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Published: April 16th 2008
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Tammy's first night in Seoul
The beer sampler at Big Rock Brewery Todd's mother and sister, Teresa and Tammy, traveled from Seattle to visit us during the first week of April. Although Tammy has traveled around Asia quite a bit, it was Teresa's first time to the Orient. It was also the first time Todd and I have seen family in over seven months, so we were especially excited.
They arrived late on Sunday evening, so we headed straight to Kangnam. They battled jet lag and stayed up with us for a few drinks at one of our regular spots, Big Rock, which is owned by our friend Andy. We shared their famous beer sampler and chatted with our dear friend Matty, who has been living and working in Korea for nine years. After many stories and much laughter, we all headed back to our place and went to sleep.
On Monday, I finished work around 3pm and met up with them at Hooters, of all places. Apparently, they were having a bit of culture shock and wanted an "American" atmosphere. The Hooters Seoul was actually Teresa's first foray into this tacky yet entertaining buffalo wing chain. I made sure to get a shot of her at the entrance! When Todd
finished work we all headed to one of our favorite Korean BBQ restaurants to introduce our guests to some traditional food. We had our own table on the floor and enjoyed pork and beef barbecue. In order to avoid getting burned when picking up the pork bones, we each had a glove with a plastic covering. I am quite sure Tammy and Teresa had never dined with a mitten on before! We made it an early night since the time change was still taking its toll and Todd and I had to be up early the next morning to teach executives at Swiss Bank. Teresa rode home on the back of our scooter with Todd, while Tammy and I took a cab.
On Tuesday morning, they joined us at our school to get a sense of our daily routine. The kids were very excited to see such beautiful, blonde women! They did their best to make chit chat in English. Tammy and Teresa watched Todd's first class and took a tour of the school when his students went to gym. Although they were very impressed with the facilities and the curriculum, they agreed that the job would be too
much for them - mostly because of the noise level! On my break, I sat in with them on Todd's music and movement class. It's safe to say that the song "It's Ernie" has been firmly established as the foundation for countless jokes for the rest of our lives. Once we return to the states, we will be regaling all of you with a rendition!! Teresa and Tammy ate lunch with the kids and guessed at some of the dishes served. After that, they headed off on their own to explore Gyeongbokgung Palace. Todd and I met up with them later in Insadong, which is famous for antiques, ceramics and art. By the time we arrived, they had done some serious shopping damage. However, we did a little more and then stopped at a Hof, which means bar in Korean. We shared a pitcher of beer and an appetizer platter since I had told them the restaurant we were headed to is vegetarian. Sanchon is owned and operated by a former Buddhist Monk and serves authentic vegetarian Buddhist meals amidst traditional Korean furnishings and a tranquil atmosphere. As soon as we were seated on our pillows on the floor, we
were served all sorts of vegetables, soups, rice and side dishes. They just kept coming until we could no longer see the surface of our table. A traditional Korean dance performance began in the middle of our meal, which lasted for half an hour and culminated in a drum ceremony. It was truly the highlight of the evening. Slightly drunk and very relaxed, we peeled ourselves off the heated floors and made our way home.
After work on Wednesday, I took them to one of my favorite eateries in Kangnam, called Magnolia. The upstairs has rows and rows of cozy private rooms surrounding a reflection pool. Each room features a button on the table that allows you to call for service when you need it. Why don't we have this in America?! Our order of spring rolls came with the heads and tails on the shrimp, which Tammy found quite interesting. We relaxed for a while and then headed home to order pizza and turn in early.
We had a big afternoon on Thursday. We took them to the Beverly Hills of Seoul, called Apgujeong. We wandered around and checked out the shops and grabbed a quick bite
at a Japanese restaurant. Then we stopped into Coco Noche, one of our favorite wine bars in this area. They have a unique system where wines are lined up on tap and you can push a button to have a taste, a half glass or a full glass. We bought the open bar package, which allowed us to sample as many wines as we wanted. We also ordered their international chocolate platter of nuggets infused with cinnamon, chili pepper and mint, to name a few. Our next stop was a Middle Eastern hookah bar, though we didn't wind up smoking the hookah. Our friend and Todd's student, Kim Yung Chul, joined us for drinks and dinner. Since he is a famous Korean comedian, the staff was a little starstruck and graciously served us on the house. Teresa was struggling to stay awake at the end of all this, so she and Tammy headed home. Todd and I hung out with Yung Chul a little longer and then went home ourselves.
We had arranged a big dinner with some of our Swiss Bank students on Friday evening, so it worked out perfectly that we had guests in town. Our students
got to meet our family and hear all sorts of stories they never would have otherwise. It was really special to look down the table and see Tammy engrossed in a conversation with a group of Koreans and to watch one of my favorite students practice her English with Teresa. We ate Korean BBQ again and shared soju, which is a Korean spirit similar to vodka. Afterward, we went to a Hof and had some dessert. Todd's students gave Tammy and Teresa some gifts to take home, including a specific candy Teresa had been looking for. Santana (his chosen English name) really bonded with Teresa and promises he will visit her in America.
On Saturday morning we went to Itaewon, which is on the edge of the U.S. military base and thus has lots of shops catering to foreigners. We helped Teresa pick out a leather jacket and shopped for souvenirs they could take home. We also ate a fabulous brunch at The Flying Pan and shared a bottle of white wine. Sadly, their flight was that afternoon so we had to get them on the bus to the airport. We helped them pack and realized they were going
Fancy dinner gloves
We use these so we can pick up the pork ribs without burning ourselves back with an entirely new suitcase of purchases! We waited for the bus with them and said our goodbyes. We wish they could have stayed longer, but we are thrilled they came and experienced a bit of Korea. Seeing family has certainly brightened our spirits. We encourage everyone else to come visit!
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Mom
non-member comment
Hey, that's me!
Hi there, you two! Thanks for the fun story and pictures of our wonderful trip! It really was a fantastic experience, and wonderful to hold your precious faces again! Take care. I love you!