Question Hi there! I found your blog when googling for an orphanage in South Korea. My girl friend and I are traveling to SK this summer. She was adopted to Sweden almost 40 years ago and now we want to go back. She stayed at an orphanage named Sam Hye Won. Is that possibly the one you volunteered at? In Yeosu?
I am proud of you Alexis, I did not know about your blog until Bruce mentioned it last night. Fortunately, I discovered it this morning as I was looking through the FB posts. What a story! I am not surprised that you have connected with these precious women and their struggle for justice. I love you, my sister in Christ. And I miss you!
Anita
Alexis - I have been thinking about you! I picked up my phone to call on Saturday before I remembered that you were likely 30,000 ft over the ocean. I'm glad to hear that things are going well for you. Relax, have fun, and learn lots - you deserve it! Love you!
Jill
Korean Bathhouses I went to several while I was in Korea, but unfortunately I can't remember their names. The one that I think I was talking about for this entry was in Chuncheon's downtown area. If you're there, your best bet is to probably ask around (if you're comfortable enough doing so in Korean, or finding someone who speaks basic English). They're everywhere, but some local residents might have preferences or suggestions. Hope this helps, and let me know if you have other questions!
food Hey Alexis!
I really wish I could have been there to hang out with you! I don't know what they're called but we do have those fish-shaped sweet bean paste cakes here in Yokosuka. You were probably eating a chuka man (meaning Chinese- style steamed bun) If it ha ground pork it is a nikuman. They are derived from the Chinese baozi (bun) - steamed sweet white dough/bun with a sweet red (azuki) bean paste filling caled "dou sha bao" in Chinese and "Anman" in Japanese. If the filling is light brown and not red, then its "ling yoong bao" because its lotus seed paste. If its black sesame paste its Zima bao. The barbequed roast pork filled ones are called "char siu bao" (my favorite when they are baked!). They are called "sio pao" or "Sho Pow" in Filipino and "Banh bao" in Vietnam. I've been all over Asia and apparently so have these bad boys. They know how to get around, if you know what I mean... sowing their wild oats if you know what I mean.
Make sure you get those deep fried hockey puck shaped fritters- they are fried dough filled with a yellow curry inside. I think its called curry bread or "ka re pan" . also try yakisoba, and champon- the country's best types of men-rui, or noodles. (in my opinion)
Those octopus balls are called takoyaki and make sure you try the purple sweet potato ice cream!
If that plum wine was lightly sweet and sour it was probably Choya (popular brand) ume-shu (the Korean version is caled maesilju I think) , which is plum wine that has been drank by Japanese for over 1000 years.- it's made of green ume plums and shochu.
also cheap and great is donburi- here are a couple varieties ( I had too look up wikipedia for the spelling)
[edit] Donburi
A one-bowl lunchtime dish, consisting of a donburi (i“v, big bowl) full of hot steamed rice with various savory toppings:
Katsudon: donburi topped with deep-fried breaded cutlet of pork (tonkatsudon), chicken (chickendon)
Tekkadon: donburi topped with tuna sashimi
Oyakodon (Parent and Child): donburi topped with chicken and egg (or sometimes salmon and salmon roe)
Gykdon: donburi topped with seasoned beef
Tendon: donburi topped with tempura (battered shrimp and vegetables).
Unadon: donburi topped with broiled eel with vegetables
ok, that's enough about the food- but I could go on and on!
Have a great time!
Love,
Nik
Wow It's hard to believe you are old enough to be out "all by yourself". It seems like you should still be this cheerful little girl that I used to know but now you are all grown up! It's sounds like you are having a grand time and getting to see all kinds of sights. It's fun to keep up with you through this blog. Have a great rest of the week. Love, Marcia
I had given up on you updating your blog and I don't think I'd looked at it since February. So I was bored at work and found THREE unread updates. I was so excited and it helped me kill about 15 minutes! Thanks! And hope you had a Happy Easter! Remember last year when we spent it in Raleigh?? Memories...
I am a graduate from the University of South Carolina, finished my BA in May 2006 (with a major in English and a minor in Film Studies), and am now in graduate school at USC getting my MFA in Creative Writing. I spent Spring 2005 at the University of Limerick in Ireland studying abroad and traveled everywhere I could throughout Ireland and Europe! Post-graduation, I taught English at a girls' high school in South Korea via the Fulbright Program and returned to Korea a year later to assist with Fulbright Korea's training program. I've also spent time in various parts of the US and world, su... full info
Jesper Bengtsson
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Contact
You don´t happen to have any contact namnes or e-mails at the orphanage?