I wish that I could have this moment for life

I came to a realization today: I'm no longer a child.  Although I am still young, my childhood is long gone. Seems obvious, doesn't it?

Why am I thinking about this? A good friend of mine who I've known since the beginning of high school is getting married this weekend back in Toronto. Another one of my long-time friends from elementary school got married earlier this year as well. EVERYONE'S getting married. EVERYONE'S having babies. Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating just a bit but you get the point right?As many of my friends experience the next milestones in their lives, I can't help feeling nostalgic about my childhood.

Gone are the summer bike rides that continued even after the sun disappeared.
...the intense soccer games that we looked forward to playing at recess.
...the games of cops and robbers that almost caused us to be eaten by King, the monstrous German Shepherd.
...the tamagotchies that took over my life at one point.
...the never ending movie nights with my brother.
...the times when my cousin and I would hide in her closet so I wouldn't have to go home.
...the insane sugar highs from eating a billion freezies in the span of 10 minutes.
...the feelings of satisfaction from cutting through people's fenced backyards to get home, instead of walking the long route.
...the refreshing runs through the sprinkler that I shared with my brothers under the blazing sun.
...the dedication to shooting those damn ducks on Nintendo.
...the unsuccessful lemonade and fruit punch stands.

Clearly, the nostalgia is getting a little out of hand here.

All of these memories stir up one feeling that I miss the most from my childhood. The feeling of being carefree. Not for just a moment. Not for just a day. Being continuously and utterly carefree all day, every day. As much as I insist that I'll be forever young, I can't deny that those carefree days have been left behind.

Although my life is no longer trouble-free as it was a long long loooooooooong time ago, I must admit that when I do have one of those moments where my worries seem to vanish for a split second, I appreciate them even more. I live for those moments; the ones that allow me to escape reality. Living on my own in Busan for almost a year now has reminded me even more that these moments continue to exist, well into adulthood. I guess being a grown up doesn't have to be all that bad.  

And He Strikes Again!

As I was eating lunch with the other teachers, Vice Principal knocked on the lunchroom door. He had a huge grin on his face when he entered the room. After saying a few words in Korean, I heard my name. The first thoughts that came to my mind were, "Oh man. Here it comes. I'm in trouble. Vice Principal saw me walking inside with my outdoor shoes this morning didn't he!"

I was so wrong.

VP moved out of the way and revealed a tiny little boy standing behind him. Baby Boy was scanning the lunchroom with wide eyes. His gaze landed on me and he looked at VP, who gave him a nod to say "go ahead." Baby Boy scurried over to where I was sitting. He handed me a tiny bottle of apple juice with both his hands and bowed. With a little grin, he turned around and ran out of the lunchroom.

Baby Boy strikes again!

Friday

Woke up to dark skies and rain today. 

Realized that my favourite oatmeal was finished. 

Stepped in a puddle on the way to school. My socks still haven't dried.

Lunch was the same as yesterday.

Forgot my mug at home. No afternoon tea.

-

Baby Boy (see previous blog, "Mr. Clean's Got a Secret And It Isn't Bleach!") was waiting in my classroom with his yogurt from lunch. He reached out to me with his yogurt in hand and triumphantly stated, "For you!" 

Things are looking up :)

Mr. Clean's Got a Secret and It Isn't Bleach!

I walk into my classroom first thing in the morning to find the usual group of grade 4 students cleaning. In Korean schools, children are assigned the responsibility of cleaning the classrooms which I don't think is that bad of an idea.

For a long time, the same three girls, who incidentally remind me of a younger version of the Golden Girls because of their constant drama, showed up everyday to fulfill their responsibilities. More recently, a little Cabbage Patch boy has been cleaning alongside the girls. His round and chubby face paired with his short plump body cause his peers to affectionately call him "Baby Boy," which he seems to have no problem with. When he started coming in for the daily cleaning sessions, I assumed he had nothing better to do before school and at lunch. Today, my coteacher reveals the real reason. 

As I walk into my classroom, Baby Boy runs to the door, waves and smiles and then runs back to the desk he was so determinedly scrubbing before I arrived. Soon after, my coteacher calls Baby Boy over and asks him something in Korean. Baby Boy protests what she says but eventually smiles and nods. Coteacher pats Baby Boy on the back and puts her finger to her lips to assure Baby Boy that his secret is safe with her. 

As soon as Baby Boy leaves the classroom, coteacher says, "Amarta. I know Baby Boy's secret..."

"Um. What is it?"

"A long time ago, I asked him why he came to clean everyday. He didn't answer. When I asked him if it was because he wanted to see you, he denied it. So, I asked him again today and I told him I wouldn't tell anyone. This time he confessed that he comes 'to see Amarta Sam' (Sam is a nickname that Korean students call their teachers)."

Yet another reason I sometimes feel like a celebrity in my school :D 

 

A is for ajjuma

One of the first Korean words I learned when I arrived here was "ajjuma," which is simply what you call an old Korean woman. Like myself, most foreigners that I know recognize a certain category of ajjumas. No matter where in Korea I am, I can always count on seeing street ajjumas, as I like to call them. I notice them sitting on the sidewalk and selling onions, garlic, and chili peppers; or slowly pushing carts full of flattened cardboard boxes and plastic bags filled with aluminum cans; or carefully bending down to collect trash from the street. Their uniforms consist of large visors, shirts with some sort of loud pattern, gloves, and of course, face masks. They all sport the same short and slightly wavy hairystyle. The thick rough skin that covers their hands seems to present clues about the hardships they've endured. The visible dirt under their fingernails separates them from the colourful and manicured fingers of the posh ajjumas I see in the expensive department stores and cafes that line Gwangalli Beach.

This is all I know about the street ajjumas. There's so much more that I wonder about though.

How old are they?
Where do they go at the end of the day?
How do they determine their territory/turf? What happens if an ajjuma crosses her territory's boundary? Do the Gwangan street ajjumas have bulgogi (aka beef) with the Suyeong street ajjumas?
Why don't they pick up their grandchildren from school like the other halmoni (grandma) ajjumas I see at work?
Why don't I ever see men doing the jobs that the street ajjumas do?
How did they end up selling vegetables or picking up other people's junk?
Do they have families? Do they have husbands? Did they ever have husbands?
Why don't their legs hurt from sitting in the same position on the ashphault all day?
What made their backs become so hunched over time?
What did they do before they became street ajjumas? 

But the question that most commonly comes to my mind when I see the street ajjumas is, how am I supposed to feel when I see these women? Proud because they seem to be independant women making "a living" for themselves? Or sympathetic because if I ever saw my grandma working on the street like them, my heart would break into a million pieces? Or worried when it looks like the rain is about to pour down on them?

I just don't know.

Powerful Words

News of the catastrophic events that unfolded and continue to unfold along the northeast coast of Korea's neighbour, Japan,  has reached all across the globe. There is no need for me to recap these events that has led to the suffering of countless people living in Japan. We've all seen the unbelievable photographs and the in-depth news articles depicting the heart-wrenching devastation.

From what I know, Korea and Japan share a history marked by war, tension, and bitterness so it is no wonder that I find myself curious about the Koreans' reactions to the disastrous situation that Japan is currently in. One of my co-teachers told me that she asked her students what they thought about the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. Many children expressed deep sympathies for the people of Japan. One student went as far to say "serves them right" in Korean. I am in no position to judge any of their responses, regardless of how extreme they sound, so I won't. 

When bad things happen I find that people, including myself, often try to express their sympathies and condolences in well thought out and eloquent sentences. For instance, "Words seem inadequate to express the sheer sadness I feel for you during these difficult times." Today, I was reminded of the intensity and power that can shine through just a few basic words that don't even make grammatical sense. One of my grade 4 students came to my classroom door after school. He just wanted to say "hi." I asked him the obligatory native English teacher question, "how are you?" His uncommon response surprised me. 

 "I...very sad..."

   "Why are you sad?"

I could tell he wanted to say so much by the determined look in his eyes and the constant gestures he made with his hands but all he could muster out was, "Japan. Tsunami...I very sad."

Then, he raised a finger, abruptly turned away from me and sprinted towards a nearby Korean teacher. He returned 30 seconds later with the English translation of his Korean thoughts. 

"Everyday I (he folded his hands together and gestured upwards to symbolize praying) Japan." 

I gently patted his head and smiled sorrowfully only because upon hearing the few innocent words he had to say, I was left speechless.  

Hello. My name is Slurper.

Remember back in high school when somebody would say "you suck," this would set into action a long battle of dirty verb bashing and each comeback would be more vulgar than the last?

A: You suck!
B: You slurp!
A: You swallow!
B: You regurgitate!
A: You suck, then slurp, then swallow, then regurgitate- You get the picture, right?

Everyone always wanted the last word in these battles. If you had no comebacks left, it was almost as if this confirmed the truth behind your opponent's insult.

As I ate lunch with my fellow teachers today,  I was reminded of the dirty verb bashing from my adolescent past. For the first few minutes, everyone was silent as they ate a few mouthfuls of kimchi. Then, the silence was broken. SLURP! SLURP! SLURP! It was a chain reaction after that initial slurp. I looked around me and every teacher was slurping up their noodles in broth. I was sitting amongst a group of human noodle vacuums. I remember shuddering. That wasn't the worst part though. It suddenly dawned on me that I was participating in the slurp-age!!!

I have never been a fan of eating sound effects. I fight back vomit when I watch those commercials that show a person biting into a crunchy chocolate bar or when I'm sitting in a restaurant and the person at the table next to me is chewing his food in a way that makes a loud slapping noise (I have a friend who named this noise, "jap jap"). However, being in Korea for 6 months has transformed me into a slurper! I'm not sure when or how this happened but the fact remains that I slurp now.

I suppose that any future dirty verb bashing that I engage in won't go very far.

Me: You suck!
Opponent: You slurp!
Me: I do...you win :(

Then, I will hang my head in shame.

3 Strikes

First, the local fruit vendor decides that instead of selling me half a bunch of bananas as he has done for the past 6 months, he will only give be a full bunch. Despite my frantic gesturing and pleading, he gestures back that I must buy the whole bunch. It's either all 13 bananas in the bunch or nothing at all! I'll take nothing at all. It's better than ending up with black mushy bananas by the end of the week when I can't finish the whole bunch.

Then, Home Plus has no whole wheat bread in stock AGAIN. That's the second week in a row that I walked all the way there only to be met with dissappointment and frustration. What does a girl have to do to get some nutritious bread?!  I ask a store clerk for the bread in case there is some in the back. Her response: "bread opsoyo." Get it together HP! I end up buying a small bunch of 6 bananas while I'm there (take that fruit man!). The cashier cheerfully greets me. She gets no reply from me. After returning my change, she smiles and thanks me in Korean. Usually, I smile back and say goodbye in Korean. Not today. Bite me, Home Plus.

Next, I'm walking home. The sidewalk is crowded today. Probably because the temperature is pretty mild. The woman in front of me keeps slowing down every few seconds to look at what the ajumas are selling. Lady, if you want to shop, step to the side; don't stand in the middle of the sidewalk! I try to go around her but there are several ajumas blocking my way. The woman slows down again. This time, she comes to a full stop. I say excuse me as she's blocking my way. She doesn't move. I say shillai-hamnida this time. Instead of getting out of the way, she looks up at me and she's so consumed by my non-Korean face that she just stands there staring at me and still blocking my way. I'm not in the mood to entertain her wide-eyed look. I use both of my hands to push through and make a path for myself. In my head, I hear Ludacris singing, "Move b****, get out the way!"

You have 3 stikes today, Korea. Not cool.

A Love That Nobody Understands

Mondays are no fun. Today is Monday. This morning was not fun.

After I finally forced myself out of my cozy bed, I performed my morning ritual of cranking up the temperature for my ondol (underfloor heating), throwing on my favourite blue robe and standing in the bathroom with my eyes closed while fighting every urge to run back to bed. Despite my disoriented state, I noticed that hardly any sunlight was streaming through my frosted and translucent windows. Suddenly, I heard a disheartening sound through my poorly insulated windows. It was the sound of a car driving through something wet. I automatically cursed out loud. "More rain?!" I thought. In the past week, it had rained about 4 times! I opened my kitchen window to see how much rain was coming down. Upon seeing the scene that was unfolding outside my window, a huge smile took over my face. It was snowing! Snoooooooooooowing! I hadn't seen snow like that since my last winter in Canada. Busan has the mildest winters compared to the rest of Korea, thus snowfalls are extremely rare in the city that I live in. Low and behold, it was snowing today!! There was a blanket of the white fluff over everything in sight! Cars, motorcycles, trees, streets, buildings, garbage cans, mailboxes; everything was covered!

One doesn't have to know me well to be aware of my everlasting and unconditional love for snow. I, Amarta Saini-born and raised in Canada, land of the unrelenting cold- LOVE the tiny white ice crystals known as "snow!" I consider myself to be a deeply nostalgic person. When it snows, I'm reminded of the warm and carefree feeling that defined the happy times of my childhood. If you could peer into my mind, the mention of "snow" would evoke memorable images of grade 4 snow fort battles during recess; disproportionate snowmen built by my brothers and me; "skating" with my friends on the make-shift ice rink behind my elementary school; shoveling the driveway alongside my father, even though I wasn't much help; my mom setting steaming mugs of hot chocolate before my brothers and me; snowflakes falling gracefully to the already covered ground and being illuminated by the street lights at night, while I watch from the large window in my computer room. Almost everyone I know cannot understand my irrational love for snow. I don't expect them to.

Getting back to the snow in Busan, as I walked to school in the snow today, I felt more out of place than usual, if that's even possible. I was the only person on the street without an open umbrella as protection from the falling snow. Unheard of back home! Next, I was decked out in a toque, mittens, a scarf, a winter jacket and boots. Meanwhile, I came across kids wearing sweaters with bubble vests. No mittens! No hat! NOTHING! It was one of those "Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas any more" moments. One of the school caretakers was even wearing a straw hat while he shoveled the walkway. Furthermore, the heavy snow was apparently not significant enough for the Korean women to trade in their stylish shoes for footwear more suitable to the wet weather. On the way to the beach after school (I couldn't resist going even though it was snowing!), I saw countless women trudging slowly through the snow in their super high stiletto heels while their men obediently held their luxuriously large purses.  Finally, in Canada, I'm accustomed to using shovels to remove snow. Today, I learned that citizens of Busan use brooms to clear pathways of snow...interesting. This country never fails to amaze me!

I wish the snow outside would last for at least one more day but I'm glad I got to experience at least a little bit of home from all the way over here in Busan. I was in a good mood all day!

Mondays are no fun. Today is Monday. Today shouldn't have been fun but it was thanks to the snow! :)

Gwangalli Beach 

Straw hat in the snow. Because Korea... 

Umbrellas in snow! 

Students playing in the school yard.

Korean Happy Meals

I'm sitting in a tiny but cozy Korean diner that I have come to fondly refer to as "The Orange Place" or "Kimbap Heaven." Little diners exactly like this one operate all across Korea, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Whenever I'm unsure of what to eat or I just need a quick and cheap meal, I find myself standing in front of the familiar orange sign. I'm lucky because there are two of these diners in the block where I live!

Every "Kimbap Heaven" shares almost identical menus consisting of traditional Korean dishes, ranging between 1,000 won (for one of my favourites, Wonjo Kimbap; look below for a picture) and 5,000 won. Along with every order, one can expect complimentary side dishes such as the famous (or infamous, depending on who you talk to) kimchi (fermented spicy cabbage), sauteed mushrooms, soybean soup or something else.

I see the same four ladies working at this location. I secretly think that they live in the diner because they are ALWAYS working. Three of them seem to be in their 40s while the third woman appears to be pushing her late 50s. The old lady is my favourite because she's always smiling and super energetic. She served me my first order of kimbap when I was still settling into my new life in Busan in September 2010. I remember being terrified at the thought of surviving on my own in such an intensely foreign land but somehow this lady eased my nerves just by casting me a warm and knowingly smile when I pointed to the picture of what look liked sushi- little did I know, this seaweed wrapped roll was actually kimbap!.

In the beginning, I would just order kimbap and take it home. Eventually, I learned how to order other foods with the help of my pre-beginner Korean classes (yup, PRE-begginner exists) and a translated version of the menu that a new friend gave me. If anyone has witnessed the progress of my Korean education, it's the group of ladies at "Kimbap Heaven." The diner is where I experiment with the new Korean words I come across. It is where I practice the hangul alphabet by reading the Korean menu over and over again. It's where I see culture-specific body language and try to make sense of it. "Kimbap School of Korea" is what they should call the diner.

Not only have I learned a lot from eating at this diner but it is probably the first place I felt comfortable enough to eat alone. Now, I have no problem walking in with a good book or a playlist of songs on my MP3 and sitting down all by my lonesome for a delicious meal. This sounds insignificant but it's huge for me!

Today I decided on something other than my usual order of Dolsot Bimimbap (Rice covered with a variety of sauteed veggies, a raw egg, and red chilli pepper paste. It is served in a sizzling hot stone bowl which cooks the raw egg and makes everything nice and crispy; look for its picture below). There are some items on the menu that I don't think I'll ever be brave enough to try. A few such dishes are Sonaejang Tang (soup made with Cow’s intestines), and Dasolgi Haejangguk (hangover soup, usually made with ox bones and soybean paste. Featuring fresh water snails. Sometimes made with ox blood). I just barfed a little in my mouth. No offense Korea.

Anyways, I'm about to enjoy the bubbling Sundubu Jigae that has been placed before me so that's the end of this blog. I've also attached a copy of the translated menu. Check it out and maybe you'll find something that you'd like to order at your nearest Korean restaurant!

DOLSOT BIMIMBAP

WONJO KIMBAP

TRANSLATED MENU:

김밥류, Kimbap Ryu, Kimbap selections

1. 원조 김밥, Wonjo Kimbap, Dollar Kimbap, 1,000 won: The most basic of Kimbap, fillings include damuji (a yellow pickled sweet radish), processed ham, carrots, some green, maybe spinach, and cooked egg.

2. 야채 김밥, Yachae Kimbap, Vegetable Kimbap, 2,000 won: Filled with various veggies including carrots and spinach. Little variation from Won-jo Kimbap.

3. 김치 김밥, Kimchi Kimbap, 2,000 won: Standard kimbap fillings (ham, eggs, carrots, radish) with a healthy dose of kimchi.

4. 계란말이 김밥, Kaeranmal Kimbap, Egg wrapped Kimbap 2,500 won: Standard fillings. The kimbap is rolled in a thin omelet, then sliced.

5. 치즈 김밥, Cheese Kimbap, 2,500 won: Standard kimbap fillings including a slice of processed cheese.

8. 참치 김밥, Chamchi Kimbap, Tuna filled kimbap, 2,500won: Standard kimbap fillings including tuna, gagnib (sesame leaf), and mayonnaise.*

9. 소고기 김밥, Sogogi Kimbap, Beef filled kimbap, 2,500won: Standard kimbap fillings including beef.

10. 누드 김밥, Nude Kimbap, 2,500won: Standard kimbap fillings, like an inside out roll, with the seaweed on the inside and rice on the outside

12. 유부초밥, Youbu chobap, 3,000won: Like inari sushi. Some places heavily season the rice with vinegar.*

식사류, Shik Sa Ryu, Meal selections

13. 김치 덮밥, Kimchi dapbap, 3,500 won: Kimchi mixed rice.

14. 오징어 덮밥, Ojinga dapbap, 3,500 won: Spicy squid, carrot onion mélange served either atop, or next to a healthy serving of sticky rice.

15. 제육덮밥, Jaeyuk dapbap, 4,000 won: Stir fried pork, carrots, squash, and onions in spicy sauce served aside a plentiful helping of rice.*

16. 카레덮밥, Karae dapbap, 3,500 won: Rice topped with curry sauce, diced potatoes, carrots, and mystery meat.

17. 순두부 찌개, Sundubu Jjigae, 3,500 won: Sometimes fiery bubbling cauldron of soft tofu, freshly cracked egg (don’t stir if you’d like it hard boiled), chili peppers, inoki mushrooms, a couple clams, onions and deunjang (Korean miso) paste. Served with the ubiquitous fire retardant sticky rice.*

18. 김치 찌개, Kimchi Jjigae, 3,500 won: Always fiery bubbling cauldron of kimchi, plenty of chili powder and raw chilies, onions and the odd mushroom in a pork broth. Served with the ubiquitous fire retardant sticky rice.*

19. 참치 김치 찌개, Kimchi Chamchi Jjigae, 4,000 won: See above with tinned tuna.

20. 된장 찌개Dwen-jang Jjigae, 3,500 won: Sometimes slightly spicy bubbling cauldron of dwen-jeong paste, inoki mushrooms, onions, clams and the odd cube of tofu. Korea’s answer chicken noodle soup. Served with the ubiquitous fire retardant sticky rice.

21. 갈비 탕, Galbi tang, 4,000 won: Short rib soup with garlic and green onion.

22. 소내장 탕, Sonaejang tang, 4,000 won: Soup made with Cow’s intestines.

23. 육개장, Yuk Jae Jang, 4,000 won: Beef and green onion soup in a fiery chili pepper broth.

24. 다슬기 해장국, Dasolgi haejangguk, 4,000 won: Hangover soup, usually made with ox bones and soybean paste. Featuring fresh water snails. Sometimes made with ox blood.

25. 우거지 해장국, Woogeogi haejangguk, 4,000 won: Hangover soup, usually made with ox bones and soybean paste. Featuring, as I understand it, shredded dried cabbage leaves. Sometimes made with ox blood.

26. 비빔밥, Bibimbap, 3,500 won: A staple. Rice in a silver bowl covered with various veg and gochujang (red chili paste). Carrots, mountain weeds, cucumbers, sprouts, etc.

27. 돌솥 비빔밥, Dolsot bibimbap, 4,000 won: See above served in a hot stone bowl and topped with a (usually) fried egg.*

28. 양푼 비빔밥, Yangpoon bibimbap, 4,000 won: Bibimbap served in a large metal bowl, usually serves two people.

29. 돈까스, Donkkasu, 4,000 won: A pork cutlet coated in egg and dredged in crunchy panko breadcrumbs and deep-fried. Usually served with a nest of shredded cabbage and rice.

30. 치즈 돈까스, Cheese donkkasu, 4,500 won: A pork cutlet graced with a slice of processed cheese, battered and coated in crunchy panko bread crumbs and fried.

31. 생선 까스, Sang sun kkasu, 4,000 won: Breaded and fried fish.

32. 오므라이스, Omu-ra-ee-su 3,500 won: Fried rice usually containing ham, carrots, Asian melon (zucchini-like) and a few peas for color wrapped in a thin omelet and smothered in ketchup. Good morning Korea!

33. 뚝배기 불고기, Ddokbaegi bulgogi 4,000 won: The king of protein at the diner. Stewing bulgogi meat amidst sweet potato (glass) noodles in a peppery savory broth. Served with sticky rice.*

34. 김치 고등어 뚝배기, Kimchi godeunga ddokbaegi, 4,000 won:

35. 짜장 덮밥, Jjajang dapbap, 3,000 won: Rice topped off with the sweet black bean sauce, jjajang.

36. 철판 치즈 덮밥, Chulpan chiju dupbap, 4,000 won: Fried rice topped with cheese, or chee ju, on a hot plate.

37. 철판 불고기 덮밥, Chulpan bulgogi dupbap, 4,000 won: Marinated beef atop rice on a hot plate.

38. 철판 김치 볶음밥, Chulpan kimchi bokkum bap, 4,000 won: Kimchi fried rice with peas, carrots and ham served on a hot fajita like plate.

39. 철판 새우 볶음밥, Chulpan saewoo bokkum bap, 4,000 won: Shrimp fried rice with diced carrots and peas served on a hot fajita like plate

40. 공기밥, Gong gi bap, 1,000 won: Plain white sticky rice

41. 호박 죽, Hobak Juk, 3,500 won: Thick pumpkin like porridge.

42. 단팥 죽, Danpat Juk, 3,500 won: A thick red bean porridge.

43. 소고기 야채 죽, Sogogi yache Juk, 4,000 won: Thick rice porridge with meat and various veggies.

44. 전복 죽, Junbok Juk, 5,000 won: Abalone and rice porridge.

분식류, Boon Shik Ryu, Foods made from flour ie noodles, dumplings, etc.

45. 떡볶이, Ddokboggie, 2,000 won: The street snack with chairs. Simmered rice cake (log form) swim in a sea of spicy pepper sauce augmented with odang (processed fish), cabbage, carrots, onions and leeks.

46. 라볶이, Raboggie, 2,500 won: See above and add Ramyeon noodles. Bonus!

47. 치즈떡볶이, Cheese ddokboggie, 2,500 won: See Ddokboggie, add cheese. Bonus!

48. 치즈 라볶이, Cheese raboggie, 3,000 won: See Raboggie and add cheese. Double Bonus!*

49. 김치 만두, Kimchi Mandu, 2,000 won: Steamed kimchi, pork, noodle, leek, onion and chili-filled dumplings. Comes with a small side of soy sauce.*

50. 고기 만두, Gogimandu, 2,000 won: Meat, noodle, leek, onion and chili-filled dumplings. Comes with a small side of soy sauce.

51. 물 만두, Mulmandu, 2,500 won: Small dumplings filled with meat and green onions, served in a pond of steaming liquid. Comes with a small side of soy sauce.*

52. 떡만두 국, Ddok mandu guk, 3,500 won: Sliced rice cakes, meat dumplings, egg, sliced green onion, melon (zucchini-like), and other veggies in a broth.*

53. 떡국, Ddokguk, 3,000 won: A dish traditionally served on the lunar New Year; sliced rice cakes, meat, and egg in a beef broth.

54. 만두국, Mandu guk, 3,500 won: Dumplings and veggies in broth.

55. 항아리 수제비, Hangari sujaebi, 7,000 won: Sujaebe, a vegetable and dumpling. soup served in a pot. Not sure what the exact difference between this and plain old sujaebe is except this is for two people.

56. 라면, Ramyeon, 2,000 won: Green onions and chili powder take cup of noodles to a new level.

57. 떡라면, Ddok ramyeon, 2,500 won: noodles and green onions with sliced rice cakes.*

58. 치즈 라면, Cheese ramyeon, 2,500 won: noodles and green onions topped with a slice of processed cheese. Sounds ill, but the melted cheese helps tone down the heat of the broth.

59. 만두 라면, Mandu ramyeon, 2,500 won: noodles and green onions with meat dumplings.

60. 짬뽕 라면, Jjam bbong ramyeon, 2,500 won: Ramyeon served in a pot boasting clams, squid, and a few baby shrimp.

61. 바지락 칼국수, Bagirak kalguksu, 3,500 won: Hand cut thick noodles in an anchovy stock with short neck clams.*

62. 쫄면, jjol myeon, 3,000 won: Thick noodles with mixed with spicy sauce and various veggies like bean sprouts, cucumber, carrots and the like.

63. 스파게티, Supagaeti, 4,000 won: Spaghetti

64. 짜장면, Jjajangmyeon, 2,500 won: Wheat noodles topped with a sweet black bean sauce concealing some veggies, carrots, and meat-ham.

65. 나라우동, Nara Udong, 2,500 won: Thick and slippery wheat noodles in a binto (fish) broth with green onion and tofu skins.

66. 김치우동, Kimchi Udong, 3,000 won: Thick and slippery wheat noodles in a binto broth with a heap of kimchi.*

67. 해물 우동, Haemul Udong, 3,000 won: Thick and slippery wheat noodles in a binto broth with various seafood including clams and prawns, maybe a mussel or two.

68. 물냉면, Mul naengmyeon, 3,500 won: A sipcy soup of chewy buckwheat noodles in a cold broth generally topped with sliced cucumbers and a hard-boiled egg.*

69. 비빔 냉면, Bibim naengmyeon, 3,500 won: Thin white noodles and thinly sliced carrots, cabbage and cucumber in a fiery red sauce.

70. 잔치 국수, Janchi guksu, 3,500 won: Known as banquet noodles, or wheat noodles in an anchovy broth topped with sliced egg, meat, mushrooms and other vegetables. Traditionally served at large banquets.71. 비빔국수, Bibim guksu, 3,500 won: Wheat noodles mixed with various sliced veggies and meat in a spicy sauce.*

72. 콩국수, Kong guksu, 3,500 won: Thick wheat noodles in a cold soy milk broth usually topped with sliced cucumbers. Usually eaten in summer.

I always feel like somebody's watching me--Oh wait, somebody IS watching me!

It's been a while since I last blogged but I'm back!

Summary of December 2010 and the beginning of January 2011: memorable, to say the least. A Korean opera concert; an impromptue waygook (Korean for "foreigner") Christmas song and dance performance on the bustling streets of Nampo, Busan (shoutouts to my fellow performers and promoter); an unforgettable Christmas day in Busan which included the traditional viewing of Home Alone 1 +2; new year celebrations in Beijing, China; left a little piece of my heart locked up in Seoul; first official experience at the embarrasingly magical Korean bathhouse; and so much more that I cannot possibly attempt to capture in words.

Now, you may wonder why I have chosen to merely summarize rather than elaborate on all the amazing things I experienced in the past month or so, but I assure you that the topic of this blog is more pressing.

Last week, I started teaching the Winter English Camp at my elementary school. The kids are technically "off" school from the end of December to February. However, all the public schools hold english camps during vacation time so some of the poor little munchkins get forced into attending camp for a week or two. I'm actually having fun teaching camp because I'm finding that the students' unique personalities are coming out more due to the informal camp setting.

I'll be quite honest with you; I've been teaching at this school since September and throughout the semeseter, I could not for the life of me remember most of my students' names (in my defense, I taught 20 classes of about 30 students in each class! You try remembering 600 Korean names!). Meanwhile, teaching some of those very students in a more intimate camp setting left me with lasting memories of them. The following is an account of one of the more "interesting" memories I have made at camp.


Tues., Jan. 11 2011

The camp day just ended. Most of the kids ran out so fast that I'm sure they're already half way home. Two stragglers are left in the classroom, both little grade 4 girls. One girl, who will be referred to as "Pink" because she wears a jacket in this colour, is quiet and barely knows a word of English, or so it seems this way. The other, who will be known as "Red," has more developed English-speaking skills but is also quite the mouse.

I begin shutting down my computer and putting on my jacket and scarf, while my coteacher does the same. Pink and Red still linger. Pink approaches me with a creepy smile and whispers in a barely audible voice, "Teacha, my name is Stalka." What the hell did she just say???? I respond, "Your name is what?" and she repeats, "My name is Stalka." That's when my Konglish abilities kick in. The kid just told me her name is "Stalker!!!!!" For a second, I'm a little creeped out by this tiny girl that stands before me. I get over this feeling rather quickly as I sheepishly realize she probably doesn't even know what a stalker is; she must have heard the word on t.v. or something. No biggy! I shrug it off. After my coteacher finallys kicks the girls out of the classroom so we can lock up, I casually tell her what Pink said to me. She merely chuckles.

I say goodbye to my coteacher at the bus stop just outside the school. Her bus hasn't arrived yet so she sits down on the bench. I commence my 4-minute walk home. About 30 seconds later, as I'm walking, I hear my coteacher yell in the near distance, "AMARTA! Stalkers! Ruuuuuuuuun home!" At first, I'm so baffled by what I think I heard. What does she mean?! And then I see two little figures, one Red and one Pink, scurrying towards me!! I start sprinting away from them (thank God I decided to wear running shoes to school today).

I race around the corner near my apartment building and look behind me. Those little legs are surprisingly quick; they're still running after me! When I get to my building I enter my password into the security system that will allow me to enter through the sliding glass doors. Phew! I'm able to enter the password without taking off my mittens! I'm safe inside the building and the glass doors shut behind me. I peer outside; thankfully, I don't see the girls. Suckers! They don't know my password so they can't get into my building now. I walk up to my apartment as I attempt to catch my breath. Note to self: Amarta, you need to start running on the regular again!

I've almost regained my full respiratory range when I hear a girl's voice yelling on the street outside my window, "Amar-uh-ta teacha!!!! Party! Party! Lunch!" O-M-G. I open my window and see Pink jumping and yelling my name while Red watches in embarassment; she's merely an accessory. I politely enunciate,  "Go home girls! I will see you at school TOMORROW!" But no, Pink continues. I'm partially flattered that they like me enough to follow me home but I'm also partially annoyed. Eventually, I give up and close my window in hopes that Pink will tire soon or some old Korean man will tell her to shut up. I don't know which one of the two actually happens but about 10 minutes later, I hear silence. FINALLY! I can enjoy my lunch...

DING DONG DING DONG DING DONG! Someone is just outside my apartment DOOR and ringing my doorbell. No...it can't be..how the f-- "Amar-uh-ta teacha!!!!" ARE YOU KIDDING ME!???? The little rats got into my building! I'm thinking they must have slipped in behind a resident who entered unaware of the lurkers that followed. I command through my closed door, "Gooooooooooooo hooome!!!!!!!!!" Pink refuses and continues to yell my name in the hallway. I open the door, look her straight in the eye and say "GO HOME!" again, as if she's going to all of a sudden listen to my order. I'm a hostage in my own home. I shut the door and call my coteacher. After explaining the situation, I ask her how to say "go home" in Korean. I get off the phone and test out my Korean language skills. "Jip ay-gada!!!!!!!" Pink smiles. Luckily, Red seems to get fed up with Pink's antics. She grabs Pink by the jacket and pulls her to the stairs leading out. Just like that, I see the tops of their heads dissappear down the staircase. The stalkers have left the building. They better not return!!!!!!!!!!!

Just as a follow up on this incident, I arrive at school the next day to find my coteacher scolding my young stalker and her accomplice. At the end of the camp week, I am told that Pink has signed on for another 2 weeks of camp. This ought to be interesting.