I tend not to answer calls from unfamiliar numbers. Usually, they turn out to be voice phishing or telemarketing. Yesterday morning, however, I received a series of consecutive international calls. Being frantically busy, I didn't even have a moment to spare, so I let the first two go unanswered. But thinking it might be something urgent, I finally picked up the third call—only to find a Korean taxi driver on the other end.

It turned out that a foreign passenger had found my number online and handed their phone to the driver. The driver asked, "The passenger seems to want to go to a restaurant called 'Dongdaemun Cherry Garden.' Is that a restaurant?"

It seems my neighbors from all over the global village have started calling from various foreign numbers to make reservations. Most travelers assume I won't be able to communicate in English. When some ask, "Do you speak English?" and I reply, "Yes," they often exclaim, "Oh, thank God!"

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]