Day 124: Dad's Years in the Middle East

Dialogue

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1. 1

   A 아빠, 옛날에 중동에서 일했다고 했잖아. 거기서 몇 년 있었어?

   Appa, yennare Jungdongeseo ilhaetdago haetjana. Geogiseo myeot nyeon isseosseo?

   Dad, you said you used to work in the Middle East. How many years were you there?

   Line 1
2. 2

   B 사우디에서 한 오 년 있었지. 공사 현장에서 전기 일을 했어. 근데 갑자기 그건 왜?

   Saudieseo han o nyeon isseotji. Gongsa hyeonjangeseo jeongi ireul haesseo. Geunde gapjagi geugeon wae?

   About five years, in Saudi Arabia. I did electrical work on construction sites. Why do you ask all of a sudden?

   Line 2
3. 3

   A 학교에서 독일 직업 교육 프로그램 설명회를 했는데, 나 거기 가 보고 싶어서.

   Hakgyoeseo Dogil jigeop gyoyuk peurogeuraem seolmyeonghoereul haenneunde, na geogi ga bogo sipeoseo.

   My school had an info session about a vocational training programme in Germany, and I want to go.

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4. 4

   B 독일? 거기 가면 몇 년인데?

   Dogil? Geogi gamyeon myeot nyeoninde?

   Germany? How many years would that be?

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5. 5

   A 삼 년. 회사에서 일하며 학교도 다니는 거야. 월급도 나오고.

   Sam nyeon. Hoesaeseo ilhamyeo hakgyodo danineun geoya. Wolgeupdo naogo.

   Three years. You work at a company and go to school at the same time. And you get paid.

   Line 5
6. 6

   B 그렇구나. 아빠 때랑 좀 비슷하네. 아빠도 거기서 낮에는 일하며 밤에는 편지를 썼지.

   Geureokuna. Appa ttaerang jom biseutane. Appado geogiseo najeneun ilhamyeo bameneun pyeonjireul sseotji.

   I see. That's a bit like my time. Over there, I worked during the day and wrote letters at night.

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7. 7

   A 누구한테? 엄마한테?

   Nuguhante? Eommahante?

   To who? Mom?

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8. 8

   B 그때는 엄마를 만나기 전이었지. 할머니한테 한 달에 한 번씩 썼어. 국제 전화는 너무 비쌌거든.

   Geuttaeneun eommareul mannagi jeonieotji. Halmeonihante han dare han beonssik sseosseo. Gukje jeonhwaneun neomu bissatgeodeun.

   That was before I met your mom. I wrote to your grandma once a month. International calls were too expensive.

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9. 9

   A 거기 생활은 힘들었어?

   Geogi saenghwareun himdeureosseo?

   Was life there hard?

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10. 10

    B 여름엔 낮에 오십 도까지 올라갔어. 땀이 비 오듯이 흘렀지. 근데 더위보다 외로운 게 더 힘들었어.

    Yeoreumen naje osip dokkaji ollagasseo. Ttami bi odeusi heulleotji. Geunde deowiboda oeroun ge deo himdeureosseo.

    In summer it hit fifty degrees during the day. Sweat poured off me like rain. But the loneliness was harder than the heat.

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11. 11

    A 그럼 아빠는 내가 가는 거 반대야?

    Geureom appaneun naega ganeun geo bandaeya?

    So are you against me going?

    Line 11
12. 12

    B 아니. 아빠는 거기서 배운 기술로 지금까지 먹고살잖아. 내가 네 나이만 같아도 당장 가지.

    Ani. Appaneun geogiseo baeun gisullo jigeumkkaji meokgosaljana. Naega ne naiman gatado dangjang gaji.

    No. I've made my living to this day with the skills I learned there. If I were your age, I'd go in a heartbeat.

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13. 13

    A 진짜? 엄마는 너무 멀다고 걱정하던데.

    Jinjja? Eommaneun neomu meoldago geokjeonghadeonde.

    Really? Mom's worried it's too far.

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14. 14

    B 엄마는 아빠가 설득할게. 대신 독일어 공부부터 제대로 해. 말이 안 통하면 외로움이 두 배야.

    Eommaneun appaga seoldeukalge. Daesin Dogireo gongbubuteo jedaero hae. Mari an tonghamyeon oeroumi du baeya.

    I'll talk your mom round. But first, get serious about German. If you can't talk to people, the loneliness is twice as bad.

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15. 15

    A 알았어. 그리고 나도 편지 쓸게. 아빠처럼.

    Arasseo. Geurigo nado pyeonji sseulge. Appacheoreom.

    Okay. And I'll write letters too. Like you.

    Line 15
16. 16

    B 편지는 무슨. 영상 통화나 자주 해. 할머니가 아빠 편지 기다리느라 얼마나 힘드셨는데.

    Pyeonjineun museun. Yeongsang tonghwana jaju hae. Halmeoniga appa pyeonji gidarineura eolmana himdeusyeonneunde.

    Letters? Come on. Just video call us a lot. Your grandma had such a hard time waiting for my letters.

    Line 16