Let’s talk about food.
There are two things that I just cannot eat: oysters and mushrooms.
I can’t stand* the idea of oysters – slippery, slimy, mushy, wet things.
And mushrooms, in my opinion, are the worst. I have a sixth sense for mushrooms. Even if I don’t see them, I instinctively know when one is in my mouth. It’s just something about how they feel that I don’t like.
Now you know that I hate mushrooms, I’m sure you will appreciate this story.
It was my second day in South Korea and I was exploring the local area. I had been walking for a few hours, and I was getting hungry, so I decided to find somewhere to eat.
This was my first meal alone in Korea.
I sat down with a menu – all in Korean with no pictures. It was fine though. I was feeling adventurous. What’s life if you don’t take some chances, right?
So I ordered something that was reasonably priced.
10 minutes later I was presented with a bowl of rice, a slice of beef and a plate full of mushrooms.
This ‘meal’ was my worst nightmare on a plate.
I ate the rice and the tiny piece of beef, and spent 10 minutes pushing the mushrooms around the plate.
Eventually, I paid and left the restaurant without making eye-contact with the owner.
I must’ve looked a bit of fool. But I never made the same mistake again.
I learned the Korean for ‘mushroom’ and how to say “I don’t want mushroom/ is there any mushroom in this?”… I got so good at talking about food that I could order a pepperoni pizza with no mushroom over the phone!
As you probably know, speaking a foreign language over the phone is quite an achievement!
But no-one taught be how to say these things. I didn’t go to a class. I figured it out on my own. You see, no English class is ever going to teach you everything you need or want to know.
And that’s why you need to learn how to figure it on your own.
And how to figure it out is just one of the things you’ll learn in the Find Your Path Training Program.
So, are you ready to start making ‘leaps and bounds’* in your English?
If the answer is yes, go here:
https://englishforstudy.com/fyp/
Sam
*Can’t stand = strongly dislike
*leaps and bounds = improve quickly
