Taking Foreign Guests out Eating
Before you Read
What do you think these phrasal verbs/words means? When you read try to guess the meaning.
Pre-discussion questions
Have you ever shared a meal with non-Koreans?
What do already know about foreign eating out culture?
Which of the highlighted words below do you know already?
One of the things that you may be required to do in business is go to dinner or lunch with a customer or even a visitor to your company, or if you are visiting another country. Therefore, it is vital that you learn the eating culture of the country you are going to. One of the things to remember about western culture is that it is much more individualistic than in countries like Korea. You can see this clearly in eating. For example, Koreans will share food, eat out of the same bowls, and put their chopsticks into the same bowls to get food. For someone green to Korea this might be a shock because they might consider this to be unhygienic. As for me, it’s no problem because after living in Asia and in Korea for a long time I have grown accustomed to and like the communal eating culture.
However, if you have a foreign guest you need to be aware of this. If you are not sure of what they feel comfortable about then you could ask something like: “Let’s do lunch. How do you feel about the Korean way of eating where everyone shares food from the same bowls? If you feel it’s not for you, then we could go to another place more western (or other culture) style.” If you do this then you must surely score points. I suspect that a lot of foreigners will relish the opportunity to try something new and might reply, “Oh, I would love a chance to experience something new while I’m in Korea” or “I’m okay with that”
Guessing Meaning From Context
Now, match the letters of the phrasal verbs/words with the closest numbered meaning in the right column. The answers are at the bottom of the table.
|
vital |
A |
1 |
Describe a person who doesn’t know much, inexperienced. |
|
individualistic |
B |
2 |
Very important and necessary for something to succeed |
|
green (adjective) |
C |
3 |
Everybody in a group sharing the same thinking or things |
|
grown accustomed |
D |
4 |
Something that you don’t really like or are not interested in |
|
communal |
E |
5 |
An invitation to go and eat together |
|
Let’s do lunch |
F |
6 |
Doing something that will make you look good to someone else |
|
it’s not for you/me |
G |
7 |
Values that put “me” first any my thinking/desires before society |
|
score points |
H |
8 |
Love and value something very much |
|
relish |
I |
9 |
To agree to something, something is acceptable |
|
I’m okay with that |
J |
10 |
Become used to something, feel comfortable, confident about something |
A=2, B=7, C=1, D=10, E=3, F=5, G=4, H=6, I=9, J=10
Some Questions to help you use the new words/phrases
1. What skills or personal ability is vital to be successful in you job or industry?
2. Do you think Korea is becoming more individualistic, or is it still very much a collective (the group first) society?
3. Tell me about a time you felt a little embarrassed because you were so green to something? For example maybe you were green to some new technology that everyone else knew well.
4. How long did it take you to become accustomed to your job? Describe the experience if you can.
5. How do you feel about the Korean communal eating culture?
6. Describe a situation where/when you would ask some to do lunch.
7. What kinds of things are ‘not for you’?
8. How can you score points with a boy/girlfriend/parent/wife/husband/employer?
9. Describe a situation where you would reply “I’m okay with that?”
10. What is something that you really relish?
Some example sentences using the new words/phrases.
Going to a good university is vital to getting a good job.
A good example of how western eating culture is individualistic is how everyone will order one meal and not share it.
When I first came to Korea, I was so green, I would do things that Korean people thought were strange like pour my own beer when with drinking with a group, however these days I’ve really grown accustomed to how everything is.
One of the things I love about living in Korea these days is the communal eating and sharing culture.
I’ve been busy this last week so I didn’t have time to do lunch with my coworkers.
A lot of people like spicy food, but it’s not for me.
I scored points with my girlfriend by remembering her favorite perfume.
I was asked if I could eat spicy food and I said that I was okay with that.
I’m on a diet, so I really relish the chance to eat my favorite cheesecake every Friday.
ECK Education
