Thanksgivings

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and maybe always has been. It involves spending time with family and showing gratitude while eating far too many favorite foods all in one day. I distinctly remember telling an elementary school teacher that Thanksgiving was my favorite holiday because, unlike Christmas, my entire family was together thanks to a certain aunt who traveled from Seattle. I have wonderful memories of family gatherings growing up. There is no place I’d rather be than with my family carrying on tradition. As a child I was oblivious to certain family dynamics, but even now I don’t dwell on them and I appreciate each and every member of my family. I find myself wondering if these family gatherings are as formative for my younger cousins as they were for me.

My mom came down with the flu on Thanksgiving so my parents were absent from family festivities this year. Maybe knowing that I wasn’t the only one missing out made it a little easier. Had it been me, I would have to be in the hospital to not pull myself out of bed to celebrate. But I guess everyone has varying degrees of love for sweet potato casserole. Mine just happens to be very high.

In order to spend this year in Korea, I knew I had to spend Thanksgiving away from home. I was fully prepared to expect that my most trying moments in Korea might fall around the holidays. Seeing Facebook posts of students traveling home for Thanksgiving break did make me a bit nostalgic. Why wasn’t I on my way home, too? I had a few moments and felt a bit on and off throughout the weekend, but overall it wasn’t been as hard as I built it up to be.

Maybe this was because I have been able to surround myself with other Americans who are just as enthusiastic about this holiday. Maybe it has to do with getting to share American holiday traditions with Korean students and friends. Maybe it was because I got to eat Thanksgiving food with chopsticks (how's that for new experiences??) Or maybe it had to do with the fact that I am totally overcompensating here…this Thanksgiving was celebrated over the course THREE potluck gatherings. How could I be so lucky?! This doesn't even include my Thursday Thanksgiving dinner that I enjoyed with Korean friends at a great Korean grilled fish restaurant.

I have so much to be thankful for. I don’t need a holiday to remind me of this. With each and every passing day I think of the wonder friends and family in my life. And Thanksgiving also happens to coincide with my three month mark in Korea! The new experiences, the people I’ve met, it’s all been incredible. Such a positive feeling to wake up each morning and radiate gratitude for the opportunities I have had and am having.

So happy to receive this picture! I miss these silly kids!

 A few missing faces, but I feel so included back home!

 A view from (vegan) potluck #1.

I brought mashed potatoes with coconut milk...genius?

 There I am, actively working myself into a food coma.

 My Thursday dinner!

Potluck #2 with coworkers. I made Ina's Spinach Gratin, just like my mom!

However, due to toaster oven troubles, mine became a spinach dip.

Nobody complained...

Bukhansan

Another weekend, another opportunity to embrace my inner Korean and hit the mountains. I’ve been meaning to get out to Bukhansan National Park since early October during Chuseok break. Mount Bukhan is the tallest mountain in Seoul is directly accessible by subway making it incredibly convenient. Finally the time was right! Our hike would take us up to the highest peak, Baekundae, standing tall at 836.5 meters.

With the past week or two in the 40s I was concerned that it might be a little too chilly to actually enjoy hiking. But I was determined to see this mountain and it wasn’t getting any warmer anytime soon. I informed my students that if I didn’t show up to school the next week I had frozen at Bukhansan. As we marched up the mountain I felt empowered and alive…and thankfully warm. Nearing the peak, it was indeed windy and chilly. Lunch was brief because everyone preferred to keep their body heat up and trek on.

To reach the summit, we had to climb a smooth rock surface with the assistance of a heavy-duty wire that had been drilled into the rock. I had not been expecting this level of adventure! The wire was essential to getting to the peak but also served as a guardrail for what would have otherwise been quite dangerous. At the very top a South Korean flag waved proudly in the freezing (literally) wind…alongside the flag a thermometer read 32 degrees (not to mention wind chill!) But regardless, it was the best vantage point I’ve had of Seoul thus far. At the highest point of this huge city with no trees to obstruct the view it truly felt like we were in the clouds! We were thankful that a short way down from the peak lay a shelter with hot (literally) commodities: hot chocolate, coffee, soup! Much needed to properly thaw out and finish the remainder of the hike.

The leaves are still falling in the city but on Bukhansan they were entirely on the ground. The barren trees allowed for hiking scenery that would have been otherwise concealed by autumn. Fall foliage in Seoul has been spectacular, but the undistracting and peaceful nature of trekking through a winter forest should not be understated.

Even though Seoraksan is considered tops for the region, this was my favorite hiking experience so far in Korea. The trail snacks were satisfying, the company was enjoyable, and I felt energized with each step! Winter hiking remains to be seen for me but finishing off fall with a hike like this one makes it look more and more appealing…

 Here we go!

 A little colder toward the top

 The very brief lunch view before continuing on

 Perhaps would have been longer if we had had the ingenuity to make a lunch bubble

 The natural view

 The urban view

The tippy top!

Enter Banjo

Exit Soondoong. Our rabbit ‘friend’ has moved away to terrorize another foreigner. Hooray! My furniture and electrical cords are safe! Given enough time who knows what other ways he could find to pester me. It was unfortunate that his original owner was not helpful in finding him another home. A bit frustrating since Bethany was doing him a fairly large favor of caring for the rabbit while he studies in America. Maybe he didn’t care as much as he claimed because it wasn’t until Bethany took Soondoong to the vet that we found out that he is actually a she.

Enter Banjo. I write this post with a sleeping calico kitten in my lap. We call her Banjo. Bethany had quite an eventful night of spontaneous kitten purchases and nose piercing this weekend. We had talked about fostering a cat, but Bethany couldn't resist the little old lady selling kittens in the subway. Though Banjo has been a Bethallie resident for only a day, the two of us have gotten along much better than Soondoong and I ever did. She is a bit of a scardy kitten, but if you get her purring with an ear rub first she will gladly play with your fingers for hours…until she passes out mid finger nibble…

Helping me blog

Seoul Lantern Festival 2012

The Seoul Lantern Festival has been going on the past few weeks at the Cheonggyecheon river walk. Advertisements have been everywhere and it seemed like an appropriate touristy thing to do. Hand-made lanterns depicting the chronological history of Korea illuminated this urban stream for a 1.5km stretch. In addition to a visual representation of the Korean dynasties, one section featured 40 lanterns of stereotypically traditional children from countries all over the world, the German boy in lederhosen, the Japanese girl in a kimono, while the American child was accurately portrayed as an American Indian. The final lanterns of the walking show depicted superheroes…because superheroes are of course emblematic of…modernity?

I have great coworkers and I’m so thankful to have this base of fun friends. But in a city with tons of sites to explore, I like to feel that I’m expanding my social circle, as well. The past few weeks I’ve gone on a few outings with people I’ve met through hiking trips and other various places. When meeting someone new, the easiest thing has been to catch a meal together. This time I explored the Lantern Festival with new company. I never know which friendships will stick, and in the end it’s the good friendships I’m really after. Whether or not we meet again, it was an enjoyable, albeit it chilly, evening in downtown Seoul!

 Lanterns representing traditional Korean history

 One of few pictures my camera wanted to cooperate on

 International children

House Rules

My body always appreciates a good jog, but this morning it was a bit difficult to get out of my warm bed. It still looks like fall…but it feels more like winter. Night temperatures are dipping below freezing so it’s time to turn on the heat. And invest in an Eskimo parka. Our apartment has a traditional heating system called ondol in which heat radiates from hot water pipes underneath the floor. Figuring out how to turn it on took some assistance but now that we are enlightened I’m quite enjoying stepping on random warm patches.

With ondol heating I can now see why eating traditional Korean meals on the floor is rather appealing. It probably won’t come as a surprise to you that nearly every Korean meal is served with a bowl of rice and kimchi. Meals are eaten with heavy metal chopsticks, though it is actually more standard to eat the rice with the spoon. I’m still learning my Korean table manners but one thing I’ve gathered is that your chopsticks should not be left sticking out of your rice bowl; it is more proper to lay them across the bowl. I have also heard that blowing your nose at the table is impolite, which can be really difficult to avoid since Korean food can be a bit spicy.

Upon entering a Korean home one must always take their shoes off. Our apartment is not a shoe-free zone but in Korean homes and certain places this rule is strictly adhered to. Maybe this can help explain why there are so many street vendors selling extensive varieties of cute socks. Unlike in the States, here I need to be more conscious about sock-coordinating my outfits! It has happened more than once that I’ve forgotten I will have to take my boots off upon entering a home. Not only had my boots been hiding my frumpy gym socks, but also the awkwardly-lengthed cropped jeans I usually wear in summer but that I can pull off as jeans when I wear boots...completely undoing the effect of a cute outfit.

Our hot water is also provided by the ondol heating system. It took a month or two, but I’ve learned to remember to turn on the hot water BEFORE I get in the shower. I have not been so successful in remembering to turn it off afterwards since the thermostat is in Bethany’s bedroom. Many Korean bathrooms, our bathroom included, do not have a bathtub or even separate shower stall. There is a shower curtain and the shower head is positioned toward the sink, kind of cruise ship style. A lot of the water ends up draining through the sink. It’s just as well, although is having a shower stall that big of a deal? On the bright side, cleaning the bathroom has never been easier. Perhaps this is why light switches are outside the door. The only complaint is that it can be a bit annoying when the entire bathroom and floor is wet for the following few hours. For this and other cleanliness reasons there are also hideous communal flip-flop slippers you are supposed to slide on before entering the bathroom. 

And we do have a Western toilet. Not to say I haven't used the squatty potties here at times. Occasionally in public bathrooms there is a choice between seated and squat toilets. They may seem exotic if you've never used one, but I've decided they are actually more hygienic.  If squatting properly, you don't have to bare any weight and you never touch a thing! Something everyone should experience! When you finish, you might find a rod with a bar of soap sticking out of it.

Two things Korean homes typically don't have: dryers and dishwashers. Life goes on.

One last cultural norm I want to share is the Korean sense of space. Koreans just have a little less of it. A bit of bumping on the street or pushing in the subway station is not rude here, it’s life. Even though the English phrase ‘excuse me’ has two different translations depending on the situation, they are rarely employed in this scenario. When I bump into someone, which is frequently in a big city like Seoul, it is so instinctual to turn around and apologize. But here in Korea, by the time I turn around, my accidental bumping victim is practically on the other side of the subway station catching their transfer. I can see why it seems rude to us waygookins (foreigners)…but it’s really just cultural. Seoul never sits still and everyone has someplace to be.

Okay okay one more thing. Signaling someone to come over or hailing a cab is done palm down. So think of our ‘come here’ finger-curling hand motion but rotate your wrist 180 degrees. To waygooks it looks like more like a ‘shoo’ motion, but in fact the two are switched here. Always good brain exercise to be had in Korea! Learning new things everyday might be my favorite part of living here!

Happy Pepero (빼빼로) Day!

Another holiday to celebrate! In Korea, November 11^th (11/11) is Pepero Day, one of several Valentine’s days here. This one happens to be based on the sweet snack of Pepero sticks. You may be wondering what are these Pepero sticks I speak of? Why, they are very thin biscuits, ¾ dipped in chocolate, and sometimes rolled in nuts and other variations. The holiday originates from the way two vertical Pepero sticks create the number 11 when placed side by side.

At every corner store and supermarket elaborate tables of Pepero sticks have popped up.  These lavish displays also include balloons and nighttime flood lighting. You may already be familiar with these treats since Japan has an identical a very different snack by the name of Pocky. Heaven forbid you mistakenly use the Japanese brand name! Businesses everywhere are claiming a little piece of Pepero Day for themselves. Bakeries are making 11-shaped desserts, Dunkin Donuts has 11-shaped chocolate-dipped donuts, clothing stores are having 11% off sales. As a recently-realized holiday lover, I’m not minding the festiveness one bit. However, it is an entirely consumerist holiday put on by the mega-brand Lotte. As my favorite vegan blogger in Korea said, do we really need to buy things to show our loved ones how we feel? On the other hand...chocolate.

Toblerone chocolate bars and Ferroro Rocher hazelnut chocolates also seem to be sharing some of spotlight. Two of my top chocolates! So all around, November is a good day to be Allie in SoKo. Unfortunately, Pepero Day falls on a Sunday this year. My best shot at receiving some Pepero was from my students. I wonder if I can expect this holiday to carry over into Monday…this is incredibly very wishful thinking as final exams are administered tomorrow. I've studied for my fair share of exams and I can’t say I’d want to show my teacher how much I love them on final test day.

Update: Since posting, I have received a lovely chocolate-dipped baguette from my ever-so-thoughtful roommate, Bethany! A happy Pepero day it is!

Update to the update: I asked my one class that openly tells me they like me why they didn't bring me any Pepero today. They immediately assured me they would bring some on Wednesday. Do I feel guilty about this? Nah... 

 A fairly modest display seen at every corner mart

What the hype is all about

Hellohowareyoui'mfinethanks.

Korean students know varying levels of English, but they can repeat that like a robot.

Life in Korea is treating me well. (For example, I’m now eating pumpkin pancakes on a drizzly, cozy weekday morning.) In Seoul there are always people to meet, things to explore, and an entire language to learn. With over two months under my belt, I’ve seen so much yet practically nothing at all. It is easy to see why most of my coworkers are in their second, third, and fourth years in Korea. The constant stimulation, low expenses, and leisurely mornings are among my favorite parts. Are all cities as cool as Seoul? I was unsure if I would like living in a big city, but what I did not realize was the endless excitement and conveniences that accompany urban life.

If you recall, starting the blog was a bit of an experiment. Would I like writing publically? How much would I commit to it? If nothing else it would be useful to streamline stories back home to friends and family. Through most of my world travels I have kept dry travel journals, but in a lot of ways blogging has worked out better for me. Having an audience (assuming you’re still reading…) provides motivation, and when I look back I think I’ll be much happier with the way I’ve recorded a few stories. The pressure to document every single thing that happens is letting up, which may be a good thing for me. I’m allowing the experience to just unfold…

So, this is how I’m doing. The downside of writing a blog is that after I update you on Seoul life, I don’t necessarily hear back with what’s new with YOU! I’m not saying you should go write me a two-hour long message every time I post buuuut…now is the time when you should email me, Skype me, Facebook me, Twitter me, Instagram me, Kakao me…so many avenues there is no excuse! Short and sweet works. My inbox awaits you!

Checking out a recommended café in Gangnam...free bread samples!

Halloween

I think I love all holidays. I love any excuse to celebrate anything and change the daily routine. I particularly like Halloween because it involves dressing up, carving pumpkins, and eating chocolate. Unfortunately I can only say I did one of the three this year (that would be the chocolate, of course) but I still feel that I have sufficiently celebrated. Since Halloween is a Western holiday, it seemed Koreans only celebrated to the extent they like to participate in American pop culture, however, it was a fun opportunity to teach American culture at school. Festivities involved spooky decorations, black tablecloths, Halloween games, and, of course, candy. Some students wore costumes to school even though Korean children don’t go trick-or-treating. I had several witches, a princess, a Snow White, and a Peter Pan. At the shopping malls (which, confusingly, are called department stores) the stores put out candy and mannequins fashioned witches hats. Despite the appearance of decorations, Koreans didn’t embrace the true spirit and festive activities behind the holiday…which are obviously to test humanly limits of candy consumption. Halloween parties could be had in Itaewon, the international area of the city, but two days of being around excited kids left me feeling fully celebrated. And in true Halloween fashion, I have a bag of candy that will last me the next few weeks...but don't expect me to be eating any Reese's...can't find them here...