A few days ago, I was out with my mom. While waiting for the bus at the bus stop, a woman behind me from overseas said, “Excuse me.” She had a tired expression, as if she hadn’t received an answer even after talking to several people earlier.
She wanted to take a bus to the train station to catch a train, and she asked if it was the right bus to take. However, since the bus she mentioned takes a longer route through the city, I wanted to inform her that another bus with a different number would be a quicker option.
She asked why the other bus was faster, and I tried my best to explain it to her in English. I wasn’t fully satisfied because what I said didn’t seem grammatically correct, and I wondered if I had conveyed the message properly. But I saw her board the correct bus, and I felt a quiet sense of satisfaction.
be out with - shared activity or outing with someone
strike up sth - to start a relationship or conversation with someone
며칠 전 엄마와 함께 외출하던 길이었다. 버스 정류장에서 버스를 기다리는데 뒤에서 어떤 외국인 여성이 "Excuse." 하며 말을 걸었다. 그녀는 이미 앞서 여러 사람과 이야기를 나눴는데도 답을 받지 못한 듯 지친 표정이었다.
그녀는 기차를 타기 위해 버스를 타고 기차역으로 가려고 하는데, 어떤 버스를 타는 것이 맞는지 물었다. 그러나 그녀가 말한 버스는 시내를 많이 돌아서 가니 다른 번호의 다른 버스가 더 빠르다고 알려주고 싶었다.
그녀는 왜 다른 버스가 더 빠른지 되물었고 나는 최선을 다해 영어로 설명했다. 내가 한 말이 문법적으로 맞지 않는 것 같았고, 제대로 의사를 전달했나 싶어 뭔가 아쉬웠다. 하지만 그녀가 제대로 된 버스를 타는 것을 보고 혼자 속으로 으쓱했다.
- He was very friendly, but he had a tired expression. / He had a tired expression on his face, so I didn’t say anything.
- I know a quicker option than that. / The sat-nav recommended a quicker option.
- It’s sometimes difficult to convey a message properly. / Being able to convey a message properly is an important skill.
A: A foreigner approached me on the street yesterday and struck up a conversation in English.
B: Oh, really?
A: Yes, she was asking for directions.
B: Did you help her out?
A: I tried to use what I’ve learned from studying. But I was a little nervous.
B: You must have felt very proud.
