Maranda was a vegetarian and had been having a lot of difficulty eating in Korea. I’m sure eating as a vegetarian in China is just as limited as eating as a vegetarian in Korea, but the options are totally different and therefore she fell in love with the culinary world of China which was great for Michele and I- as ravenous carnivores we really wanted to eat Peking Duck when actually in Peking (or what used to be called Peking.)- and we could all go to restaurants and all order great food off the menu. The very first restaurant we entered in Beijin was a vegetarian restaurant...that served duck. Or soy duck. But it looked like a duck, tasted like duck, and you know what they say about that...It was actually a very memorable meal due to a tricky noodle soup that consisted of one very long, thick, and slippery noodle that the very rounded Chinese chopsticks could not get a good grasp on. It ended up on the table...in my lap...nearly everyplace but my mouth. This restaurant is also notable because Maranda and I both ordered Cream and Mushroom Soup. Stupidly, we thought it would be cream of mushroom. We didn't realize the importance the "and" would play. Because this soup was literally cream. And mushroom. Very, very weird. The rest of the meal is a blur of squeals and giggles as none of us could really get past the soup that consisted of a single noodle and a soup with actual cream. We also got the opportunity to get a closer look at Chinese currency (called both the Yuan and the RMB) and every single unit has the same picture of Chairman Mao.
Our favorite places ended up being random holes in the walls we happened upon. Michele decided we should walk a different way back from Starbucks (…yes…we got coffee at Starbucks, but in our defense it was the only coffee/tea place opened on the holiday) and we found this fantastic tea house where we spent a good hour drinking tea (after coffee... which made me have to literally run home to pee because I was tired of using the public bathrooms that are located every 30 meters in China. Oh, I could write an entire blog on the bathrooms of China…) Later that day I begged the other two to forgo the bus and to walk to the park we were heading to. We came across this steamed dumpling shop where we ordered 3RMB (about 50 US cents) platters of dumplings. They were filled with scallions, pork, carrots, beef, mushrooms, eggs. They were fantastic. Later in our walk we found eggs on a stick, but the fascinating thing about them was that they were tiny little bird eggs, about a quarter of the size of a chicken egg. We couldn’t resist and had to try one. Who knows what little winged creature we ate… Later that same day, (I know!) we each ordered a pastry from another roadside stand and she was so thrilled at our presence (3 young white girls attracts a lot of stares and squeals and pointing in Asia) that she gave us a half a dozen extra and a cup of ginger tea at no extra cost.
And these pastries were good. Think of drinking a great latte, turn it into cream, and then transport that into a small little pastry puff. Mmmm.
We did go to a duck restaurant and had some great duck (it just melts in your mouth, mmmm) but the restaurant itself was kind of odd. Firstly, half the items on the menu (including water) were not available. The food was good, but because we didn’t want to order a whole duck we had to order a la carte and therefore got a 10% service charged added on. After we left, we went to the bathroom just outside of the restaurant and spent five minutes inside, tops. As soon as we exited and set out to leave the building we saw that the restaurant was black. Dead. Not a single person was inside of it. The doors were locked and the lights were off. We couldn’t help but wonder if we had imagined the entire experience. Was it an allusion? Had we really just eaten a meal there? Who knows, but it was really weird.
We seemed to eat at one restaurant a day and spent the rest of the day filling up on street food and snacks. Some of the street food we loved were corn on a cob, giant sweet potatoes, and sticks of candied fruit. The candied fruit vendor at one place took his art very seriously and literally screamed at us for taking his picture. We figured he overcharged us so it’s a wash.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
So I Traveled to China
I am back from Beijing. And had the most amazing time. Michele, Maranda, and I are still flying high on our fabulous trip and even now at work, while our other teachers are grumbling about the cold weather in our classrooms, the three of us are giggling like little kids as we look through pictures and video of our time in China. China. I was just in China. Wow.
I think one of the reasons the trip was so successful was because the three of us went there with absolutely no expectations. We were all kind of drained from work, weren’t really sure what we would be doing in Beijing, and just were not expecting anything fantastic. I think that left us open to experiences which were not planning for or expecting in the slightest. Our first sign that this trip was going to be different was shown pretty early when the third part of our group, the effervescent and philosophical yet endearingly ditzy Maranda, realized she had accidentally booked a business class ticket for herself. While Michele and I were bending our knees in impossible angles at the back of the plane, Maranda was snacking on shrimp cocktails, cooling off with warm towels, and drinking champagne.
We only had a long weekend in Beijing so as soon as we found our way to the hostel, we dropped off our bags and headed out to explore. Our hostel, Peking Backpackers Hostel, was located in one of many alleys in Beijing called hutong which made it feel like an authentic lodging experience versus a hotel that is off a busy main street in downtown. It was also freakishly close to everything we wanted to see. Immediately after we landed we headed to the Forbidden City. We took the longest way possible to get there, and stopped to take photos every couple of feet, so when we arrived the sun was setting. It was a really beautiful sight, seeing the sun against this ancient, uber-secretive palace that used to house the royal emperor’s court. For thousands of years nobody was allowed to enter this palace except for the emperor himself. The only other men housed inside of it were eunuch’s who, along with the hordes of concubines, were expected to please the emperor. A group of hawkers were successful in persuading three of us to enter a two person ricshaw and take us to nearby Tiananmen Square. It would have been easier and cheaper to walk but driving in Beijing on a bike was an experience I will always remember. Particularly after being told to shift our weight back because we were in danger of tipping over in the middle of rush hour traffic. We arrived at the Mao Memorial building (really famous building with Chairman Mao’s picture on it) in time to watch the lowering of the flag in the square. Watching those soldiers moved in total sync was crazy. They weren’t human’s, they were this communist machine. And seeing the hundreds of cameras that cover every square foot of the square really brings it home how intense this government is. At night we went to see a traditional Peking Opera. Because we bought a bottle of wine, we got moved to a table right in front of the stage to watch the performance. It was like nothing I’ve ever seen in the theater. The movements of the body and the intonation of the voices was so different from anything I’ve seen. The eastern aesthetic is so distinctive and different from what we are familiar with in the west, but the difference is really what makes it so beautiful to me.
We spent the next day- Chinese New Year’s Eve- doing more touristy things. We started out at the Forbidden City and re-visited Tiananmen Square and visiting a park that holds 400 year old cypress trees. A group of locals were playing jump rope and got very excited when the 3 of us stopped by to watch. They invited us all to join, but I chose to stand back and take pictures of Maranda and Michele. It was a fantastic moment. I’m sure they were doing it to be healthy as well, but they also legitimately enjoyed it. Every time somebody messed up they all just laughed. Michele is kind of tall and had trouble getting under the ropes, but they just readjusted their game so that she could join in. The language barrier was a little too difficult for any of us to really communicate, but we were all having a great time and it was obvious. It’s not that Koreans are cold, but I’ve never experienced as much open faced kindness from them as I experienced from Chinese. As Maranda put it later, “Adults in Beijing play!”
Sunday night felt like the world was on fire. All day Saturday and Sunday we heard sporadic fireworks but at night things just went crazy. On blocks, in front of cars, in the middle of roads, five feet from running children people were lighting fireworks and crackers and sparklers. I’ve never been so close to a firework in my life. We spent a good half hour just standing in front of a store near our hostel watching locals light fireworks and run off squealing with joy as they boomed up into the sky. Car alarms were going off due to the noise and people were biking in the streets, but nobody seemed at all perturbed. It was New Years Eve and chaos was expected. At midnight, we were woken up to booms resembling what I imagine a war zone sounds likes, but which we quickly realized were the sounds of fireworks going off in every single direction. Including right outside our hostel. It was crazy, and so exciting.
Monday was New Years Day and therefore the city was virtually shut down. The three of us woke up early to take a taxi to the wall. It was about an hour’s drive from the city and we went to the section of the wall called Mutianyu. It’s not the most commercial section of the wall, but it’s closer than the more scenic portions (which I really wanted to see but which would have been too expensive in a taxi) and I’m so glad we made the choice we made. Because it was a holiday and we got there early in the morning the three of us spent 2 hours hiking along the Great Wall of China completely alone. Nobody was there, not even the hawkers who have stalls at the bottom trying to sell t-shirts and trinkets. Maranda, Michele, and I had the entire wall to ourselves and hiked along it all morning without ever seeing another face. It was amazing. Truly one of those moments that I will hold with me forever.
We went in search of coffee after we returned from the Wall and stumbled across a frozen lake that people were doing all sorts of activities on. And I use the word activities because I still do not know how to accurately identify the activities that people were doing. There were ice skaters and speed skaters dressed in the full spandex uniforms you see at the Olympics. A giant alpaca was walking a sleigh across the ice. People were riding bicycles that had runners on them. And- this is my personal favorite- was the contraption that looked like high school desks on steel runners which you sat on and then used metal poles to push yourself around. Sounds ridiculous? Oh, it so was. And I loved it. And all 3 of us spent a good 2 hours out on the lake, one of maybe a half dozen white folks, just playing.
At night we took the taxi to the Olympic Stadium to see first hand why the 2008 Summer Olympics were the most expensive in history. Was not hard to see why. The Bird’s Nest (where the opening ceremonies and track and field events were held) and the arena that housed Michael Phelp’s pool were so technological and glittery and gigantic that it blew me away. Street sellers all over the city are still attempting to sell Olympic paraphernalia so it’s not hard to see the impact the Olympics has had on the city. At night we had traditional Chinese food, including duck, and enjoyed the night immensely.
We left the next day and since we were running low on cash, just chose to wander aimlessly for the afternoon. And had another incredible day. We wandered into a tea house that gave us cups and cups of tea, served in a traditional method and then found a steamed dumpling house. After which we happened upon some sort of street fair that was celebrating 2009- the year of the Ox. Which happens to be my year. And which I feel very, very good about. There’s still so much to share about Beijing, it was such a lovely weekend. But I think this entry is long enough for now. Friday night we will all be meeting up to exchange pictures and video’s so I’ll post pictures throughout the week. But as Michele said, this weekend was “An Asian Rejuvenation.”
I think one of the reasons the trip was so successful was because the three of us went there with absolutely no expectations. We were all kind of drained from work, weren’t really sure what we would be doing in Beijing, and just were not expecting anything fantastic. I think that left us open to experiences which were not planning for or expecting in the slightest. Our first sign that this trip was going to be different was shown pretty early when the third part of our group, the effervescent and philosophical yet endearingly ditzy Maranda, realized she had accidentally booked a business class ticket for herself. While Michele and I were bending our knees in impossible angles at the back of the plane, Maranda was snacking on shrimp cocktails, cooling off with warm towels, and drinking champagne.
We only had a long weekend in Beijing so as soon as we found our way to the hostel, we dropped off our bags and headed out to explore. Our hostel, Peking Backpackers Hostel, was located in one of many alleys in Beijing called hutong which made it feel like an authentic lodging experience versus a hotel that is off a busy main street in downtown. It was also freakishly close to everything we wanted to see. Immediately after we landed we headed to the Forbidden City. We took the longest way possible to get there, and stopped to take photos every couple of feet, so when we arrived the sun was setting. It was a really beautiful sight, seeing the sun against this ancient, uber-secretive palace that used to house the royal emperor’s court. For thousands of years nobody was allowed to enter this palace except for the emperor himself. The only other men housed inside of it were eunuch’s who, along with the hordes of concubines, were expected to please the emperor. A group of hawkers were successful in persuading three of us to enter a two person ricshaw and take us to nearby Tiananmen Square. It would have been easier and cheaper to walk but driving in Beijing on a bike was an experience I will always remember. Particularly after being told to shift our weight back because we were in danger of tipping over in the middle of rush hour traffic. We arrived at the Mao Memorial building (really famous building with Chairman Mao’s picture on it) in time to watch the lowering of the flag in the square. Watching those soldiers moved in total sync was crazy. They weren’t human’s, they were this communist machine. And seeing the hundreds of cameras that cover every square foot of the square really brings it home how intense this government is. At night we went to see a traditional Peking Opera. Because we bought a bottle of wine, we got moved to a table right in front of the stage to watch the performance. It was like nothing I’ve ever seen in the theater. The movements of the body and the intonation of the voices was so different from anything I’ve seen. The eastern aesthetic is so distinctive and different from what we are familiar with in the west, but the difference is really what makes it so beautiful to me.
We spent the next day- Chinese New Year’s Eve- doing more touristy things. We started out at the Forbidden City and re-visited Tiananmen Square and visiting a park that holds 400 year old cypress trees. A group of locals were playing jump rope and got very excited when the 3 of us stopped by to watch. They invited us all to join, but I chose to stand back and take pictures of Maranda and Michele. It was a fantastic moment. I’m sure they were doing it to be healthy as well, but they also legitimately enjoyed it. Every time somebody messed up they all just laughed. Michele is kind of tall and had trouble getting under the ropes, but they just readjusted their game so that she could join in. The language barrier was a little too difficult for any of us to really communicate, but we were all having a great time and it was obvious. It’s not that Koreans are cold, but I’ve never experienced as much open faced kindness from them as I experienced from Chinese. As Maranda put it later, “Adults in Beijing play!”
Sunday night felt like the world was on fire. All day Saturday and Sunday we heard sporadic fireworks but at night things just went crazy. On blocks, in front of cars, in the middle of roads, five feet from running children people were lighting fireworks and crackers and sparklers. I’ve never been so close to a firework in my life. We spent a good half hour just standing in front of a store near our hostel watching locals light fireworks and run off squealing with joy as they boomed up into the sky. Car alarms were going off due to the noise and people were biking in the streets, but nobody seemed at all perturbed. It was New Years Eve and chaos was expected. At midnight, we were woken up to booms resembling what I imagine a war zone sounds likes, but which we quickly realized were the sounds of fireworks going off in every single direction. Including right outside our hostel. It was crazy, and so exciting.
Monday was New Years Day and therefore the city was virtually shut down. The three of us woke up early to take a taxi to the wall. It was about an hour’s drive from the city and we went to the section of the wall called Mutianyu. It’s not the most commercial section of the wall, but it’s closer than the more scenic portions (which I really wanted to see but which would have been too expensive in a taxi) and I’m so glad we made the choice we made. Because it was a holiday and we got there early in the morning the three of us spent 2 hours hiking along the Great Wall of China completely alone. Nobody was there, not even the hawkers who have stalls at the bottom trying to sell t-shirts and trinkets. Maranda, Michele, and I had the entire wall to ourselves and hiked along it all morning without ever seeing another face. It was amazing. Truly one of those moments that I will hold with me forever.
We went in search of coffee after we returned from the Wall and stumbled across a frozen lake that people were doing all sorts of activities on. And I use the word activities because I still do not know how to accurately identify the activities that people were doing. There were ice skaters and speed skaters dressed in the full spandex uniforms you see at the Olympics. A giant alpaca was walking a sleigh across the ice. People were riding bicycles that had runners on them. And- this is my personal favorite- was the contraption that looked like high school desks on steel runners which you sat on and then used metal poles to push yourself around. Sounds ridiculous? Oh, it so was. And I loved it. And all 3 of us spent a good 2 hours out on the lake, one of maybe a half dozen white folks, just playing.
At night we took the taxi to the Olympic Stadium to see first hand why the 2008 Summer Olympics were the most expensive in history. Was not hard to see why. The Bird’s Nest (where the opening ceremonies and track and field events were held) and the arena that housed Michael Phelp’s pool were so technological and glittery and gigantic that it blew me away. Street sellers all over the city are still attempting to sell Olympic paraphernalia so it’s not hard to see the impact the Olympics has had on the city. At night we had traditional Chinese food, including duck, and enjoyed the night immensely.
We left the next day and since we were running low on cash, just chose to wander aimlessly for the afternoon. And had another incredible day. We wandered into a tea house that gave us cups and cups of tea, served in a traditional method and then found a steamed dumpling house. After which we happened upon some sort of street fair that was celebrating 2009- the year of the Ox. Which happens to be my year. And which I feel very, very good about. There’s still so much to share about Beijing, it was such a lovely weekend. But I think this entry is long enough for now. Friday night we will all be meeting up to exchange pictures and video’s so I’ll post pictures throughout the week. But as Michele said, this weekend was “An Asian Rejuvenation.”
Friday, January 23, 2009
Lunar New Year/ Chinese New Year
On January 26, 2009 China will enter the year 4707, the year of the Ox. Which happens to be my year:) Michele, Maranda, and I will be celebrating this new year in Beijing and am incredibly excited to come back and tell you all about it!
Legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that the people born in each animal's year would have some of that animal's personality. Those born in ox years tend to be painters, engineers, and architects. They are stable, fearless, obstinate, hard-working and friendly.
Legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that the people born in each animal's year would have some of that animal's personality. Those born in ox years tend to be painters, engineers, and architects. They are stable, fearless, obstinate, hard-working and friendly.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Life with 7 Year Olds
At the end of the day today, when I was taking my kindy's down to the gym to wait for their bus/parents, a conspiracy was concocted and they locked the door, and shut it behind them. Which means that when I went back upstairs to prep for my elementary class I was shut out. The non-English speaking maintenance man had to come upstairs, and hammer and chisel his way into my room. As a precautionary measure he removed my door knob and turned it around, so now the only way to lock the door is from the outside. Which means, potentially, I could be locked IN with my miniature devils. I'm not sure which would be worse. And the best part of the day? Telling my boss, Mrs. Ha, and my other coworkers about it. Nobody was at all surprised.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
It's Saturday....
And I'm heading to work.
In all of our contract's we are given 2 weeks holiday, 5 days in the winter and 5 in the summer. This year we were given 6 work days off in December and to make up for it Mrs. Ha has created a special Saturday class. It seems kinda like a joke, since nobody is entirely sure how many students are showing up and the lesson plan for all our classes is to make a post card for the parents. I teach 2 very sweet kids on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons named Eric and Amy. They're extremely low students so I'll basically be writing the letters on the whiteboard and they'll copy them. And then we'll play. They're a big fan of my really bad magic tricks like making objects disappear by making up elaborate sounding spells and then throwing the object over my shoulder.
In all of our contract's we are given 2 weeks holiday, 5 days in the winter and 5 in the summer. This year we were given 6 work days off in December and to make up for it Mrs. Ha has created a special Saturday class. It seems kinda like a joke, since nobody is entirely sure how many students are showing up and the lesson plan for all our classes is to make a post card for the parents. I teach 2 very sweet kids on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons named Eric and Amy. They're extremely low students so I'll basically be writing the letters on the whiteboard and they'll copy them. And then we'll play. They're a big fan of my really bad magic tricks like making objects disappear by making up elaborate sounding spells and then throwing the object over my shoulder.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
It's Sunday...so I should post
Hi family! I don't really have too much to say at the moment but it's Sunday and I felt like I should come online to say hi. I've downloaded software to make a hard cover coffee table book of my time in Korea and have been kind of obsessed with it all weekend. Some of my blogs are included and I've just been putting the "Pity Fork" post as well as all the helpful comments my family bestowed on it into the book.
:)
:)
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Got My Presents!
I came back from winter vacation and was surprised to learn all my kids-who were 6 before break- are now 7! Every one! In Korea, eveybody ages one year on January 1st regardless of when there birthdays are. So in Korea I am now 25. I only got to enjoy a month of being 24,geez...
I'm not sure if it was the week of vacation or if the age difference has made that big of an impact, but I've had a great week with my kids. I've gotten two new students, a boy named Jack who bares a striking resemblance to Spock named Jack and a girl (my 5th one out of 20 students) named Sharan. And there has been no problems with them, only one time did I have to bring a kid up to the library during break for hitting another student. Quite an improvement from previous weeks. Today we made snowflakes out of paper and I think we all know I was never the best at arts and crafts so when I got confused on a particular paper folding technique I had this star art student who was totally on top of it and he figured it out in seconds. I pretended to be really focused on a student and asked him to show the friends he sits near...wasn't my finest moment but as soon as I figured out hot to fold it I was going around doing it for all my insecure kids who can't draw a line without first verifying that they're doing it right.
So the Christmas presents from the parentals and Kelli were waiting at my desk for me on Monday when I got back from break... :) I loved them! I also got the wine cork thingy that I asked for today, Mom, so if you can remember when you mailed it that would give us a good idea of how long things take to reach me in Korea. Because, you know, if it doesn't take too long then I'm sure an envelope of baked cookies would last...you know...just an idea...
I'm not sure if it was the week of vacation or if the age difference has made that big of an impact, but I've had a great week with my kids. I've gotten two new students, a boy named Jack who bares a striking resemblance to Spock named Jack and a girl (my 5th one out of 20 students) named Sharan. And there has been no problems with them, only one time did I have to bring a kid up to the library during break for hitting another student. Quite an improvement from previous weeks. Today we made snowflakes out of paper and I think we all know I was never the best at arts and crafts so when I got confused on a particular paper folding technique I had this star art student who was totally on top of it and he figured it out in seconds. I pretended to be really focused on a student and asked him to show the friends he sits near...wasn't my finest moment but as soon as I figured out hot to fold it I was going around doing it for all my insecure kids who can't draw a line without first verifying that they're doing it right.
So the Christmas presents from the parentals and Kelli were waiting at my desk for me on Monday when I got back from break... :) I loved them! I also got the wine cork thingy that I asked for today, Mom, so if you can remember when you mailed it that would give us a good idea of how long things take to reach me in Korea. Because, you know, if it doesn't take too long then I'm sure an envelope of baked cookies would last...you know...just an idea...
Friday, January 2, 2009
Goodbye 2008...
Michele and her brother Kyle rocking out to Queen at the Norebang, its a tradition to end every night at one.
Michele is quite tall for a girl, and her brothers are both over 6ft, but this guy with the Santa Cruz sweatshirt stood a head taller than every single person in the room.
This is Michele and myself.
Ordering food is mandatory at a Soju tent so we just pointed at the cheapest thing on the menu...and this is what we got. Dried and salted squid with dipping choices of ketchup or mayonnaise and a spattering of ice cold peanuts.
Ringing in the New Year with a shot of Soju!
Welcome 2009!
I hope everybody had a nice New Years Eve! Lets get ready for a year that is destined to be significantly better than the last!
I went to a college neighborhood called Hongdae with the only 3 teachers left in Seoul, as well as the 2 brothers who came to visit their sister over the Holidays. Considering I spent last year on a delayed airplane at John Wayne Airport, I would say this year started off significantly better.
Three of us (Maranda, Chris, and I...I figured I'll start using then ames of people I hang out with frequently) took the hour train ride together. Maranda and I had had a late night the night before, staying at a local bar until 6:30 in the morning attempting to speak Korean with Koreans who were in turn using us to improve their English. So I was expecting New Years Eve to be an early night when we got together. The three of us met up with Michele (whom I'll be traveling to Beijing with in 20 days!!!) and her two brothers at a Soju tent- a giant tarp where food and liquor are served. Soju is the national liquor of Korea, if you will. It is to Koreans what Vodka is to Russians or Sake is to Japanese.
And it's, literally, cheaper than water.
There was no count down, so we used Chris' watch to instigate our own, but we decided that taking a shot of Soju would be a good way to welcome in the New Year, so we delayed the countdown for a few seconds while we got the shots ready, and then started again. As soon as we cheered our glasses and shouted Happy New Years, the Koreans in the tent all had their own 10 second count down and everybody was cheering eachother.
After the Soju Tent we went to a predictably crowded and predictably western bar where we got to see two live bands. One was awful. One was a fantastically cheesy cover band. After getting mocked for not recognizing a famous Led Zeppeling tune Maranda, Michele, her brothers, and I danced for the next couple hours. It was really, really fun. At around 4 in the morning we crowded five people in a taxi and headed to a norebang.
Have I told you about Noribangs?
It's hard to describe them,but they are a quintissential Korean experience. Basically you pay around $15 for a private room and you and your friends (or coworkers as I have gone to it as a school function) sing Karaoke and get rated by the computer. There are tambourines for the other people to play, as well as a catalog of music that has thousands and thousands of songs.
It's your own private Karoake bar and it is ridiculously fun. We were there until about 6:00 in the morning until Michele's younger brother, who had fallen into a heavy coma, woke up and decided he was hungry at which point we headed to a Korean restaurant for Ramen and fried pork. It was very wierd to eat with people who were waking up, eating their breakfast while we had not yet gone to sleep.
Here are some pictures that were taken, I hope everybody else had a great New Years. It's going to be a good year!
I went to a college neighborhood called Hongdae with the only 3 teachers left in Seoul, as well as the 2 brothers who came to visit their sister over the Holidays. Considering I spent last year on a delayed airplane at John Wayne Airport, I would say this year started off significantly better.
Three of us (Maranda, Chris, and I...I figured I'll start using then ames of people I hang out with frequently) took the hour train ride together. Maranda and I had had a late night the night before, staying at a local bar until 6:30 in the morning attempting to speak Korean with Koreans who were in turn using us to improve their English. So I was expecting New Years Eve to be an early night when we got together. The three of us met up with Michele (whom I'll be traveling to Beijing with in 20 days!!!) and her two brothers at a Soju tent- a giant tarp where food and liquor are served. Soju is the national liquor of Korea, if you will. It is to Koreans what Vodka is to Russians or Sake is to Japanese.
And it's, literally, cheaper than water.
There was no count down, so we used Chris' watch to instigate our own, but we decided that taking a shot of Soju would be a good way to welcome in the New Year, so we delayed the countdown for a few seconds while we got the shots ready, and then started again. As soon as we cheered our glasses and shouted Happy New Years, the Koreans in the tent all had their own 10 second count down and everybody was cheering eachother.
After the Soju Tent we went to a predictably crowded and predictably western bar where we got to see two live bands. One was awful. One was a fantastically cheesy cover band. After getting mocked for not recognizing a famous Led Zeppeling tune Maranda, Michele, her brothers, and I danced for the next couple hours. It was really, really fun. At around 4 in the morning we crowded five people in a taxi and headed to a norebang.
Have I told you about Noribangs?
It's hard to describe them,but they are a quintissential Korean experience. Basically you pay around $15 for a private room and you and your friends (or coworkers as I have gone to it as a school function) sing Karaoke and get rated by the computer. There are tambourines for the other people to play, as well as a catalog of music that has thousands and thousands of songs.
It's your own private Karoake bar and it is ridiculously fun. We were there until about 6:00 in the morning until Michele's younger brother, who had fallen into a heavy coma, woke up and decided he was hungry at which point we headed to a Korean restaurant for Ramen and fried pork. It was very wierd to eat with people who were waking up, eating their breakfast while we had not yet gone to sleep.
Here are some pictures that were taken, I hope everybody else had a great New Years. It's going to be a good year!
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