[0:00]Everyone is laughing at me. Why is my face so red? I wanna run. Why are they looking at me like I am crazy? What did I say?
[0:16]Good afternoon. Are you ready to order your lunch now? Yes. I would like the crispy fried kitchen, please. I'm sorry? You want a fried kitchen with potatoes? Yes. I heard it is the best kitchen in New York. Miss, we cook food in a kitchen. We do not eat the room.
[0:51]Let's go back 10 minutes. I was so happy and confident.
[1:00]New York is so big! Today, I will order food like a pro.
[1:08]I practiced for hours. I know every word on the menu.
[1:18]I am not a tourist anymore. Today, I am a New Yorker.
[1:27]The restaurant is very fancy. It smells so good in here.
[1:36]My heart is beating fast, but I can do this.
[1:44]I sit at a small table. The menu looks very beautiful.
[1:52]I am so hungry. I can almost taste the fried chicken. How did my perfect lunch in New York turn into a disaster?
[2:09]Good afternoon. Are you ready to order your lunch now? Yes. I would like the crispy fried kitchen, please. I'm sorry? You want a fried kitchen with potatoes?
[2:29]Yes, I heard it is the best kitchen in New York. Miss, we cook food in a kitchen. We do not eat the room.
[2:44]Oh no. Did I say it wrong? Kitchen... Chick... Chicken. I am so stupid.
[2:55]I told him I wanna eat a whole room! Look, that girl wants to eat the chef's kitchen!
[3:07]I feel like a giant tomato.
[3:12]Everyone is looking at me. A fried kitchen? That is a very big meal! Hahaha.
[3:27]I want to disappear. Why is English so difficult today? It's okay, miss. I know you mean the fried chicken. Yes, chicken. I am so embarrassed, my face is burning.
[3:49]I need to stay calm. I will order something else to fix this. Waiter, I also want a bowl of vegetable soap, please. Soap?
[4:05]Miss, do you want to wash your mouth or eat? I mean... soap! Hot soap with carrots and onions. Haha, first the kitchen, now she wants to eat soap! Haha! Wait, soap? Soap... Soup! Oh my God, not again! She must be very dirty if she wants to eat soap! Hahaha. I can't believe it. I made two big mistakes in five minutes. I wanna go home. New York is too much for me.
[4:57]Don't cry, miss. You are very funny. We like you. No, I am a disaster. My English is a joke.
[5:13]Hey, don't go! We love your kitchen and soap story! I try to smile, but I feel like a total fool. I am stuck in this restaurant with my kitchen and soap. Is there anyone who can save me from this nightmare?
[5:43]I am sitting here alone. I feel like everyone is still watching me.
[5:52]Hello. Please do not be sad. Mistakes are just funny stories later. Oh. Who are you? I am so embarrassed because of my English. My name is Ben. I help people speak English better and feel happy. I wanna go home, Ben. I said 'kitchen' instead of 'chicken'. That is a very common mistake. Hmm. You are not the only one, trust me. But the waiter laughed. The guest laughed. I feel so small. They laughed because it was a surprise, not because they are mean.
[6:52]I practiced 'chicken' so many times, why did I say 'kitchen'? Sometimes, our brain and tongue get confused when we are nervous. Can you help me? I don't wanna make people laugh again. Of course. Let's turn this pain into a great lesson together.
[7:40]Okay. I am breathing. I am ready. Let's fix my English. Great. Now look at my mouth. 'Chicken' starts with a C-H sound. C-H. Chicken. I think I said that. What was wrong? You used the K sound, like in 'kitchen'. K-K-K... kitchen. Oh. K... kitchen. I see. C-H for bird, K for the room. Exactly. But... but there is another secret in English vowel sounds. A secret? Tell me. I wanna know all the secrets today.
[8:38]Look at 'ship' and 'sheep'. One is short, one is very long. 'Ship' is the boat, right? And 'sheep' is the white animal. Yes. For 'sheep', you must smile and make the sound long. Eee... Sheep. Like I am taking a photo? Cheese! Perfect. Now, 'ship'. It is very short, just a quick sound. Ship. It feels very different in my mouth. Is that right? Yes. If you say 'ship' long, it sounds like 'sheep'. Hahaha. Very funny. So the length of the sound changes the whole meaning? Yes, imagine you are at the beach, but you say the bad word! Oh no! I know that word. It is short, right? I must be careful. Yes, 'beach' is a long smile. B-E-A-C-H. I wanna go to the beach and eat chicken! Hahaha.
[10:09]Look. You are already doing better. You are a fast learner. I feel better now. The 'I' sounds were my biggest enemies. They are not enemies, they are just friends you didn't know yet.
[10:33]Why don't they teach us this clearly in school? Schools teach grammar. I teach you how to live in English.
[10:46]I like that. I want to live in English without fear.
[10:55]Good. Now, let's play a game. I call it 'Listen and Repeat'. I say two words, you tell me which one is long. Ready? I am ready, my ears are open. Give me the first pair. Okay, listen carefully. 'Sit' and 'seat'. Which is long?
[11:28]'Seat' is long. I am sitting on a seat right now.
[11:36]Correct. Now, repeat after me: 'sit'. 'Seat'. Sit. Seat... seat. I can feel the smile on 'seat', 'seat'. Next one: 'fill' and 'feel'.
[12:01]'Feel' is long. I feel very happy right now. Good idea. Now let's try a very difficult pair: 'Can' and 'can't'. These sounds are almost the same to me. How can I tell?
[12:26]It is all about the 'T' and the stress of the sentence. I can hear the 'T' sometimes, but people speak so fast. Listen: 'I can do it' vs. 'I can't do it'. Hear the difference? Mm-hmm. Oh. You stay longer on 'can't', and the 'T' is a little stop. Yes, it is like a small wall. 'I can't go'. Try it now. I can't go. I can't eat this. Did I do the stop correctly? That was great. Now say 'I can eat'. Uh-huh. Make 'can' very short. I can eat'. It sounds like K-N. Is that right, Ben? Yes. K-O-N eat. We don't say 'can' loudly if it is positive. English is like a song. Some parts are loud and some are soft. That was perfect, you corrected yourself. That is the key. It's okay to make a mistake if I can fix it, right? Haha, exactly. Even native speakers make mistakes sometimes. Really? Even you? I feel much better hearing that. You are amazing. Now let's try the 'chicken' and 'kitchen' again. Chicken. Kitchen. The C-H is like a train. C-H. C-H. Chicken. Uh-huh. I wanna order some delicious fried chicken. And the room where we cook is the... That is the kitchen. Hmm. With a K sound. I got it. You see? You just needed a little bit of help and practice. I feel so much more confident now. Thank you so much, Ben.
[14:56]Don't thank me yet, you have to order again. I can do it. Watch me order the best chicken in New York.
[15:10]Now try to call the waiter for real this time.
[15:16]Okay. Excuse me? Can we have some more water, please? Of course, miss. I will bring it right away.
[15:27]Did you hear that? He understood me perfectly.
[15:36]I heard it. Your 'water' and 'please' were very clear. Hahaha. I am not a giant tomato anymore. My face is normal! Hahaha. You are a star! Now ask for the check. Excuse me? Can we have the check when you are ready? Sure thing, I will be back in a moment with it.
[16:11]I did it! I spoke to a real American twice! And you didn't order any furniture this time. Hahaha. No more fried kitchens for me, only chicken. You see? Learning English is about having fun, too.
[16:42]I was so afraid of people laughing at me before.
[16:49]And now, how do you feel about their laughter?
[16:58]Now, I think it's okay. It was a funny situation. Your English is getting very good, young lady. Thank you, I am learning with a great teacher. You are the one doing the work, Emily. I just show the way.
[17:24]I am not afraid of kitchens or chicken anymore. That is the best lesson of all: confidence is power.
[17:40]I feel ready now. My voice is strong. I can do this. Go for it, Emily. I am right here if you need me. Excuse me, can I please order my food one more time? Of course, I am listening. What can I get for you? I would like the crispy fried chicken, please. Perfect. One fried chicken coming right up for you. Thank you, and no kitchens this time, I promise! Haha, you have a great accent now. Good job, miss.
[18:28]I did it, Ben! He understood me on the first try. You see? Your hard work paid off. I am so proud. I don't feel like a tomato anymore. I feel powerful! Here is your water. Your chicken will be ready soon. Thank you so much. I am very hungry for this chicken.
[19:00]Now, how do you feel about the people who laughed? I think they are actually quite nice. Let me talk to them.
[19:15]Hello. I'm sorry for ordering a kitchen earlier. Oh, don't be sorry. It was the best part of my day!
[19:30]I was so embarrassed, but now I think it is funny, too. Hahaha.
[19:39]My English was terrible when I first moved here, too. Really? You made mistakes like me when you started? Of course. I once asked for a ship instead of a sheet. Hahaha.
[19:58]We are all in the same boat, then. Or ship... or sheep! Hahaha. People laugh because it is cute, not because it is bad. I realize now that laughter can be a way to connect. Exactly. You are very brave to speak a new language.
[20:28]Wow, Ben. People are much kinder than I thought. Most people want you to succeed, Emily.
[20:41]I learned more than just 'chicken' and 'kitchen' today. That is the best part of traveling and learning.
[20:52]Thank you for everything, Ben. You are a great mentor. You are the star. Enjoy your chicken! See you soon.
[21:09]I sit here alone now, but I don't feel lonely at all. This mistake was actually the best lesson of my life.
[21:23]I am so glad I didn't run away when they laughed.
[21:30]New York is big, but I feel like I finally belong here.
[21:39]Making mistakes is actually fun. Don't be afraid if people laugh at your English.
[21:51]When they laugh, they are actually connecting with you. I was a tomato today, but now I am a confident speaker.
[22:08]Communication is for connection, not for a perfect show.
[22:17]Don't worry about being perfect. Just be yourself.
[22:25]Your journey is yours. Don't compare it to others.
[22:34]Don't compare your Chapter 1 to someone's Chapter 20.
[22:43]If I can order a kitchen, you can do anything. Haha. English is a bridge to meet amazing people like John.
[23:00]So go out there and make some funny mistakes today, because mistakes are just stories you haven't told yet.
[23:17]Thank you for watching my New York lunch story. I'll see you in the next video. Keep practicing!
