Yes, that says Fiesta! Ole! There are a lot of fine foods from back home that I've had to learn to deal without- cheese, sour cream, guacamole, chili powder, limes... just to name a few. There is hope though and its unofficial name is The Foreigner Market in Itaewon. Itaewon is the one place you can go in Seoul which more closely resembles a Western City in that 1) there are usually more foreigners than Koreans, and 2) there are all sorts of great ethnic restaurants and shops. It's also more expensive than most places in Seoul and not really the kind of place you'd go to experience Korean culture. My trip there this weekend was only the third time I'd been there and it's a place I generally try to avoid because it's a bit of a tourist trap. However, I'd been without a bowl of chili for all to long and bribed my friends to come to a dinner party (I live far away from everyone) by temping them with some.
I must admit, when I saw the foreign market, I was a bit suspicious. It looked like nothing more than a convenience store from the outside. I doubted whether I'd find everything I was looking for, but I was pleasantly surprised! Packed into this tiny place I was able to find everything I needed and then some- jalapeños, salsa, tortillas! I was in heaven. Definitely worth the hour and a half train ride! They didn't just have Mexican food, though, they had Italian, Indian, Mediterranean... you name it. If it is sold anywhere in Korea, this is the place to find it. No Ricotta cheese though- looks like my dreams of stuffed shells will continue until I return home.
Anyway, I loaded up my backpack with everything I could find for my fiesta and cooked an amazing meal the next day, complete with quesadillas and homemade guacamole! Take that, everyone who went to tropical beaches over the holiday!
There were actually only a few of us- myself, Mi Hee, Erin, Natalie, Jemma, and Coman- our token guy friend for the evening. But the party was the most fun I've had in a long time. We played cards (a very violent game called spoons), did headstands (I have a crazy bruise on my knee from when “someone” pushed me over), and laughed and laughed, especially when Coman was called, "a son of a leprechaun!" Yes, it was just a bunch a friends being silly, but it sure is fun to be silly isn’t it?
Showing posts with label Seoul. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Seoul. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Fiesta
Thursday, November 1, 2007
October
I know, I know, it’s been ages since I last wrote. The thing is, that after a while, things started to become a little more common place to me and it wasn’t as interesting to write about my every day activities. Then, once I was out of the habit of it, even when I started doing some more interesting things, I kept forgetting to write. By now there is so much to tell, too much really. I don’t even know where to start.
I guess I’ll start with telling you about my everyday stuff. Work has its ups and downs. Some days it’s a piece of cake and other’s it’s a real struggle to get through. I think that my school is poorly organized and under funded. In addition, most of the kids don’t really want to learn English, but rather are being forced by their parents to come to my class. It doesn’t make for easy teaching. I was having some real problems with a few very disrespectful girls a few weeks ago and threw one of them out of my class. It caused a big scene and I felt a little embarrassed that I blew up, but it ended up being a good thing. I was able to explain to the other English teach- who is a native Korean- and to the director what kind of crap my students put me through on a daily basis. The next day I had off and the other teacher had a long talk with each of our classes. Since then, the students have been a lot more respectful to me. My coworkers, at least, are very nice and we get along well. Although, I don’t get invited to lunch as often because I think they are catching on that I don’t really like most Korean food. It’s an OK pay off as far as I’m concerned.
Outside of work, I have made friends with a ton of Westerns. They get together on Thursday nights for a pub quiz at Ozzy’s bar. It’s a fun time to get together, meet new people, and challenge my brain a bit. I can get very competitive! It’s also the one time a week that I’m guaranteed to get to hang out with other native English speakers. Sometimes I’m jeleous of them because most of them work at big schools where they can see other Westerners every day. Don’t get me wrong, the Koreans that I’m friends with are some of the nicest, most giving people I’ve met, but it is difficult to become really good friends with any of them because of the language barrier. Sometimes I feel a little lonely.
One thing that might help is a Korean class that I just started last night. I had tried taking a class before, but it was difficult because the teacher didn’t speak any English and it wasn’t really at a good time. I learned to read Korean easily enough, in those few weeks, but nothing more came of it. This new class is taught by a really great Canadian guy named Stefan. He’s been here for a long time and can speak really well. Also, many of the people from the pub quiz are also in the class, so it’s nice to practice with friends. I don’t hope to become fluent in the 8 months I have left here, but I think I can get down some conversation skill at least.
On to the more exciting events of late… I’ve been to Seoul enough times to know my way around a bit. It’s a pretty city and some nice places to walk around. Lots of parks. I went to a drum festival a few weeks ago and had a really great time. It’s festival season now, so I’ve been to a bunch in the past month. In addition to the drum festival, I’ve also been to a belly dancing festival and a fashion festival. All were fun and interesting. And cheep. I don’t know how Seoul got rated one of the most expensive cities to live in, because everything is really affordable here. I’m doing something fun and interesting every week.
Perhaps one of the best things I’ve come across here is a group called Adventure Korea. It’s a group geared toward English speakers living in Korea and they go on outdoor adventure trips, all sorts of fun places. It’s really ideal because it gives me a chance to meet new people, it’s more affordable than it would be if I booked a trip on my own, and it’s easier to do things with a group because I don’t have to try to get around on my own in Korean. I haven’t actually gone on a trip with them yet, but I’ve got three trips booked in the next 6 weeks. I’m going to Seorak-san National Park in two weeks for a weekend hiking trip. It’s on the east coast of Korea and high in the mountains. It should be at the height of the fall leaf season. I think it will be beautiful. The week after, I’m going to another national park in the middle of Korea for a weekend of rock climbing. It will be my first time rock climbing and I’m really excited about it. The last weekend trip is in December and it’s to a ski resort. There are tons of places to go skiing here, though they are not very close, but with this group, I think I might be able to get in a number of trips this winter. I’ll report back on my trips as they happen. (No, really, I will!)
Maybe the most exciting news I have is that Eric is coming to visit me in December. He’ll be here for 3 weeks. I can’t wait to see him. And, I’m glad to have someone from home to be here with me over Christmas. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m one of those sappy Christmas people. I’m really going to miss all the traditions. I don’t even have an oven in my apartment to bake cookies! But with Eric here (and lots of emails from home), I know that I’ll get through just fine.
Lastly, I know I’m totally bragging, but I have to tell everyone that I’ve lost over 30 pounds since I’ve been here! In addition to looking so much better, I feel so much healthier. Losing weight is something I’ve struggled with a lot for years and more than anything it’s for my health that I care so much about it. I’ve still go a way to go. I can be really lazy when it comes to exercise, but I’m getting there. One day at a time.
So, that’s it for now. More to come soon!
I guess I’ll start with telling you about my everyday stuff. Work has its ups and downs. Some days it’s a piece of cake and other’s it’s a real struggle to get through. I think that my school is poorly organized and under funded. In addition, most of the kids don’t really want to learn English, but rather are being forced by their parents to come to my class. It doesn’t make for easy teaching. I was having some real problems with a few very disrespectful girls a few weeks ago and threw one of them out of my class. It caused a big scene and I felt a little embarrassed that I blew up, but it ended up being a good thing. I was able to explain to the other English teach- who is a native Korean- and to the director what kind of crap my students put me through on a daily basis. The next day I had off and the other teacher had a long talk with each of our classes. Since then, the students have been a lot more respectful to me. My coworkers, at least, are very nice and we get along well. Although, I don’t get invited to lunch as often because I think they are catching on that I don’t really like most Korean food. It’s an OK pay off as far as I’m concerned.
Outside of work, I have made friends with a ton of Westerns. They get together on Thursday nights for a pub quiz at Ozzy’s bar. It’s a fun time to get together, meet new people, and challenge my brain a bit. I can get very competitive! It’s also the one time a week that I’m guaranteed to get to hang out with other native English speakers. Sometimes I’m jeleous of them because most of them work at big schools where they can see other Westerners every day. Don’t get me wrong, the Koreans that I’m friends with are some of the nicest, most giving people I’ve met, but it is difficult to become really good friends with any of them because of the language barrier. Sometimes I feel a little lonely.
One thing that might help is a Korean class that I just started last night. I had tried taking a class before, but it was difficult because the teacher didn’t speak any English and it wasn’t really at a good time. I learned to read Korean easily enough, in those few weeks, but nothing more came of it. This new class is taught by a really great Canadian guy named Stefan. He’s been here for a long time and can speak really well. Also, many of the people from the pub quiz are also in the class, so it’s nice to practice with friends. I don’t hope to become fluent in the 8 months I have left here, but I think I can get down some conversation skill at least.
On to the more exciting events of late… I’ve been to Seoul enough times to know my way around a bit. It’s a pretty city and some nice places to walk around. Lots of parks. I went to a drum festival a few weeks ago and had a really great time. It’s festival season now, so I’ve been to a bunch in the past month. In addition to the drum festival, I’ve also been to a belly dancing festival and a fashion festival. All were fun and interesting. And cheep. I don’t know how Seoul got rated one of the most expensive cities to live in, because everything is really affordable here. I’m doing something fun and interesting every week.
Perhaps one of the best things I’ve come across here is a group called Adventure Korea. It’s a group geared toward English speakers living in Korea and they go on outdoor adventure trips, all sorts of fun places. It’s really ideal because it gives me a chance to meet new people, it’s more affordable than it would be if I booked a trip on my own, and it’s easier to do things with a group because I don’t have to try to get around on my own in Korean. I haven’t actually gone on a trip with them yet, but I’ve got three trips booked in the next 6 weeks. I’m going to Seorak-san National Park in two weeks for a weekend hiking trip. It’s on the east coast of Korea and high in the mountains. It should be at the height of the fall leaf season. I think it will be beautiful. The week after, I’m going to another national park in the middle of Korea for a weekend of rock climbing. It will be my first time rock climbing and I’m really excited about it. The last weekend trip is in December and it’s to a ski resort. There are tons of places to go skiing here, though they are not very close, but with this group, I think I might be able to get in a number of trips this winter. I’ll report back on my trips as they happen. (No, really, I will!)
Maybe the most exciting news I have is that Eric is coming to visit me in December. He’ll be here for 3 weeks. I can’t wait to see him. And, I’m glad to have someone from home to be here with me over Christmas. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m one of those sappy Christmas people. I’m really going to miss all the traditions. I don’t even have an oven in my apartment to bake cookies! But with Eric here (and lots of emails from home), I know that I’ll get through just fine.
Lastly, I know I’m totally bragging, but I have to tell everyone that I’ve lost over 30 pounds since I’ve been here! In addition to looking so much better, I feel so much healthier. Losing weight is something I’ve struggled with a lot for years and more than anything it’s for my health that I care so much about it. I’ve still go a way to go. I can be really lazy when it comes to exercise, but I’m getting there. One day at a time.
So, that’s it for now. More to come soon!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
My First Trip to Seoul
http://picasaweb.google.com/travelingchris/200707Seoul - Pics!
Yesterday was my first trip into Seoul. I was invited by a fellow teacher, Jane. Two of my college aged students were to join us as well. When I arrived at the meeting spot, my students -Joy and Yeung Dok- were waiting for me. They told me that Jane would join up with us in Seoul.
The subway ride was about an hour and 20 minutes and cost me approximately $1.70. The distance is comparable to taking the LIRR from Ronkonkoma to New York City which costs $13.00. When we walked upstairs into the city, we were in the heart of a huge market. There were a number of vendor that were particularly interesting to me -selling pottery, baskets and the like. I could have spent a lot of time and money there, but previous trips to markets have taught me better. I made up my mind from the start not to buy anything, the day was for looking only.
We took some time to walk around and see a sight or two, but it was very hot and we got tired quickly. My two friends didn't really know the was around the city well. Jane's train was late and we were all a bit cranky. That was, until we found a book store. There isn't much I love in this world so much as books. I was eager to see if they had any in English and much to my delight, they had a fairly decent collection. Here again, I could have spent all of my money, but I had to remind myself that 1) I was broke and 2) books are heavy to bring on the plane ride home. I talked myself into only buying two. The first was "A Man Without a Country," by Kurt Vonnegut. It seemed like a good title for someone living abroad and I enjoy his writing. The second title "Sophie's World - A Novel about the History of Philosophy," by Jostein Gaarder claims to be a #1 International Bestseller, and sounds totally intriguing. I am very much looking forward to reading it.
When we finally met up with Jane, she took us to a downtown area of the city. It would be perfect for Christmas shopping or just spending a day walking around. There were tons of little boutiques and street vendors, coffee shops and tea house. We stopped at the latter for a cup and I enjoyed one of the tastiest cups of tea I've ever had. I truly didn't expect to love it as much as I did, but it was really amazing. I wish I could remember the name of it, but the description was something like "Five Tastes." I was supposed to have all five tastes sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and pungent. I doesn't sound all that great, but please, believe me, it was great.
After tea, I was feeling much less irritable. We went for dinner -Korean traditional, then walked back through downtown. I was good and only bought a $3 bracelet and spent about $5 on incense, but we had a nice time "window" shopping. By 9:00 we were back on the train headed home. I have to say that I was grateful. It was a nice first trip to the city, but it was truly an exhausting day.
Yesterday was my first trip into Seoul. I was invited by a fellow teacher, Jane. Two of my college aged students were to join us as well. When I arrived at the meeting spot, my students -Joy and Yeung Dok- were waiting for me. They told me that Jane would join up with us in Seoul.
The subway ride was about an hour and 20 minutes and cost me approximately $1.70. The distance is comparable to taking the LIRR from Ronkonkoma to New York City which costs $13.00. When we walked upstairs into the city, we were in the heart of a huge market. There were a number of vendor that were particularly interesting to me -selling pottery, baskets and the like. I could have spent a lot of time and money there, but previous trips to markets have taught me better. I made up my mind from the start not to buy anything, the day was for looking only.
We took some time to walk around and see a sight or two, but it was very hot and we got tired quickly. My two friends didn't really know the was around the city well. Jane's train was late and we were all a bit cranky. That was, until we found a book store. There isn't much I love in this world so much as books. I was eager to see if they had any in English and much to my delight, they had a fairly decent collection. Here again, I could have spent all of my money, but I had to remind myself that 1) I was broke and 2) books are heavy to bring on the plane ride home. I talked myself into only buying two. The first was "A Man Without a Country," by Kurt Vonnegut. It seemed like a good title for someone living abroad and I enjoy his writing. The second title "Sophie's World - A Novel about the History of Philosophy," by Jostein Gaarder claims to be a #1 International Bestseller, and sounds totally intriguing. I am very much looking forward to reading it.
When we finally met up with Jane, she took us to a downtown area of the city. It would be perfect for Christmas shopping or just spending a day walking around. There were tons of little boutiques and street vendors, coffee shops and tea house. We stopped at the latter for a cup and I enjoyed one of the tastiest cups of tea I've ever had. I truly didn't expect to love it as much as I did, but it was really amazing. I wish I could remember the name of it, but the description was something like "Five Tastes." I was supposed to have all five tastes sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and pungent. I doesn't sound all that great, but please, believe me, it was great.
After tea, I was feeling much less irritable. We went for dinner -Korean traditional, then walked back through downtown. I was good and only bought a $3 bracelet and spent about $5 on incense, but we had a nice time "window" shopping. By 9:00 we were back on the train headed home. I have to say that I was grateful. It was a nice first trip to the city, but it was truly an exhausting day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
