Fork? You need fork?

Hye-sun took me out to dinner Friday night to a 'fusion' Korean restaurant. I'm not sure what she meant by fusion because she told me it was more western than a traditional Korean restaurant, but the only difference that seemed to be evident was that we sat in chairs at tables with shoes on instead of on the floor with our shoes off. The Korean food was really different, and they kept bringing more! We must have had 5 courses of food that they brought to the table. Each course contained 3 or more plates or dishes of food. That is not even counting the side dishes. They are all about the side dishes here. I did not count, but we must have had at least 35 different dishes of food on our table throughout the meal. I was the only foreigner in the place and when I had trouble eating my salad with chopsticks, they brought me a fork. Korean food is incredibly spicy and I am a wimp.

After dinner she told me she needed to stop by the school and finish some work and insisted that I come with her. Mind you it was 8:30 P.M. on a Friday night. We ended up staying at the school until after 11P.M. Hye-sun and some of the other teachers were preparing the yearly assessments that students will take this week. It was just amazing to me to experience the difference in work ethic here in Korea. The teachers were filing and working furiously to finish and weren't going home until it was completed. Now I am not saying that teachers in the US do not work their butts off and put in long hours and weekends to prepare for their students, but can you imagine staying at school 'til 11:30 P.M. on a Friday night? (minus Friday Night Live or some other special event) Not I. You couldn't pay me enough. And that's the thing; teachers here are underpaid.

I have to admit, it's been a bit lonely at times here. People say, "Well you've been to Africa. This will be easy. You can do anything." I realized that although I have lived in Kenya and backpacked through Africa, I have always had other Americans or westerners with/near me. I have also never been to a country where most people do not understand at least the most basic English phrases. I have never been totally on my own before. I came to Korea not knowing a single person.

When the weekend rolled around I had hoped to have met some people to hang out with or do something with. I really hadn't seen many other foreigners around and the ones I did see seemed to be very preoccupied and unapproachable. As you all know I like to take on the role of social butterfly at times and was really wanting to meet some people, so I decided to Google the nightlife here in Bundang and see what there was to do. I came across a facebook group and contacted some people to see if anyone wanted to hang out. I definitely felt like I needed to be taking out a want ad. in a newspaper or something. "20-something girl in Bundang seeking other normal people, foreign or Korean, to paint the town." Now, I would never have had the courage to do something like this back home, but what other options did I have for meeting people and making plans?

It all turned out well and have met some great people. I ended up going out last night and had a fantastic time. We went to a house warming party, dinner (yummy Korean BBQ where I was once again asked if I needed a fork), hopped a bus to Seoul and hit up a hookah bar, dance club, and finally a Japanese style bar/restaurant. Seoul was crazy. There were mobs of people everywhere and so many brightly lit neon signs covering every building. Here are some of my observations from my first night out: young Korean women in Seoul are absolutely beautiful and fashionable. Western guys make fools of themselves trying to flirt with Korean women. People dance in lines all staring a screen with flashing lights and images at a dance club. (apparently this is not always the case) Most buses and the subway shut down around midnight so people give themselves an excuse to stay out late. (as if they need one; there is always something to do) 5 A.M. is a relatively early bedtime.

Despite my late hours last night, I woke up this morning and Hye-sun picked me up to go hiking. Korean people are very intense about their hiking. Hye-sun told me that the trail was 'easy' so I was not that concerned with not being in the best shape. Needless to say the trail was very steep and by my standards not 'easy'. I was dripping sweat by the time we reached the summit. Hye-sun did not even have one gleaming pearl on her face. Korean people don't seem to sweat, though, I have no idea how that is possible. She asked me why I didn't wear a hat to help cover my skin from the sun. I found out that the reason why the women I had seen on the running trail wore those visors and masks was not to protect from swine flu, but to save their skin from the sun. They are obsessed about skin care here and staying and looking young. All part of their health regiments.

I was able to meet Hye-sun's son this afternoon when we went to lunch. He is your typical teenage boy; madly in love with computer games, acne covered face, will eat anything you put in front of him. He wants to study engineering in college and reminds me so much of my brother Matt at his age.

Tomorrow will mark day number 6 here in S.K. and so far my impressions of the place have been positive overall. I am really hoping to get the results of my medical check tomorrow or this week so I can get my alien registration card and begin work. I am eager to get in a classroom and begin teaching again.

Small victory: I successfully washed my first load of laundry in my Korean washing machine. All it took was 3 days to figure out how to open the door and one You Tube video to show me how to load the detergent.

Namaste