Taxi Cab Confessions

It has been confirmed recently that I love to converse with cab drivers all over the world (besides Paris, long story). The most Korean practice I get is when I am drunk taking a cab home (every Friday and Saturday). Sadly, my job requires me to speak only English 7 hours a day and my roommate is fluent in English so my Korean hasn't improve that much since coming here.

I am notoriously chatty with NYC cab drivers and have the ability to learn a driver's entire life story from anywhere below 34th street to Bushwick. They love to chat back since they probably deal with a lot of angry NYC assholes all day its refreshing to get someone....I guess I wouldn't call myself normal..but friendly? But I always wondered if they are humoring me for a tip. Since coming here it is confirmed that cab drivers adore me, Korean cabs don't get tips.

When I tell a Korean cab driver where I am going, he can tell from my accent that I am not a native Korean. He always proceeds to ask me where I am from. We get into the obligatory NYC vs Seoul conversation. Then after he gets comfortable with me, he inevitably starts whipping out his English. The English is always surprisingly good. They can carry conversations with me in English and it's amazing. He then asks me to say certain phrases in English using me as a free English tutor. I ask him to translate things I don't know in Korean. It's always a nice, informal language exchange. Finally, he drops me off at home and always asks if this is my apartment in which I reply, "No, I am poor it's my relatives place." This exact scenario has taken place the last 4 times I have taken a cab.

I should take more cabs just for the cheap Korean lessons.