Office workers often gather around the water cooler to gossip, share news, and talk about what’s going on in the world. In this Chatterbox episode, Andrew and Harp have a water cooler conversation. Join them as they chat about local and international current events!

Expressions included in the Learning Materials:

* A feast for the eyes

* A new take on something

* Water cooler conversation

* What a something

* To nickel and dime

* To be backed into a corner

* Everything under the sun

* Across the board

* The bottom line

* A vicious circle

* The main drag

* To kill two birds with one stone

Sample transcript

Andrew: Yeah. And today we have sort of a new take on the Chatterbox episode. We’re going to have some water cooler conversations.

Harp: Yes. So when we say water cooler conversation, it basically means things that people are talking about on the street or at work with their friends and colleagues.

Andrew: Mmhmm. You know, in the office, it’s common for people to sorta hang out around the water cooler. They wanna get up and get a drink, and while they’re there, they sort of stop and chat with their colleagues and talk about current events and new things.

Harp: Yup. Exactly. So that’s what we’re gonna do here for you at Culips.

Andrew: Mmhmm. And so the first story that we’re gonna talk about is about travelling, flying on Air Canada.

Harp: Yes. And how they are gonna become very strict on their carry-on luggage.

Andrew: Yeah. So, from what I understand, now if you wanna fly on Air Canada, or any airline in Canada, you have to pay a $25 fee to check your bags on the plane.

Harp: Yup. So this is an idea that’s been in the US for a long time, for a couple of years, and with Air Canada, it used to be two pieces of checked luggage that you could check in for free. And now, they’ve recently changed it. I think it’s been at least 6 months that it’s been changed.

Andrew: Mmhmm.

Harp: And so, since it changed, most people got creative and started jam-packing their carry-on luggage and getting really big suitcases to try to bring on the plane with them. And now they’re gonna get all strict about it.

Andrew: Yeah. So before, whenever you just carried your luggage onto the plane, there were always size restrictions, but nobody was strict about checking how big your bag was.

Harp: Or how heavy it was.

Andrew: Mmhmm. But these days, because people have to pay a fee to check their bag, they’re—like you said—cramming more and more things into their carryon baggage, and this is becoming a real problem for the airline.

Harp: Yup. It’s slightly ridiculous, but I find their $25 check-in bag fee ridiculous. Ludicrous! It really makes me angry.

Andrew: I agree with you. Now, before the $25 fee, were you the type of person who would check a bag and pack a lot of stuff? Or would you just sort of try and travel light and just carry a bag on?

Harp: It really depended where I was going. If I went to Toronto for just the weekend, I would definitely do just a carry-on. But I often go home to visit my parents in Edmonton, and I’m gonna go for a week, so I can’t live with just a carry-on. And I always have to take a larger-sized suitcase. It might not be full, but I like to check it in. And I just recently went to visit my parents, and I had to pay the extra $25 both ways. And to me, I think they should just put it in the price of the ticket if they’re gonna charge me, rather than make me pay it when I get to the airport. I just found it so annoying.

Andrew: It is annoying. I agree. And a lot of people are complaining that it’s actually slowing down the service because now you need to have extra staff members check your bags b...