Do You Live With Your Parents?

It's super interesting to learn about small talk in different countries, and how what is the norm for one country can be SO entirely opposite form another.

Example:

My second class today only had 2 people in it.. 8 were signed up.. and the same class before that had 15 in it (max is supposed to be 13). Both classes were Level 2, where students are able to have pretty good conversations, but slowly and with more guidance and help.

I began the classes by telling the students about how the class is all based on conversation, with a tiny amount of grammar help, and how they need to get to know one another so they feel comfortable speaking with each other. They were put into partners and I asked them to introduce their partner to the class and tell us 3 interesting things about their partner.

Well... it was quite easy to hear the students' discussion in my second class, of TWO people.
(From the very beginning)
Girl: Do you live with your parents?
Boy: Huh?
Girl: Do you live with your parents?
Boy: Uhhm, no.
Girl: You don't?
Boy: No.
Girl: What? Why?
Boy: Uhh.
Girl: Who do you live with?
Boy: My haimoni (grandmother).
Girl: Why don't you live with your parents ::astounded::?
Boy: I live haimoni.
Girl: Where do your parents live?
Boy: Jeonju.
Girl: ::Gasp:: They live in Jeonju? Why don't you live with your parents?
Boy: ::confused:: What?

Me: Do YOU live with your parents?
Girl: No, I am married ::gasp::.


Woah, holy put someone on the spot! Later I found out that he is a third year university student, and she is a married-mother of two... how's that for diversity! The conversation DID get onto a better track though.. once pointed that way, they ended up doing well and feeling more confident towards the end. But I was a little worried that the guy was gonna get slapped for not living with his parents who live in the same city! <3 Korea