My mouth spews disaster at times.

I sometimes forget I'm in another country I suppose. Korea is modernized, and when I look around I think I'm still in the States, aside from all the Korean people and the completely foreign alphabet I can barely pronounce or read. So, when I'm at work I tend to be myself: dry at times, quirky humor, relying upon idioms for expression, etc.

Today I was in my classroom with Nate chatting about nothing important, when one of our Korean co-workers walked in, Jaena. She's tough to read, especially her facial expressions -- I can never tell if she's happy, upset, gleeful, nada... She made a comment about dinner, saying something to the effect that our school had ordered Chinese and to wait a bit for the food to show up. Habitually, I said something I normally say to friends, "quit talking trash." She left the room and I continued my conversation with Nate, unaware of my cultural three-word-nuke.

Nate looked at me and said, "I think you pissed her off." I said nah, but he reiterated his comment, so I went looking for Jaena. Sure enough, I more than pissed her off, I offended her. She told me I went too far and how she knows we laugh at her sometimes because of her English. I was shocked. I didn't expect that from her, mainly because we joke daily and have developed a fairly playful friendship -- I call her Peter Pan and she calls me Tinker Bell. I explained to her the phrase I used was simply an expression not to be taken literally. After a few minutes of my attempt to clarify, she remarked about her sensitivity regarding her English, and accepted my apology and shoulder bump (because I'm unsure about hugs or any kind touching of the opposite sex in Korea.)

Afterward, I sent her a quirky e-mail that will hopefully invoke some sort of relief. I know she likes chocolate, so tomorrow I plan to buy her something.

A word of advice, watch your language, despite the level of comfort you've attained with your foreign friends, new or old. They might interpret the phrase "quit talking trash" as "your English is trash."