ONE YEAR IN KOREA!!

Exactly one year ago, Steve and I stepped off a plane at Incheon international airport, waited for our luggage, and found a Korean man holding a sign with our names written on it. This year has been life altering, fun, stressful, exciting, and full of new experiences. Overall, it's been an incredible journey.

For this blog, I have decided to make a list. The top ten things I have enjoyed about Korea.

10. KPOP!
Korean pop music will always have a special place in my heart. Sometimes I'll hear a song that makes me want to dance, other times the blatant rip-off of American pop music and nonsensical "English" makes me laugh uncontrollably. The song "Chocolate Love" by Girl's Generation was the popular hit when we first arrived:

The band Shinee was also popular this past year with their song "Ring Ding Dong."

This one is pretty ridiculous. The English is cringe-worthy but the complete rip-off of "I Got a Feeling" by The Black Eyed Peas is the funniest part.

And this one is just sexy. :) Singer "T.O.P." from the band Big Bang came out with this single, "Turn it up."

9. Free Stuff!
In Korea there is a thing called "service" or "service-uh" as the Koreans say. When we first came to Korea and were exploring the area we walked into a 7-11. We were looking around the store and suddenly we see the guy behind the counter looking frantically for something. When we made our purchase, he handed us a small box with a 7-11 mug inside and says, "Service-uh!" From that point on we've gotten so many things: dish towels, lotion, bottles of coca-cola, make-up, and more.

8. Ajummas and Ajoshis
Ajumma (아줌마) in Korean translates to older woman, or married woman. Her male counterpart is the ajoshi (아저씨). It's hard to explain to someone who hasn't seen it for themselves, but these Korean "characters" have been inspiring, and also a source of great entertainment at times. I'll start with ajummas. When you see her she might be hunched over pulling a cart of cardboard boxes. She has a perm, most likely has tattooed eyebrows, and will be wearing the biggest, flashiest visor you've ever seen. She is strong, tough, and refuses when you attempt to help her carry something. She has also been spotted yelling at her drunk husband, the ajoshi. She stares when I walk by, no shame involved. She is very interested in my foreign body, my curves, the strange way I dress. She loves hiking, and be careful! She will shove you if you are in her way.

Next comes ajoshis. An ajoshi's favorite hobbies are drinking soju, smoking cigarettes, watching construction sites, and hacking loogies...usually all at the same time. Picture this: some construction workers are working on the street and have dug a huge hole in the ground. 3 older men are watching carefully, holding their hands behind their backs, and hacking spit into that hole. Yup, I see it every day. The ajoshi can also be spotted on a Monday night passed out in front of their favorite bar. Lying on the concrete. There's even an entire website dedicated to documenting it: http://blackoutkorea.blogspot.com/ Okay, so they're not ALL ajoshis, but you get the picture. On the subway the ajoshi will be the one wreaking of soju and yelling at foreigners because they are talking too loudly.

They can be funny, rude, and drunken, but you gotta love 'em!

7. Natural Beauty
I've been to many metropolitan areas of Korea and they all pretty much look the same. I could be 4 hours away and see the exact same buildings, Family Marts, Dunkin Donuts, and Paris Baguettes. But when you explore beyond the city, you will find Korea has some really gorgeous sights to offer. We still haven't done all of the sightseeing we want to do in Korea, but what We've seen so far has been awesome!

Hiking at Byeonsanbando National Park

Taejongdae, Busan

6. Busan
Really? A city gets it's own number? Yep, Busan is amazing. It's Korea's second largest city (after Seoul of course) and it's right on the coast. It's the only city I've been to in Korea so far that actually feels different. It's beautiful, fun, and there's lots of culture!
5. Culture
It has been really amazing to learn about a culture I knew almost nothing about before I came. Most of the things I've learned will be with me forever. I've learned how to read Hangul (Korean written language) and a few Korean words and phrases to get me through the day. I know to take things with both hands, turn your head away from an elder when you are drinking, and how to tell someone you are grateful for their hard work.

4. My Students
Obviously, teaching takes up much of my time in Korea. Most days I have 2nd graders screaming at the top of their lungs, running around the class, on top of the tables and crawling out of the windows. I have 1st graders pointing to my stomach and saying "baby?" or "teacher, it's big." I have 6th graders flipping me off, and simply not paying attention to a word I say.

But then there are other moments when my students brighten my entire day. A 5th grader "Chris" visits me at lunch time and tells me, "Teacher, when I am 10 years old I don't like English. Now, 11 years old... I love English! Because Melinda teacher." A 1st grader "Susie" walks into the classroom, doesn't say a word, just smiles and sits in my lap. She plays with my hair and tickles the back of my neck. When I tell her it's time for class she doesn't want to leave my side. Those are the days I love my job.
3. The Food
I had never had real Korean food before coming here. I had heard of "Korean BBQ" which in California means a bowl of rice with meat on top and hot sauce... definitely not traditional. And I had also heard that kimchi is supposed to smell pretty bad. When I got here I tried everything. Some of my favorites include:

• Japchae (잡채밥, glass noodles stir-fried with vegetables)
• Tteokbokki (떡볶이, chewy rice cakes and fish cakes in a spicy sauce)
  
• Bibim nang myeon (비빔냉면, cold buckwheat noodles mixed with vegetables and spicy sauce)
• Bibim bap (비빔밥, rice with vegetables mixed with spicy sauce)
  
• I also recommend dak galbi (닭갈비, chicken and vegetables cooked in a spicy sauce) for those who eat chicken.

But I have to say, my absolute favorite Korean dish is kimchi jigae (김치찌개, spicy stew with kimchi, vegetables and tofu). This stew is perfect on a cold day and I know I'll crave it when I leave Korea.

Kimchi Jigae (top left) and side dishes (This all is for one person!)

Japchae Bap (A Korean-Chinese dish)

Dak Galbi

2. Traveling
Ok, so this isn't technically something I love about Korea, but it is a major benefit to teaching in Korea. Lots of vacation time! In one year we have traveled to Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, and Thailand. It's been freaking awesome! I can't wait for this next year's adventures.

1. Friends
The absolute best thing I've enjoyed in Korea is the great people I've met. In Korea, foreign teachers are usually in the same boat. We come here not knowing anyone. But with a little networking on Facebook and elsewhere, you can quickly find some cool people to hang out with in your area. We realize how much in common we have: love for travel, a readiness to embrace Korean culture (or complain about it- hehe), and open minds. I have had some amazing times with really incredible friends from all over the world. Some have already finished their contracts, others will leave Korea very soon... I am sad to see them go but something tells me I've made at least a couple life long friends. I hope this next year will bring more awesome people into my life!

Loving Hut near Suwon!

You may remember my last post where I reviewed the vegan food chain Loving Hut near Itaewon. We were excited to learn that there is a new Loving Hut near Suwon, which is much closer to my city than Seoul.

Getting there: This branch is actually in Yeongtong, which is an area next to Suwon. The address is: 322-3, Mangpo-Dong, Yeongtong-Gu, Suwon-Si. I was in the Yeongtong area, so I gave a taxi driver this address to type into his GPS and we got there smoothly:

경기도 수원시 영통구 망포동 322-3

If you are farther away, you might want to type in your starting point and the address in Korean into Google maps. It will give you public transportation directions.
The food: When we arrived we noticed there were only about ten things on the menu, and this branch was heavily catered to Koreans. For example, there were no English menus or 'American food' such as spaghetti and California rolls like the other branches had. Here is the menu:
Here is the menu with my attempt at transliteration (pronunciation) and translation:

1. Chung gook Jang (Fermented Soybean (miso) stew)
2. Kong Bee Jee Jeegae (Soy bean stew)
3. Dwen Jang Jeegae (Fermented Soy bean paste stew)
4. Kong gook soo (Cold noodles in soy milk)
5. Chae-sheek Ramyeon (Vegetarian Ramen Noodle soup)

6. Chae-sheek Kimap (Vegetarian kimbap, seaweed, rice and veggie roll)

7. Koh-pee (Coffee)

8. Sang koo-ah (?) joo-suh (Fresh Juice, kiwi or kiwi and banana)
9. Banana Shake

We ordered the ramen, kimbap, and 2 banana shakes. Now, maybe it's just me, but when I get vegan food I expect it to taste different. I think vegan versions of things that usually contain meat often taste different, but it's not necessarily a bad thing. Many times I even prefer the vegetarian version. When we got our food, I was pleasantly surprised. The ramen tasted like ramen, and the kimbap, tasted like kimbap... I felt like saying, "Finally! Vegans aren't getting the short end of the stick!" But settled by telling the chef/server it was delicious (맛있었어요)!

Kimbap

Kimchi

Ramen

Banana Shake

The cost: Super cheap! See picture above. Nothing is over 4,000 won (about $4).

The service: There was one woman working when we went. She acted as our hostess, server, and chef... and was great at all her duties. There is usually only outside seating, but I think since it was a little chilly when we went, they had a little corner to sit in next to the kitchen. Barely enough for four people, but cozy!

Overall, I would recommend this Loving Hut if you're in the area. I wish there were more locations that were closer to main subway stations, but until then...enjoy!

Mandu

They go by many names. In California I've heard them called dumplings, pot stickers, and gyozas. It seems that no matter where you go, you can find dishes consisting of dough stuffed with filling. In Korea, these dumplings are called Mandu (만두). There are many different ways to cook them. You can steam them, you can deep-fry them. You can fill them with kimchi, meat, vegetables, pretty much anything. In this post, I will show you how to make Vegan Mandu.

Ingredients:
-1-2 tbls. vegetable oil

-2-3 tbls. soy sauce

-1/2 block of extra firm tofu (crumbled)

-A couple handfuls of glass noodles, broken into small pieces

-Vegetables of your choice (Minced). I used:

-1/2 carrot

-4 garlic cloves

-1 onion

-1/2 zucchini
-1/2 potato

-1-2 stalks of green onion

-3-4 white mushrooms

-1/2 cup water
-1 frozen package of Mandu dough (Thawed) (You can also make your own, but buying it pre-made is so easy!)

You can blend the ingredients in a food processor if you prefer, but I think finely chopping is fine.
First, boil the glass noodles and set them aside. Then, heat some oil in a frying pan until hot. Add the vegetables, tofu, and glass noodles to the pan and sauté them with soy sauce until they're cooked. Then turn off the heat and wait for the filling to cool down enough to handle.

Use a clean surface to lay out the mandu dough.

Then scoop spoonfuls of filling onto the dough.
Dip your fingers into some water and moisten half of the dough so it will stick to the other half. Fold the dough in half, make sure the dough is stuck together, and make any shape you want!

I'm not an expert by any means, but watch my video to get an idea:

Once you have shaped your mandu you have a few options. You can cook them and eat them right away, refrigerate them to eat the next day, or freeze them. To freeze them, you should put them in the freezer for a few hours (not touching, or they'll get stuck together), then you can put them in a Tupperware or plastic freezer bag to save space.

To cook them, you can steam them or fry them. I prefer mine crispy, so I fry them. Just put a little oil in a frying pan, lightly brown both sides of the mandu, then put in a little water and cover the pan to make sure they are moist and cooked on the inside.

Serve with some soy sauce, hot sauce (I like Sriracha), whatever you like... and enjoy!

Laos!! (Chuseok Vacation Part 2)

We flew to Vientiane and got a tuk tuk to the town center. We searched for a room and stumbled upon "Vayakorn Inn" which just happened to be in our guide book as a find, inexpensive, clean and right in the heart of town. Vientiane had wonderful food, spectacular views and a relaxed feel. We took a stroll along the Mekong River after a delicious meal at Joma Cafe. I hadn't had hummus or greek salad in sooooo long-- it hit the spot!
Then we read in our guide book about a recommended place to get massages, right near Wat Sok Pa Luang. We spent a few minutes in the aromatherapy steam room which was full of spices (eucalyptus, rosemary, lemon grass, basil and many more) that smelled wonderful and felt great on my cold stricken lungs. Then we got traditional Lao massages that felt heavenly. We enjoyed our night in Vientiane and took a 3 hour bus ride to Vang Vieng the next day.

Incredible Tom Yum Martini at Sticky Fingers Cafe (Vientiane, Laos)

Breakfast at Joma Cafe before the bus ride to Vang Vieng

Our 3 hour bus ride ended up taking about 6 hours when an hour into the ride, a tire went flat. It took about an hour for the drivers to put on a spare, then a while to find a mechanic to put a new tire on. The delay allowed us to get to know some fellow travelers and talk about our respective trips.
Once we were in Vang Vieng we had lunch and found the river, because we knew that's where all the action was going to take place. We saw a hotel called, "Grand View Guest house." It looked nicer than most of the other places so we decided that since it was almost my birthday we could splurge on a room. We were shown a beautiful room, right on the river with a gorgeous view. We were amazed to find out it was only $12 per night for all three of us! Once again, we saw that the guide book had highly recommended this guest house-- after the fact. Go us!
We went out for a mediocre dinner at Q bar and went back to our room to prepare for the next days adventure. That morning we woke up-- HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME-- and had breakfast at Luang Prabang Bakery.

We rented inner tubes and took a tuk tuk to the part of the river where the tubing began. The whole river was lined with bars ready to pull you in by a rope and serve you free shots of Lao Lao (Lao whiskey) in bottles full of critters like bees, scorpions, snakes, and more.
The first bar we went to had fun games. For the first game, we tied balloons around our ankles, and the object of the game was to be the last one with an unpopped balloon. Very entertaining... Next we played a game of musical chairs. There was this huge swing going from a deck over the river. Once I got the courage to try it... it was amazing. I was scared at first but everyone cheered me on... what a rush!
We made our way down the river stopping at most of the bars along the way until we needed to get back in time without losing our deposit.

That night we took it easy so we could wake up early the next morning for our bus ride to Luang Prabang. The 6 hour, nausea inducing mini-bus ride had incredible scenery. But the bumpy, winding roads left us holding our stomachs hoping for sleep. We arrived around 3pm, found a room (nothing special), had a late lunch, and went souvenir shopping at the Luang Prabang night market. Poor Steve felt too sick to leave the room but we came back early and watched old cheesy movies on TV. We debated getting a tuk tuk to a nearby waterfall in the early morning, but felt satisfied with the week long, beauty filled trip we had just experienced. We had Joma Cafe one more time before we left. Yes, it was that good.

Mint-Lime drink at Joma Cafe... so refreshing!

Saturday was a full day of flights. We flew from Luang Prabang, Laos, to Siem Reap, Cambodia, then to Phnom Penh. We at dinner in the city before taking a late night flight to Seoul. We arrived in Seoul in the afternoon, with enough time to unpack and prepare for the week of teaching ahead.

Cambodia!!! (Chuseok Vacation Part 1)

Chuseok (추석), or Korean Thanksgiving, happens every year in September or October. This is a holiday when families visit their ancestors and make certain foods, such as Songpyeon (Korean rice cakes). It's one of the biggest holidays in Korea, along with Seollal (Korean New Year's), and is another time when it is popular to give gift sets to friends, family and coworkers. This year my principal gave me a set of toothpaste and shampoo. Even though I will probably never use all of the 12 tubes of non-fluoride, 'bamboo salt' toothpaste, I greatly appreciate not being given the set I received last year-- 6 cans of processed meat. Thanks Mr. Bong!

Anyway, Chuseok meant one thing to us this year: VACATION! We got a full week off of school and decided to go to Cambodia and Laos. Here's the story!

We arrived to Phnom Penh about midnight and easily found a taxi to drive us to an inexpensive hotel. We woke up early to take a 6 hour bus ride to Siem Reap. From the bus station we took a short tuk tuk ride to our guest house, the Golden Mango. How lovely it was! The staff was probably the most friendly I've ever encountered, the rooms were super clean and cute... we couldn't have asked for more.
We ate lunch-- the hotel has a wonderful, delicious restaurant-- before heading to see Phnom Bakheng to watch the sunset.
The next morning we got an early start to watch the sunrise at Angkor Wat.
We joined the other tourists in front of a pond and the sight was spectacular. Angkor Wat reflected in the pond as the sun rose, creating a serene beauty unlike anything else. We spent the next 6 hours exploring all of the temples in the area, finishing with the grand finale: Ta Phrom, the temple Tomb Raider was filmed at.
After a nap we headed to Pub Street for dinner and drinks. After eating Indian, we spent most of our time at a bar called, "Angkor What?" We danced all night.... it was so fun!
Our next day we walked through Old Market and bought some clothes and souvenirs. We had a snack at the "Red Piano" which is famous for being Angelina Jolie's hang out spot while filming Tomb Raider. In the evening we walked around the Siem Reap night market.
Then we relaxed in preparation for our morning flight to Laos!