so it is 7:21 am on monday. my last day is not this thursday but the following thursday. i can’t believe it. we went hiking yesterday. it’s been a mad rush of going out everyday to see as many things as possible before leaving.

last sunday i went to the coex mall aquarium and the kimchi museum. these two entities are not one in the same, so yeah kimchi has nothing to do with the aquarium other than i would bet dollars to donuts pretty much everything in the aquarium has found its way on somebody’s plate out here with a side of kimchi.

fish not dookie

first things first. those of you who find yourselves in seoul and want to chill out, go to the aquarium. it is 15,000 krw for the ticket. don’t go on sunday though. i made that mistake.

the aquarium had fish everywhere! i mean they converted beds, toilets, computers, tvs, radios, coke machines, pretty much they converted everything in to mini or large aquariums. it was really random. the rest was pretty much standard aquarium fare.

with the exception of random animals in their “natural” habitats. they had bats, beavers, monkeys, squirrels and other things that i wouldn’t see at a aquarium, and that is just what was on the menu! just kidding.

as i went on a sunday there were huge queues pretty much for everything. the worst day to go anywhere in korea is on sunday. the more impressive exhibits included leopard seals, penguins, the shark tunnel, giant stingrays, moray eels, and the croc.

the kimchi museum had a library, kimchi art, plates, utensils, food, preparation and anything related to kimchi. it was kind of small. the trip ends with the a sampling of various kimchi. now when people think of kimchi they usually only think of chinese or napa cabbage kimchi but there are more than 30 different types of kimchi. some of it is really great, like the fermented crab in soy sauce or the beef strips in a teryaki like sauce. they also have various seafood kimchi. another fave of mine is the one that is made out of pickles.

so what do millions of american kids do with pumpkins around halloween? no, not the after effects of pumpkin smashing or pumpkin launching… but pumpkin carving. last weekend we had a watermelon carving contest. i mean nothing teaches kids better than carved watermelon with chocolates, gummies, raisins, bananas, apples, cider, and paper.

the teachers really didn’t get a heads up on it. but the korean teachers who have been here before, they knew what to expect and they mostly came out with both guns blazing.

korean kids are extremely competitive, to the point that many cry when they lose or think that they are losing. luckily that really didn’t happen in this event.

so add ice to the mix and soda, and give the kids only toothpicks and spoons to use so you can imagine the sanitary conditions and how clean things were.

winners were declared and clean up was to be had. yeah it was as much of a nightmare as to have been expected. so how do you dispose of the watermelon that has been mixed with various fruit, fruit cocktail, ice, chocolates, candies, and cider cola? quite simply, have kids all dig in to the watermelon with spoons that they were eating out of and pass around and share.

needless to say i was ixnay on the consumption of the litany of watermelon at the english camp. less than 2 weeks left.

one more thing at work. we decided what our presentations are going to be. well the kids decided, we are going to do a song from high school musical 2 and the jackson 5′s abc. 2 weeks from yesterday and all of their parents will be there! asa!

emart

So grocery shopping in Korea is quite the event. Unfortunately since I live in the “Manhattan” of Seoul, I don’t get to experience this as often as most other Seoulites. I do partake in it when I go to other burbs, but as far as Gangnam, mostly they have really small mom and pop corner markets.

Korean supermarkets are basically Wal-mart on steroids. They have multiple floors each one selling different items. You can find pretty much anything and samples of anything.

basically how the sample system has worked, based on my “scientific” research of supermarket shopping through out korea’s major cities: Seoul, Incheon, Busan, Ulsan, and Daegu, the men are dressed like chefs completely with chef’s hats. They will be stationed in the meat section and give out cuts of meat. Usually it is the same types, the typical Korean staples of samgyeopsal, bulgogi, kalbi, donkatsu, hamburger steak, and sausage.

Women of varying ages and appearance will dole out pretty much everything else. If you are looking for a quick meal and are uncertain about what to eat, or trying to save money, the Korean supermarket trip will fill both bills. Samples you can usually get are: coffee, tea, several types of fruit, veggies, tofu, mandu/gyoza/ dumplings, jjajangmyeon noodles with soybean sauce, cereals, desserts, breads, pastries, rice with seaweed, candy, kimchi, fried fish, chicken, and ham. Pretty much every option has multiple varieties for you to try.

If you still haven’t had your fill, a trip to the Korean supermarket is not complete without going to the food court. The Korean food court has a lot of traditional Korean restaurants all selling their wares. In addition to Korean food, you can find a couple places selling sweets, pastries, donuts, or ice-cream, you will also find a Chinese, Japanese, and one or two offering “Western” food.

In regards to the other floors, they pretty much sell everything you can imagine. Instead of sampling food, this time young women are hawking all different types of stuff. They will usually be young and wearing skirts, boots and well as pictured here.

Korea is a country steeped in tradition and you will usually see women in Korean traditional dress, the hanbok, selling higher end products. Korean supermarkets are a must, it truly is an all day event. The only thing that sucks is getting your groceries home.

joseon dynasty

Just another Thursday in Seoul, only this time I had the day off from work! I decided to wake up early and go check out various artifacts and sites of the Joseon Dynasty. The Joseon Dynasty ruled Korea for hundreds of years and it was during this rule that Korea hero, King Sejong altered the Chinese alphabet and developed a language that was distinctly its own, Hangeul or Korean. King Sejong’s picture is on the 10,000 won bill which more or less is the equivalent of $10.00.

Tiger style

Seoul in general, is pretty amazing. I mean it is one of the largest cities in the world, and you can still find these sites thriving as the city has continued to grow. Korean have painstakingly preserved through their history through wars, famine, and imperialism. To think that all of these sites that I went to today were in the center of Seoul, it is amazing.

Gyeongbukdo

My first site was Gyeongbukdo. The site has one of the largest of the Joseon palaces in Korea and is also host to the National Museums of Korean History and Folk Life.

Korean guards

The palace is beautiful. Amidst all of the chaotic nature of Seoul, and tourists, you can easily find zen moments galore on the grounds. There is something moving to just sit there and block out all of the chaos and just be.

After walking the grounds, I decided to make my way towards the Folk Life Museum. On the way, I basked in the sun and the scenery. I would love to have the landscapers create a garden for me. Yes, I realize it probably couldn’t be anywhere near this scale.

pagoda

After leaving Gyeongbukdo, I made my way to Insadong. Insadong used to be a traditional Korean street rife with teahouses, and various Korean landscapes. It has changed a bit since the last time I was in Korea and was even more so disappointingly commercialized. I grabbed some lunch and then headed off to Seoulleung to see some of the royal tombs. For lunch I had hwe dub bap, for those of you who crave sushi or sashimi, it is a must.

hwe dub bap

The tombs of Seoulleung are a UNESCO World Heritage site and the grounds are impressive.

By this time I was wiped out. I had traversed all over Seoul and decided to go back. It was a great day off!

another line

This weekend’s adventure involved a trip to the old ballpark. Seoul’s baseball stadium, Jamsil is host to two of the country’s teams (Doosan Bears and LG Twins) in the Korean Baseball Organization. As this was on a Sunday, and tickets were still available to the game, I decided to go root for my Doosan Bears and chant Hustle Doo, as we took on the Woori Heroes. While on my way to the game, I decided that I should get the old school Doosan Bears jersey, the one where they were still sponsored by OB Beer and looked similar to the old Montreal Expos jersey. I didn’t buy the jersey last time and I was not going to deny myself the second time. New jersey and hat and hand, I was now ready for the game.

my ticket

Korean professional sporting events are different in comparison to American sporting events. You can bring in outside food and beverages, and even bring in your own cooler. If you didn’t bring your own cooler, you can still buy sushi, ramen, tempura, fish sticks, squid chips, soup, pork cutlet, hot dog, hamburger, and many other food choices that are sold both outside and inside of the stadium. The same Burger King and KFC that are sold right next to the ticket booths are a bit cheaper than the ones inside the stadium. Another positive about purchasing the food outside of the stadium, well you will witness in the pictures.

Korean sporting events also feature convenience stores that conveniently sell pretty much anything.

cracker whats?

Unfortunately, I bought my ticket on the away side on the third base line. The home side is on the opposite field and has cheerleaders, giveaways, and other incentives. I got lost while looking for my seat and popped my head up for a second and saw that I was in the outfield. I didn’t notice it at the time, but I heard people screaming and I looked up and a ball was headed right towards me. So I showed up late to the game, got great tickets, got lost, and wouldn’t you know it, I caught a homerun. I have never caught a homerun before at a professional game and it was quite the awesome feeling. I’d be darned if I were to give my new hard earned lucky possession away to some kid that had been waiting.

my hr ball

hustle doo!

The game was exciting full of scoring and other stuff. But by the time the game was in full grove I was still on cloud 9 from my new toy. HUSTLE DOO !!!! DOOSAN BEARS! Oh and while I’m still on the topic of Korean baseball, now that Shin Soo Choo and Chan Ho Park are in the major leagues, we get to watch all of the Cleveland Indian and Philadelphia Phillies games. Asa!

strike!

noryangjin

Something was definitely fishy yesterday. To begin yesterday’s journey, I left Gangnam at 5:30 am and caught the Line 2 subway and headed westbound to Sindorim. At Sindorim, I transferred to the Line 1 subway headed eastbound. Why was I scurrying about so early on the subway system? I went to Seoul’s famous fish market at Noryangjin. There are famous fish markets all over the world, for example Pike’s in Seattle, Tsukiji in Tokyo, and others elsewhere. I do have some previous experience with Korean fish markets, as I used to live in coastal Incheon. Noryangjin is the largest fish market in Seoul and is one of the places that tourists “must” see. Just like other fish markets, the main purpose of the market is the commercialized buying and selling of fish. Yes, you can get your pound or kilo of fresh fish and the vendors will treat you with the same respect as the big corporations or restaurants but, supply and demand is obvious here and everyone is trying to make and save a buck (won.)

The fish market is open really early and if you want to see what all of the hullabaloo is about, you have to get there early. The auction portion is intense and fast. Fishmongers pick up a cornucopia of the ocean’s harvest to show prospective buyers and then put them back in the aquariums, buckets, baskets, or whatever they have. Amongst the various items for sale include: turtles, clams, oysters, sea cucumbers, urchin, abalone, snappers, skates, nautilus, snails, rays, blowfish, shark, etc. For those chowhounds, and foodies who want something to eat, you can buy your fish and have them chop it for you still wriggling. You can’t get fresher sushi or sashimi unless you are actually on the boat that the fish was caught on. The fish market is also another place where people who like to haggle can practice their skills. I think the haggling is some of the most fun about going to the market.

The Noryangjin fish market has hundreds of vendors and has two levels. The second level has primarily an observation deck and more restaurants. Beef is definitely not on the menu at the dozens of restaurants. But if you want delicious sashimi, sushi, kalguksoo ( a noodle dish with shellfish, leeks, and onions) hameultang (spicy seafood stew) and many other dishes this would be the place to more than whet your appetite. The prices are great and the memories will be lasting. Go for the show, stay for the food. Enjoy!

fresh fish?

shrimp of all sizes

ajuuma

salmon

eye see you

noryangjin

Something was definitely fishy yesterday. To begin yesterday’s journey, I left Gangnam at 5:30 am and caught the Line 2 subway and headed westbound to Sindorim. At Sindorim, I transferred to the Line 1 subway headed eastbound. Why was I scurrying about so early on the subway system? I went to Seoul’s famous fish market at Noryangjin. There are famous fish markets all over the world, for example Pike’s in Seattle, Tsukiji in Tokyo, and others elsewhere. I do have some previous experience with Korean fish markets, as I used to live in coastal Incheon. Noryangjin is the largest fish market in Seoul and is one of the places that tourists “must” see. Just like other fish markets, the main purpose of the market is the commercialized buying and selling of fish. Yes, you can get your pound or kilo of fresh fish and the vendors will treat you with the same respect as the big corporations or restaurants but, supply and demand is obvious here and everyone is trying to make and save a buck (won.)

The fish market is open really early and if you want to see what all of the hullabaloo is about, you have to get there early. The auction portion is intense and fast. Fishmongers pick up a cornucopia of the ocean’s harvest to show prospective buyers and then put them back in the aquariums, buckets, baskets, or whatever they have. Amongst the various items for sale include: turtles, clams, oysters, sea cucumbers, urchin, abalone, snappers, skates, nautilus, snails, rays, blowfish, shark, etc. For those chowhounds, and foodies who want something to eat, you can buy your fish and have them chop it for you still wriggling. You can’t get fresher sushi or sashimi unless you are actually on the boat that the fish was caught on. The fish market is also another place where people who like to haggle can practice their skills. I think the haggling is some of the most fun about going to the market.

The Noryangjin fish market has hundreds of vendors and has two levels. The second level has primarily an observation deck and more restaurants. Beef is definitely not on the menu at the dozens of restaurants. But if you want delicious sashimi, sushi, kalguksoo ( a noodle dish with shellfish, leeks, and onions) hameultang (spicy seafood stew) and many other dishes this would be the place to more than whet your appetite. The prices are great and the memories will be lasting. Go for the show, stay for the food. Enjoy!

fresh fish?

shrimps of all sizes

salmon

noryangjin

Something was definitely fishy yesterday. To begin yesterday’s journey, I left Gangnam at 5:30 am and caught the Line 2 subway and headed westbound to Sindorim. At Sindorim, I transferred to the Line 1 subway headed eastbound. Why was I scurrying about so early on the subway system? I went to Seoul’s famous fish market at Noryangjin. There are famous fish markets all over the world, for example Pike’s in Seattle, Tsukiji in Tokyo, and others elsewhere. I do have some previous experience with Korean fish markets, as I used to live in coastal Incheon. Noryangjin is the largest fish market in Seoul and is one of the places that tourists “must” see. Just like other fish markets, the main purpose of the market is the commercialized buying and selling of fish. Yes, you can get your pound or kilo of fresh fish and the vendors will treat you with the same respect as the big corporations or restaurants but, supply and demand is obvious here and everyone is trying to make and save a buck (won.)

The fish market is open really early and if you want to see what all of the hullabaloo is about, you have to get there early. The auction portion is intense and fast. Fishmongers pick up a cornucopia of the ocean’s harvest to show prospective buyers and then put them back in the aquariums, buckets, baskets, or whatever they have. Amongst the various items for sale include: turtles, clams, oysters, sea cucumbers, urchin, abalone, snappers, skates, nautilus, snails, rays, blowfish, shark, etc. For those chowhounds, and foodies who want something to eat, you can buy your fish and have them chop it for you still wriggling. You can’t get fresher sushi or sashimi unless you are actually on the boat that the fish was caught on. The fish market is also another place where people who like to haggle can practice their skills. I think the haggling is some of the most fun about going to the market.

The Noryangjin fish market has hundreds of vendors and has two levels. The second level has primarily an observation deck and more restaurants. Beef is definitely not on the menu at the dozens of restaurants. But if you want delicious sashimi, sushi, kalguksoo ( a noodle dish with shellfish, leeks, and onions) hameultang (spicy seafood stew) and many other dishes this would be the place to more than whet your appetite. The prices are great and the memories will be lasting. Go for the show, stay for the food. Enjoy!

fresh fish?

eye see you

shrimps of all sizes

salmon

Things have been interesting in spite of it being so early in the morning. No sooner than when I tried to check in, did the first snafu arise. I was told that my length of stay in South Korea was being denied. Access denied? At the airport, really? So after going through my entry visas and entering the right visa (resident alien) I was ok to go. I normally don’t get nervous about anything in life but something about the airport has always been so cathartic to me, even before elevated security levels. I love the airport, people coming and going to all parts of the world. However, I always get nervous for my own flights. Luckily I had the foresight to buy Rolaids and yes they do spell relief.

I’m here at United Airlines gate 15. I have a history with this gate, as my last flight through United that came through this gate had a four hour delay and the most miserable flight of my life. Needless to say, I was a bit apprehensive when seeing my gate assignment. I arrived at the gate, at 6:30 am and what did I find? A shouting match between an employee and a customer ensued in the middle of the concourse at 6:30 am! The lady wanted to register a formal complaint for all of the Hispanic and Black races of the world that were being denied services and being racially discriminated. Her words, not mine.

So it is now 10:52 pm on Wednesday, July 15th. I arrived in Korea around 6:30 pm, local time. It took a few hours to get to Gangnam from the airport and then another hour to get to the apartment complex. I live on the third floor of the complex off of Gangnam’s main street. The bottom floor has a seafood restaurant. Sushi juseyo! The apartment is the tiniest place I have ever been in. I will take pictures starting tomorrow. I have to do some errands, but I will probably be on vacation for a couple of days. It’s time for bed!

So the final tally was: woke up at 5am on 7/14 – flights, connections, time change, etc… 10:59 pm 7/15

In this post I will include maps of where I will be going over the next few months and a little more 411. First map is the map of the various provinces of South Korea. I will be staying in the Gangnam district of Seoul which is in the Gyeonggi-do province(extreme northwest). Incheon, (due west of Seoul and on the water) where I previously lived, is also in the Gyeonggi-do province. Upon arrival in South Korea, I will be catching a bus to Gyeongju in Gyeongsangbuk-do province. Gyeongsangbuk-do is near the extreme south of the map near Busan. I will bus between Gyeongju and Busan for several days of rest and relaxation before starting my job on Monday. Woo hoo for Korean limo busses being cheap! Korean bus stops can leave something to be desired as usually you are out in the middle of nowhere and have yummy things like soondae (blood sausage in rice casing) to eat.

As I was mentiong about my previous stay in South Korea was in Incheon. Incheon is an industrial port city much more so than a beach city, I met one of my buddies who happened to be from the North West province of South Africa (about 100 miles west of Johannesburg and southeast of Botswana.) He invited a couple of us to go visit him for the World Cup in 2010. I figured that it might be a bit too packed to go during the World Cup, but why not go this year. I mean since I teach… I really should take advantage of the long breaks while I can. So now I’m going to visit my buddy in December and hopefully go to Botswana as well!

So far nothing is planned for Thanksgiving week although I’m sure I will think of something. Any plans?  By the way, I don’t exactly travel like a rockstar staying at the Four Seasons (although I have done that a few times in different countries and they are always spectacular.) As my friends say, I’m there to work and travel comes secondary.

Yes, they are awesome experiences. Yes, you have the opportunity to learn a new culture. Yes, you get to experience how the “others” live. But bottom line you are there to work. You are there to teach English and everything else is secondary.

For those of you who are interested in teaching overseas, and don’t necessarily have a teaching certificate…. go to daveseslcafe.com and find out more info.

It is now July 3, and I’m amazed that within 6 months time I will have crisscrossed the globe. By the way, this willbe my first time south of the Equator!ASA! Oh and by the way, I did catch the news about the early fireworks from the North. Yes, my resolve remains the same. Happy Fourth of July everyone!

korean provinces

northwest province

Seoul