Food of the Week- Japchae (잡채)

This past weekend, I had a homestay experience. Our first activity was cooking Japchae (잡채) at JS Cusine Institute.

Japchae is simple to make, the key ingredients being cellophane noodles (called dangmyeon), sauce, beef, mushroom, onion, carrot, and cucumber peel. When we were watching the head cook give instructions, I thought she would use the cucumber part, but I was suprised when she just diced the peel.



My host dad and I cooked together. First, we chopped the vegetables, followed by the beef to be as sanitary as possible. Then, we sauted it all. We put the special sauce on the beef and noodles, and cooked that. We mixed it all together at the end, and it was really delicious!




I think this is a simple dish to make with the ingredients being fairly common, but making the sauce might prove difficult. This recipe doesn't call for sugar, but we did put some in our sauce. Try it out at home, it's 맛있어요!

http://www.trifood.com/japchae.html

Parent Teacher Conferences Korean Style

This morning, my coteacher Hyunju told me that we were going to talk about "that picture from last week, remember?" At first, I didn't. Last weeks project was writing your own Thanksgiving poem and drawing a turkey by tracing your hand. I did this project with about 600 students, and my memory failed me to recal the specific one.

After thinking about it for 10 minutes, I remember that specific one. Instead of writing a poem, this student wrote two words: "F**k you," and had drawn a picture of a hand flicking someone off. At the end of the project, I collected each paper and each student had written their name on it to hang in the class. Identifying which student had created this poem was easy. At this point, I wasn't offended because I assume when students swear in class, it is something they've picked up in a movie and don't know the full implications or meaning behind the word.

I had given the poem to Hyunju at the end of the day, and had forgotten about it. Today, she told me that the homeroom teacher had called the mother of the student, who laid into the student over this weekend. After a series of phone calls, the mother decided to come in Monday morning, today, and apoligize in person.

The mother explained she felt very sorry about the situation, and had talked to her son about it for a long time. I'm sure he was grounded, or whatever the Korean version of that is. I also found out that this student is one of the most well behaved students in his class, he also happens to be vice principal of his class. She also asked if I remembered her son... I see so many kids in a day, and this one did not stand out. I'm pretty good at recgonizing the trouble makers and the really good kids, but the ones inbetween slip through the cracks of my memory. So I didn't know what to say, I decided to say, "yes, I remember," even though that may have been the first time I'd actually looked at him. In the end, I did not feel bad about letting the homeroom teacher know about the situtation, I just felt overwhelmed I guess you could say about the mother coming in specifically to see me and apoligize.

With her apology, she brought treats for all the teachers. I was so touched that she had done so. I teared up when Hyunju and I were talking because the mother cares so much for her son and wants him to succeed that she felt it necessary to bring TONS of food for ALL the teachers. She brought in about 40 coffees, probably around $1 each. Then, she brought in pieces of cheesecake and chocolate cake for each of us from Paris Baguette, a popular bakery here. Those are at least $3 each because I've seen them before. On top of that, she brought pear juice in individual packets. There was a box full of them, the box was the same size that printer paper comes in. I was given 10 by the homeroom teacher. This mother easily spent $200 on trying to fix her sons mistake.

Back home, I feel like this would never happen. I know that teachers talk to parents when necessary on the phone, but I'm not sure if many parents go the extra mile to bring in a huge amount of food to say I'm sorry. That was definitely a case of culture shock.

Gwangju International Weekend Experience

Friday evening, I got a message via Facebook about the International Cultural Center had a homestay program this weekend. It was last minute (as in, it started Saturday morning!), so I called immediately. I think I was able to secure one of the last spots!

We did lots of exciting things Saturday! I was supposed to spend the night with the Mun family, but their 14 year old son said "Our house is difficult" about halfway through the day, so I was unable to spend the night. But that was okay because the daytime was amazing none-the-less!

We started at JS Cuisine Institute, were I learned to make Jabchae-bab with my host family. We had a good time. I really like the aprons, and I think my Grandma would have liked them too. We got to eat the finished product afterwards, and it was pretty tasty!

We then drove by car to a Confucian school. We took some group pictures and played some lawn games in the nice weather. Here's us as a group:



Next, we watched a movie, but there were no subtitles. Good thing it was only 25 mintues long. After, we got to learn some of the history about Hanbok, and what the different parts meant. We had an intrepreter for that, but I can't remember it all.

There was one pretty dress, the wedding dress, that I liked. I didn't know we were going to get to try them on! Soon after, the ladies asked who wanted to be the bride, and I kinda got voted into it, but secretly, I was like, "yes!!" I had no idea how much of a process this was going to be. I was not even dressed by the time everyone was finished. First, I had to have my hair pulled back, pins shoved in my hair, a head garmet put on, etc. Then, I had to wear about 4 layers of clothes and special garmets. I had at any given time 4-5 middle aged Korean ladies getting me ready. The entire time I was having pictures taken. It was a little excessive! :) I really did feel just like a bride!

Finally, I was dressed. We learned how to bow properly, and had a "wedding ceremony" at the end. This was my "husband" and I. I have no idea who he is.



After about a million pictures were taken, we had a tea ceremony, and played the drums. After this, we went our separate ways. My host family took me to Art Street, where we browsed in some shops, drank coffee, bought earrings, and took more pictures. For dinner, we had some pasta, spaghetti, salad, and Fanta. It was pretty great.

My host brother could speak a good amount of English. He is also 1st grade middle school, same thing that I teach. He would have been in one of my advanced classes I think. My family and I hit it off really well. They are Christian, and I will be seeing them the week before Christmas instead of on Christmas, because I'll be on my way to the PHILLIPPINES!!

As awesome as the Mun family was, they still don't top my family! Love you and miss you all!

ps: check out all the pictures from Saturday here. I didn't post all 171, I thought that would be a bit excessive! ^^

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2214437&id=59501140&saved#/album.php?aid=2214437&id=59501140&ref=mf

곰 세 마리 (The Three Bears)

Here is a youtube video of a song we sang Monday night at Korean class. It is called "The Three Bears" and it is a traditional song, probably comparable to "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." The lyrics are something like:

곰 세마리가/한집에 있어 Three fuzzy bears live / in a cabin

아빠곰/엄마곰/애기곰 Daddy Bear / mommy bear / baby bear

아빠곰은/뚱뚱해 Daddy bears is / big and fat

엄마곰은/날씬해 Mommy bear is / slim and trim

애기곰은/너무 귀여워 Baby bear is / such a cutie pie

히쭉히쭉/잘한다 Tee-hee tee-hee / There you go

Here is the video if you want to check it out!

I found this article online last night. While I agree with the amount of parential "support" that Korean kids receive, there is no way I'd want my kids to go to school here. It is so competitive, and there's no free time until you've finished university. There's no time for kids to just be kids, they are too busy going to school until 10pm and studying late into the night- in elementary school!

Obama Lauds Korea for Education Zeal

U.S. President Barack Obama praised Korean parents for their enthusiasm in providing an excellent education to their children at the launch of the ``Educate to Innovate'' campaign at the White House, Monday.

``I just want to mention the importance not only of students but also of parents,'' Obama said as he mentioned talks he had with President Lee Myung-bak in Seoul last Thursday. ``He said even if somebody is dirt poor, they are insisting that their kids are getting the best education.''

Obama visited South Korea as part of his nine-day Asian tour that also brought him to China, Japan and Singapore.

When asked what difficulties he was having in improving his education policy, Lee answered, ``The biggest challenge that I have is that parents are too demanding,'' Obama said.

He said that the U.S. should take a lesson from Korean parents' insistence on excellence in schools.

The U.S. President also spoke highly of the Lee administration's initiative to improve English skills among young children. He quoted Lee as saying, ``I've had to import thousands of foreign teachers because they're all insisting that Korean children have to learn English in elementary school,'' referring to the parents.

China also has shown a strong interest in education, Obama added.

Obama cited Han Zheng, mayor of Shanghai, as saying, ``We don't have problems recruiting teachers because teaching is so revered, and the pay scales for teachers are actually comparable to doctors and other professionals.''

He said the U.S. should make more efforts to inspire and educate its new generation.

``That gives you a sense of what's happening around the world. There is a hunger for knowledge, an insistence on excellence, a reverence for science and math and technology and learning,'' he said. ``That used to be what we were about. That's what we're going to be about again.''

Obama previously touted Korea's education last March.

He called for the U.S. to look into adopting Korea's longer school days and after-school programs as a solution to improving its education system.

``Our children spend over a month less in school than children in South Korea every year. That's no way to prepare them for a 21st century economy,'' Obama said.

``That's why I am calling for us not only to expand effective after-school programs, but to rethink the school day to incorporate more time ― whether during the summer or through expanded-day programs for children who need them,'' he said.


http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/11/113_56042.html

Weekend Visitors

This weekend, I had two friends from Incheon come visit, Patrick and Evan. Our group of Brian, Emily, Alex, Alli, and I met them at the terminal Friday evening. We grabbed a drink at one of the terminal's bars, and headed to Sangmu for the night. We met up with Patrick's friend Jennifer and had some 소주 하고 맥주. Patrick played an outdoor arcade game, and won 4 giant lighters, which he has hopefully given to Joseph.

We played a fun game with chopsticks late Friday night. Each person gets one. Someone says a sentence like "Most likely to... wear velcro shoes!" and you tap the chopstick 3 times and point to somone. The person with the most chopsticks pointing at them has to drink. It was a good time.

I made Patrick wake up early Saturday morning because I didn't want him to be late for his "guys day." The four guys went paintballing with about 40 other EPIK teachers in Gwangju. I spent the day relaxing at home. At aroudn 5:30, I picked Patrick up from the bus stop, and he was covered in paint. He talked about his day for like 30 minutes in GREAT DETAIL. You could tell he had a blast his first time paintballing. We had some dinner, and met up with the rest of the group at the Ice Bar. I asked Alli and Emily how much they heard about paintballing, and we just groaned. With the 4 boys together again, we had to hear all the stories again! My ears hurt just thinking about it!

Here's us at the ice bar:



We went to club Houze later on. The DJ was fantasic, the best I'd ever heard there. Patrick told me Sunday morning that it was the best club he'd been to in Korea so far! I'm glad they had fun.

Sunday we all met again at the bus terminal for some Coldstone... yum! Evan and Patrick got on their bus back to Incheon around 4:50 pm. I got a call around 11:15 from Patrick saying they had JUST gotten off the bus in Incheon. For some reason, the traffic was really bad and their 3.5 hour trip turned into 6.5 hours!

Hopefully the fun weekend was worth that painful bus ride!

What's for lunch?

Last week I was playing with my camera and taking lots of pictures at school, when I decided to take a picture of my school lunches everyday for a week. The meals and dishes ranged from poor to excellent. Below are the pictures and descriptions.

Monday



Top row- Pork, rice cake, and sweet potato mix. Cabbage Kimchi. Vegetable and something chewy kimchi. Spicy bean paste. Green Lettuce leaves.
Bottom row- Rice. Soup- cabbage, sprouts, tofu, meat.

Tuesday



Top row- octopus and shrimp with fresh veggies and cocktail sauce. Onion Kimchi. Cabbage kimchi. Acorn jelly and mixed vegetables. Noodles with lots of onion and spices.
Bottom row- Rice. Soup- Tofu, cabbage, sprouts, no meat.

Wednesday



Top row- Drinking yogurt. Rice. Raddish kimchi. Cucumber and veggie kimchi. Fried potato and vegetables.
Bottom row- Korean curry and spaghetti. Soup- potato and veggies.

Thursday



Top row- green lettuce and sesame leaf lettuce. Duck with sauce. Bean paste. Kimchi. Fish. Rice Cake.
Bottom row- Rice. Soup- clear broth with veggies.

Friday



Top row- corn and crab salad. Seaweed. Kimchi. Pork cutlet with gravy.
Bottom row- Rice. Soup- cabbage and vegetables.

Food of the week- Pizza (피자)

Last week at Korean class, Mr. Lee from the Metropolitian Office of Education came to class during our break between hours. With him, he had 4 pizzas, and 5 liters of Coke! We were all so suprised to see him again (it had been a while since going to Boseong for reorientation) and even more shocked that he had given us pizza.

Pizza is pretty expensive here. I've had it twice at school as a snack with the other teachers, and Gabe and I split one for dinner once. Going from eating pizza often back in WI, it is a change to not have that kind of comfort food here! The cost depends on where you buy the pizza from, but when Gabe and I ordered a small supreme (we didn't know how to order anything else other than just pointing), it was about $12. We thought it was worth it. For the MOE to buy 4 pizzas each for 3 classes, 2 beginning and 1 intermediate, had to be pretty costly. But much appreciated.

The pizza was unlike any other pizza I've had so far. It had a stuffed sweet potato crust, sauce, cheese, shrimp, olives, crab, shrimp wrapped in spaghetti, and what I originally thought was octopus turned out to be just cuttlefish, as informed by Mihey and Jiyeon. And I couldn't forget the corn, they always put corn on pizza it seems!

Here's us looking at the pizza, my 선생님 is the Korean in the picture.



This is the pizza, the shrimp with spaghetti are around the edges.

KPop 2009 Mashup, Part II

On Mondays and Tuesdays, I teach at Seongdeok Middle School. The kids come in after class to clean the room, and I let them use You Tube to play Kpop songs. They really enjoy it. The other day, some kids pulled up a video before first period. There were about 7 boys in the class who were totally absorbed in it. Then the group grew to about 15 kids, the about half the class (maybe 23 students) were watching the video. It is pretty cool, but if only they paid this much attention to me! :) Here's the pictures I snapped in order, followed by the video they were watching.

Korean Language Classes

Korean class continues to go well. We're on unit 6 currently, where we get to learn the days of the week and how to tell time. We've covered a lot of topics and learned tons of new words. Our last unit was on Dail Life. I'm now able to talk about what I am doing now, and will be doing in the near future.

In class, we get excited when we learn new things. It's a great feeling. Now, I can order confidently in Korean, and can pick up on some of the words my co-teachers say at lunch. I enjoy telling them what I am going to do that evening and over the weekend.

I got to put my language skills to use last night on my way to exercise. I got a ride to the gym from my "Korean Boyfriend." He asked if I was going to "health," and I said, in Korean, "I'm going to the gym." (운동을하요). He was happy to hear me say that. The ride to the gym takes about 10 minutes by car if you hit the lights, and the rest of the conversation was very strained, to say the least. I just enjoyed some of the KPop songs he had on CD.

The trainer at the gym also likes that I can speak Korean. There are about 4 male trainers who all say "hi" and "bye" when I'm at the gym, and last night I got measured in front of all of them (they think I'm very "long"). I told them in Korean that I am 167 cm, and they were so impressed, but still measured me to see if I was lying.

It feels good to be making progress even though it is a time commitment! Going to Chonnam University takes about 1 hour plus more if you miss the bus!

Last weeks CSAT

Last Thursday was the national CSAT test, for which I had a day off and many flights nationwide were cancelled or the times were changed. Here is an except I found about the test.

"Last Thursday, the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), a standardized test accepted by South Korean universities, was held at more than 1,000 test centers across the nation. About 670,000 students took the state-run exam, which will play a role in determining their entrance into college. The test started at 8:30 a.m. and ended at 6:05 p.m.

The CSAT is regarded here as one of the most important tests and an influence on students' future careers, making it a significant matter for both students and their parents. Many Korean students believe their future depends on their CSAT score.

According to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, its main focus for English education is to enhance learners' English communication skills and develop their autonomy and creativity in the era of globalization and information.

Composition of CSAT

The CSAT is composed of 50 multiple-choice questions ― 17 listening comprehension and 33 reading comprehension. The Korea Institute of Curriculum and Examination, which is in charge of the test, said that this year's CSAT is similar to last year's in terms of the degree of difficulty.

However, experts in the private education field say the degree of difficulty seems somewhat higher than that from a year ago. Test-takers may have found the actual test more difficult than trial examinations.

In particular, the listening portion of the exam was more difficult compared to last year due to lengthier audio scripts and a quickened speed. Statistical data given in academic reports show that many students have difficulty with questions involving contextual details, such as calculating and table comprehension items.

As for the reading section, the ability to identify the general context from a given passage and locate detailed information has become crucial for test takers.

The reading comprehension section has 33 questions including questions on inference, identifying the main subject, choosing the best title, grammar and vocabulary."

On a related note, on of the EPIK coordinators who I have Korean class with said he was judging an essay contest last weekend. Parents were concerned that some students would find out the question before, and would have an upper hand. He explained to me that on Friday night he would be locked in a room with a few other select people to decide on an essay topic. They would be there all night until the test started Saturday morning. He wasn't even sure if he would have a chance to call his wife to say "hello!" I will ask him how the test went when I see him later this week at Chonnam.

Food of the Week- Kimchi (김치)

Koreans eat so much of this super-spicy condiment (40 pounds of it per person each year) that natives say “kimchi” instead of “cheese” when getting their pictures taken. The reddish fermented cabbage (and sometimes radish) dish—made with a mix of garlic, salt, vinegar, chile peppers, and other spices—is served at every meal, either alone or mixed with rice or noodles. And it’s part of a high-fiber, low-fat diet that has kept obesity at bay in Korea. Kimchi also is used in everything from soups to pancakes, and as a topping on pizza and burgers.

Why to try it: Kimchi (or kimchee) is loaded with vitamins A, B, and C, but its biggest benefit may be in its “healthy bacteria” called lactobacilli, found in fermented foods like kimchi and yogurt. This good bacteria helps with digestion, plus it seems to help stop and even prevent yeast infections, according to a recent study. And more good news: Some studies show fermented cabbage has compounds that may prevent the growth of cancer.

I personally really enjoy kimchi. It's spicy and helps cure any sickness, or so the Koreans say! At first, I couldn't get used to the taste, but I look forward to having it at lunch every day. There are hundreds of kinds, my favorite is the classic Kimchi. Typically I have some at home, but the kind that my schools have is the best, I think it is the freshest.

Here is just one website specifically for 김치!
http://www.kimchi.or.kr/eng/

Introduction to Korean Food

Visitors to Korea will discover a wide array of unique and delicious Korean food.
Korea was once a primarily agricultural nation, and since ancient times rice has been cultivated as Koreans' staple food. These days Korean food also contains a large variety of meat and fish dishes along with wild greens and vegetables. Various preserved Korean food, such as kimchi (fermented spicy cabbage), jeotgal (seafood fermented in salt) and doenjang (fermented soy bean paste) are particularly popular due to their distinctive flavor and high nutritional value.

In Korean food all the dishes are served at the same time. A typical meal normally includes rice, soup, and several side dishes, the number of which vary. Traditionally, lower classes had three side dishes, while royal families would have twelve.
In Korea, like in neighboring China and Japan, people eat with chopsticks. However, a spoon is used more often in Korea, especially when soups are served. Formal rules have developed for table setting, which can vary depending on whether a noodle or meat dish is served.

Food is a very important part of Korea culture, and Koreans pay great attention to the way in which food is served.

1. Bap (밥) Steamed Rice
Rice is the staple food for Koreans, it is eaten with almost every meal. In Korea, people eat short-grained rice. Korean rice is often sticky in texture, and sometimes it is combined with beans, chestnuts, or other cereals.

2. Guk (국) Soup
Korean meals traditionally consist of a soup served with rice. The soup can be made from vegetables, meat, fish, or seaweed.

3. Jjigae- Stew
Jjigae is similar to guk, but it is thicker and has a stronger taste. The most famous jjigae (doenjang-jjigae) is made from preserved soy bean paste. Jjigae is usually spicy and served hot in a heated stone bowl.

4. Jjirn- Simmered meat
Meat is prepared with vegetables and soaked in soy bean sauce. The ingredients are then slowly boiled over a low heat.

5. Namul( 남울) Vegetables
Namul consists of vegetables of wild greens which have been slightly boiled or fried and mixed with salt, soy sauce, sesame salt, garlic, and onions.

6. Gui- Broiled/Barbecued dishes
Gui is when marinated meat is barbecued over a charcoal fire. The most popular dishes are meats such as bulgogoi (불거기) and galbi (갈비) howevr there are many fish cooked this way.

7. Jeon (젼) Pan fried dishes
Jeon is a kind of Korean pancake. Mushrooms, pumpkin, fish, oysters, red peppers, meat, or other ingredients are mixed with salt and pepper, dipped in four and egg, and then fried in oil.

8. Mandu (만두) Dumpling
Mandu are Korean dumplings, which are stuffed with beef, mushrooms, stir-fried zucchini, and sprouts. Pork is sometimes used instead of beef.

http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FO/FO_EN_6_1_1.jsp

빼빼로 Day!

Today is 빼빼로 day, or Pepero day. Here is some information I found on Wikipedia about the holiday:

Pepero, 빼빼로, is a cookie stick dipped in chocolate syrup manufactured by Lotte since 1983. Pepero Day is an observance in South Korea similar to Valentines Day. It is held on November 11, since the date 11/11 resembles four sticks of Pepero. The holiday is observed mostly by young people and couples, who exchange Pepero sticks and other candies.

According to one story, Pepero Day was started in 1994 by students at a girls' middle school in Busan where they exchanged Pepero sticks as gifts to wish one another to grow "as tall and slender as a Pepero."

Here is a display of some 빼빼로 for sale:

Sights in Seoul

Here are some of the highlights of Seoul that I saw. I got this information from http://english.seoul.go.kr/


Dongdaemun Market


You can be sure that you have never before been to a place like Dongdaemun, the fashion mecca of Korea. Between the rows of skyscrapers, countless people walk with large shopping bags in their hands.

The reason why Dongdaemun is so crowded with Koreans and foreigners alike is because high-quality goods, that do not fall short quality-wise of brand-name products, are available at affordable prices here. With a little effort, you can even find clothes made of better-quality materials in more-chic and forward-looking designs than the products found in department stores.

Inside most of the shopping malls in the neighborhood are rows and rows of single room-sized stores where young fashion designers reach for their dream. Recently, news that a piece made by a designer, who had worked in Dongdaemun for about 10 years, was picked up by Printemps Department Store in Paris caused quite a stir.

Dongdaemun is not only the biggest retail market for cloth and textile products in Seoul, but is also a world-famous design/fashion Mecca which offers a great range of the latest fashion – clothes, shoes, bags, accessories and more – items at affordable prices. Fashion shows and dance competitions take place day and night in front of the area’s landmark shopping malls, such as Doosan Tower, Migliore and Freya Town. This area springs into life with shoppers from very early in the morning. Many of them are wholesalers coming from all over the country in chartered buses so as to get the best possible deals. Until midnight, Dongdaemun overflows with all kinds of merchandise to suit every taste.


Gyeongbokgung Palace



Gyeongbokgung (Palace), built in the 4th year of King Taejo’s reign (1395), is where the Joseon Dynasty originated. It is the oldest and central palace of Joseon. It is for this reason that Gyeongbokgung is considered the most beautiful and biggest of the 5 palaces in Seoul, and praised as demonstrating the very height of architectural technology from the medieval period of Northeast Asia.

Parts of the palace were burnt down during “Imjin Oeran”, the Japanese invasion of Korea (1592-1598). Since 1610 Changdeokgung played the role of jeonggung instead, until Heungseon Daewongun (father of King Gojong) restored Gyeongbokgung in 1865. Although the palace was seriously damaged once again, under Japanese Colonial rule, the current Korean government is continuing its predecessors’ efforts to restore it to its original glory. Major attractions inside the palace include Geunjeongjeon (the main hall of the palace), Gyeonghoeru pavilions, Hyangwonjeong pavilion and the Amisan chimneys, all of which are valuable cultural and historical assets illustrating the essence of the traditional architectural design of the Joseon Dynasty.

There are several historical sites and artifacts of great value that can be found in every corner of Gyeongbokgung. Inside the palace are the National Palace Museum of Korea and the National Folk Museum of Korea to take you on a trip back into Korean history.

Yongsan



Yongsan Electronics Shopping Mall and Techno Mart prove that Korea is a leading player in information technology (IT). Each of the two large retail complexes specializes in electronic goods and is equipped with full lineups of computers, broadcasting equipment, audio systems, and lighting equipment, all of which are available at extremely competitive prices (which vary depending on your bargaining skills as well). Besides shopping, various other activities are also available at these two complexes as they both feature multiplex cinemas, restaurants and food courts, not to mention their events halls. Different floors are dedicated to different types of goods.
Yongsan is frequently visited by foreigners in Seoul because of its proximity to Itaewon and Hannam-dong, and the recent development of the area has made it one of the most rapidly rising attractions in Seoul.

Hongdae/Hongik

Hongdae refers to the area stretching from Hongik Univ. Station (line 2) to the main entrance of Hongik University and is lined with unique coffee houses, small venues for indie rock concerts, live music bars, jazz and dance clubs. Hongik University itself is most famous for its art program and so naturally the area is full of arty boutiques, galleries, studios, craft shops and accessory stores, as well. The last Friday of each month is “Club Day” when clubbers can visit many different clubs in the area with a single ticket. The annual street art festival in October is another popular cultural event attracting a stream of young art lovers to this area.

Every Friday and Saturday night, Hongik University area becomes full of young people dressed to impress and following the sound of music and chatter. This area attracts both Koreans and foreigners in equal measure. House, trance, drum and base, hip hop, rock, and salsa rhythms transport you to a world of rhythm, light and dance.
Hongik University area is also famous for the many and varied work by artists who deny the bounds of a confined studio space; and many “Streets of Art” have come about in the area as a result. This has made the area Seoul’s No.1 art district where the public freely interacts with the art all about them.

Markets for the arts and crafts of amateur artists regularly open in the playground across the street from Hongik University. There are many hidden treasures to be found at these markets. The Sinchon area, nearby the Hongik University neighborhood, is surrounded by 3 other universities. It is full of fun and excitement for the young, Korean and foreigner alike. The shopping district in front of Ewha Womans University is always crowded with young women shopping for clothes, wallets, shoes, and accessories. The campuses of Yonsei University and Ewha Womans University brighten up with azalea blossoms in spring and colorful autumn leaves in autumn, and they are frequently visited by lovers seeking a romantic walkway.

Korea's got Seoul

This weekend I decided to go up to Seoul to see the sights. It had been a while since I'd last been, and there is so much to see there! Originally I wanted to go to the DMZ, but then I started researching Seoul and decided there wouldn't be enough time to make it.

I got the bus Friday at 6 with Brian, Emily, Ricky (their friend from back home), Alli, and Alex. The bus was pretty nice, so I didn't mind riding it for 4 hours. We took the subway to our hostel, which was in Hongdae. By the time we unloaded our things there, it was around 12 pm. Luckily, Hongdae is where the college students and young adults hang out on the weekends, and we were close. Our friends from Incheon (Evan, Patrick, and Sophia) were in the area. Patrick had friends visiting, and Sophia was on a date, so we only got to see Evan Friday night. We met in the downtown area and hit up Ho Bar VII. We grabbed 1 beer there, and realized how hungry we all were. Across the street was a 님밥 restaurant and decided that would be fine.



At the restaurant, we ordered some dumplings. We got 6 orders, and we were all stuffed. It was delicious. After that, we were exhausted and went back to the hostel and were asleep by 2 am.

Saturday morning, I woke up early, and got ready. Our first stop was Paris Baguette for breakfast, then we went to the Yongsan. This area is the biggest electronic markets. There are over 20 buildings containing 5000 stores. Emily and I wandered around while Alli shopped for a Canon SLR camera. Em and I found a booth that burned DVD's, and I walked away with about 18 DVD's for about $25. I got The Ugly Truth, The Hangover, and seasons 1-7 of Sex and the City. You can guess what I'll be doing the next few weeks!



Alli got her camera and she tried it out when the two of us went to Gyeongbuk-gung (경북궁) which is Seoul's largest and most beautiful palace from the Joseon Dynasty. We were there about 2 hours, and took a ton of pictures. Unfortunately, I did not charge my camera much before I left, and it died shortly thereafter.

Here is a picture with some Korean students who wanted a picture with us. I love how awkard looking it is!


A pretty view of the temple


We met up with Emily for a late lunch (4 pm) in an area of town called Dongdaemun (동대문) where you can shop to your hearts content. Wikitravel says "Dongdaemun market has large department store-like buildings such as Doota, Migliore, and APM that have trendy shops and stalls grouped togehter so customers can shop efficiently and save time." The three of us gave ourselves 2 hours to shop. We flew through it so fast and walked out with some really good finds. We each got shoes, dresses, pants, sweaters, and some jewerly. Alli and I each bought the same sweater and pants because it was so cute. By the time we were done, we couldn't remember what we had found!

We went back to the hostel to get ready to go out. The boys had gone ATVing outside of Seoul, and we beat them back. The three of us put on our clubbing gear and met Patrick for dinner at Omatu Tomato, a great fusion restaurant in Hongdae. The boys eventually made it, and we spent the rest of the night bar and club hopping with Joe, Evan, Patrick, Ryan, Alex, and a few of their friends. It was a great night, except I could have done without the large storm that rolled in around 2 am. We all got drenched!

Sunday, we went home shortly after we woke up because we were all dragging from Saturday night. It took us about 1 hour on the subway to get to the bus terminal, then another 4 hours home. I didn't really say goodbye to our Incheon friends, but Patrick called later on to say goodbye to me. They'll be down in 2 weeks to visit us, and I don't think that it will be nearly as crazy of a weekend as this one was!

Swine Flu

Here is an excerpt from my English newspaper, the Korea Times, about the swine flu. We have a few cases at both my center and visiting schools. The problem is definitely getting worse, and my teachers are all very concerned about it. I'm thinking of buying a mask soon!



"South Korea Tuesday raised its flu alert status to the highest "red" level and moved to set up a central disaster relief headquarters to better combat the rapid spread of influenza A (H1N1).

The Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs said the number of confirmed H1N1 flu cases has doubled in recent weeks with the onset of cold weather, according to Yonhap News Agency.

The country had maintained its "orange" alert status since July 21 but decided to raise it as an average of 8,857 people caught the new flu per day last week, up from 4,420 tallied for the week before. A total of 42 people have died in South Korea from the flu since mid-August.

Government efforts will be focused on coping with serious flu cases and vaccinating about 35 percent of the population as soon as possible to safeguard public health, the ministry said.

It also called for a central disaster relief headquarters to be set up under the Ministry of Public Administration and Security to enhance the government's response to the epidemic.

"The government will move to mobilize all available medical personnel to treat patients and enhance the country's capability to provide anti-viral drugs," an official was quoted as saying.

Seoul will strengthen its monitoring of hospitals and clinics to gauge the extent of influenza A's spread, he added.

Health authorities said they will advance vaccinations of all school children by one week or two, and stockpile 11 million dosages of anti-viral drugs."

Dating Korean Style

For those of you who don't know, I live above a business that does car work. There always seems to be a bunch of mechanics and their friends hanging around. I'd never really paid any attention to them at all, but I see the owner of the shop, who is also my landlord, quite a bit.

I got home from school early last Thursday, and was invited to have some food (sandwiches) with them downstairs. Even though my Korean is getting better, their limited English skills made converstation incredibly hard. We were able to communicate alright through google translator, and somehow I ended up saying yes to a date with one of the guys! It took about 45 minutes of using translator to get our plans made!

We decided to go to a movie on Sunday night. The guy, Michael, picked me up in his pimped out Hyundai Avante, and we went to the CGV at U-Square (bus terminal). He wanted me to bring my laptop with me so we could communicate. That was wonderful, carrying around 5 pounds on a date haha. We ate at TGI Fridays at U-Square, which was pretty good. I kind of wish we would have eaten at a Korean restaurant, because then it would have been like a real Korean date! We had ribs, pasta, fries, and beer. I was glad he ordered beer, it helped calm my nerves.

We took some pictures at dinner of us trying to talk to each other. I know the waiters and waitresses just thought that was hilarious. I'm sure we provided lots of entertainment. We didn't talk much during dinner, for obvious reasons, but he talked on his phone A LOT. One of his friends speaks English, and she served as a translator for a part of the meal. Talk about romantic.

After dinner, we had about an hour before the movie started at the IMax. He bought our tickets, I wasn't sure what the movie was. We some computers at the terminal, and again, used google translator. I found out some more details about him, so that was good. We "talked" about travel, North Korea, the military, and college.

The movie we saw was on the 5th floor of the terminal, and it was called District 9. I was so glad it was an English movie with Korean subtitles. My favorite part was before the show started when they showed the emergency escape routes out of the theater, just like on the airplane. Another difference was that they didn't have any previews, it was just commercials. The movie was okay, a little to SciFi for me. It was about aliens taking over Johannesburg and the main character turned into one by the end of the movie.

I made it back to my apartment around 12pm, I think the movie got kind of long. Overall, it was a nice night, but I wish we could have actually spoken to each other. I don't think I said a full sentence all night :)