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Published: October 15th 2008
We were visited by an angel from Tennessee this weekend. Cass’ friend, Renata, whom she worked with in Americorps in Florida, has been living and teaching english in South Korea for over a year. She pretty much dedicated an entire weekend of her life to showing us how to survive in this hectic world.
She got in to the Yeoju bus station around dinner time, we dropped off her things and went to eat. There are a lot of restaurants close by the apartment, but are still a little too intimidating for us to wander in and communicate, yet, but with Renates help we went to one of those Korean bbq joints you sit on the ground and chopstick pieces of pork to death. One thing I’m learning is that meals in Korea, outside of street vendors, are usually absolute feasts. No just the pork, which you cook in the middle of the table, this time over legitimate hot coals brought in from outside, but you get almost hundreds of side dishes, all free and refillable. Kimchi, sweet potatoes, some spicy radish something, rice, soup, all seem to be the norm, but of course, I don’t know what is actually
ordered ever. At these types of restaurants, as with our shenanigans with the principal last Wednesday, it comes with lettuce, garlic roasted in a foil bowl on the grill, a couple different sauces, and some radish-like strings, maybe bean sprouts, who knows. It’s all very good. …And of course, some Cass Beer (that’s the actual brand)… which is very good, by the way. We crashed afterwards, belly’s stuffed.
The next day, we slept in, but headed out for a tour of Yeoju. All three of us wanted to see the city, Renata because it’s her first time here, and us because we have been really busy the second we arrived and haven’t had a chance. We walked to the downtown area, maybe a mile or so. Yeoju has a great downtown. There are so many shops, bakerys, a complete outdoor market, and it comes complete with Baskin Robins and Dunkin Donuts (America’s greatest coffee… yeah, that’s their claim). It is a cool area, which was described as country, but couldn’t be farther from. It is quite cosmopolitan-ish, and has a really cool vibe.
Then we headed along the South Han River, parallel with downtown. We stopped in a
bike shop to get some prices, and it looks like cass and I are going to be rockin’ some cruisers in a few weeks!! There is a nice little sidewalk along the river to stroll. In the river are these floating restaurants at the end of rickety old docks. Apparently you can choose your fish to eat, a lot like lobsters in the states, both scenarios kind of creep me out, no thanks. We ended up at the park downtown where the pictures were from in the previous entry. It’s a peaceful sanctuary in the middle of a fast paced town. I think I will see much more of this place. After a visit to E-Mart we were off to see one of Cass’ teachers sing Korean Folk music at the Yeoju Outlet Mall.
This outlet mall was outstanding. I could have been in the middle of Los Angeles with stores like Gucci, Mountain Hardwear, DKNY, Nike… take your pick. Ridiculous, it looked like it was build yesterday. I rather enjoyed my Starbucks coffee, the first drip coffee I’ve had here- all they have here is ‘coffee sticks,’ a long, stick-like packet of instant coffee/creamer/sugar combination, not bad, but
not coffee.
Another of Cass’ teachers drove us to the mall, which is a funny story. Korean’s are very shy, until they drink soju- I guess, and this gal was no exception. She was very nervous the entire ride. When it came time to find a parking space, she got so out of her element that she made us leave and meet us at the music, because she couldn’t park with us in the car. So funny. And then we almost forgot where the car was parked when we left.
We ate at the food court after the show, and the singer bought us dinner. She was last to get her meal and when she got to the table, she forgot that she needed to eat with the choir! She left her food for us to share and left. It was sushi, Korean sushi, which is just a cut of raw fish on a ball of rice. The other teacher made me eat the eel or ‘snake fish’ sushi because, as she put it, ‘men eat this for stamina?!’ They certainly don’t eat it for the taste!
Sunday we attempted to navigate Seoul. This was our first
bus and subway experience in Korea. Both systems are really nice. The bus runs right from Yeoju to East Seoul (DongSeoul) and the subways are all color coordinated so it is nice. Renata was so patient with us, teaching us what the Korean words are for the cities and got us subway cards, bus schedules, etc. It was so nice of her to do all that. We went to Iteawan (EE- tay- wan) which is like the foreigner district of the city. It was nice, but I just don’t think I’m cut out for city life like I used to be. She introduced us to a foreign market (mmm, ranch dressing) and a great English book store (whatthebook.com) where I can keep up to date on my reading. We ate at an Outback Steakhouse. Funny, because I’m an American, eating Australian themed food for the first time in South Korea… interesting.
We were all pretty tuckered out, so Renata showed us the Yeoju bus dock in the unbelievably crowded station, and we split our separate ways. There would be no prayer of Cass of I figuring out which way was up in Seoul without our Renata Love, so thank
you!!! Plus, apparently she lives near some of the beautiful Korean mountains, so I’m excited to repay the favor in her neck of the woods.
Things are getting more and more figured out here. I’m feeling more comfortable, well, maybe comfortably uncomfortable would be the more accurate term. I hear it is snowing in Montana… I hopes are with all my skier friends!!! I will leave you with some random thoughts of our first week here.
RANDOMONIOUS KOREANISMS…
Kimchi is aweful, except for the quasi tolerable kind. Does spicy fermented cabbage sound good to you?
Yeoju is spelled… backwards flag, stick man standing on a letter T.
Russians have their vodka, Koreans have their Soju. Not as strong, but tastes just as bad.
The cheese here tastes like candy.
Korea’s nickname is ‘Land of the Morning Calm,’ we disagree, more like ‘Land of the Crazy Morning Drivers’
We are working on our Korean Run-Walk. A running motion, but in actuality, at a walking pace. So that we can look like we are in a hurry, but not really be in one.
Yup… Karaoke bars are really what you’ve heard they are.
…and they live up to the hype.
It’s not any cheaper over here.
Cassie and Seoul subway cards don’t mix together too well
E-Mart beats Wal-Mart in a fight, because they give out free samples… even alcohol?! Oh, and their greeters bow to you… Take that Sam Walton.
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Dorn
non-member comment
Sounds awesome!!