was pretty great, and he gave me his number...told me he could be at my apt within 10 mins, anytime after dawn. Crazy!

[periwinkle]

[JongnoGuru]

[mindmetoo]

[riley]

I had the time when I was leaving Seoul National Hospital early in the morning after spending time with my girlfriend's family after her father died. The guy was really friendly and his English was good, but I wasn't in my happiest state. Still though, I tried to act better and learned that (at least in his case) cabbies have to take tests to learn about the areas. I had asked because he had driven me from one end of Seoul directly to the other end (my home) without needing any directions from me.
I was impressed.

[periwinkle]

Well, I guess you can't blame a guy for trying, right, Guru?

Are you guys serious about Toronto? What's up with that? I haven't had a whole lot of experiences in the states with cabbies, but I did have an Indian national take me to the post office and ship-off an entire car load of boxes when I was moving to Korea. Another guy in Chicago was super cool about taking myself and my roomate to the hospital when she in full-on labor (no joke).

Ok, in regards to Toronto cabbies, if the guy was rude, no tip for him. It doesn't pay to be rude to your passengers- maybe that's why I've never had a negative experience in the states.

[seoulkitchen]

[peppermint]

[Hobophobic]

A co-worker was waiting for her change....the cab driver held onto her hand and proceeded to give her back her change...not out of the ordinary of course but....wait...wait...

....he put her index finger in his mouth and sucked on it

...but no worse than home...riding in a taxi is like being a pirate...
sometimes ye gets de treasure...sometimes ye walksde plank

[kermo]