TGIF

My first week working in Korea is over.  I have completed 10 out of 11 lectures – YEAH!!  Today was very much an interesting food day.  CH and Mr. Choi have made it their goal to take me on a food tour of Korea, so they take me to a different restaurant with a different type of Korean food for lunch every day.  Today it was “seonji”.  CH sheepishly came to me before lunch to tell me what it was.  Turns out it is coagulated blood soup, but not to worry because it is good for my health (isn’t it always?)  I was a bit worried.  The last time I had the opportunity to try a blood based food was during my uncles wedding in the Philippines.  I was 16, and I watched them kill the cow in front of the house by splitting it’s throat and draining its blood.  That image, along with the smell of the blood boiling in the house did not tempt me to try this delicacy in the least!  This time around, however, I decided to go for it.  It took me 15 years to get back to Korea, and I want to take advantage of these experiences while I can.  Thankfully, it didn’t taste how I remember it smelling – it had the texture of tofu along with the taste (it just absorbed the flavors around it).  I eat a lot of tofu, so I was able to eat this.  The broth was good, so that also helped.

Since it is Friday, we went out for supper together as well.  We went out for Korean BBQ and soju (drinks).  The place we went to was an all you can eat place.  It was a meat-stravaganza!  We had a couple of bottles of soju, and I can’t tell you how many plates of different meats we went through.  Since I am not a big meat eater, it felt like it was more meat than I usually eat in a year!  We parted ways, and since I was feeling heavy from the carnivorous feast I had just had, I went to go for a walk around the neighborhood to see what was shaking.  I should have known my guts would not appreciate this abuse I had just subjected it to.  About 15 minutes into my walk I knew I had to get back to the hotel.  Have you seen the movie “Bridesmaids”?  I was worried I was going to play out that scene – you know the one I’m talking about!  I got to the hotel after what felt like an eternity, and got into the elevator with another gentleman (the first time since I’ve been here that I’ve had someone else in the elevator with me).  My guts were chugging and not quietly I might add (it would have actually been pretty embarrassing if it wasn’t for the fact that I saw the humor in the whole situation).  So . . . . I will be sticking pretty close to home base tonight just in case!         

A student I taught in Medicine Hat (who went back to Korea just days before I arrived here) is coming to Ansan to meet me tomorrow.  She’s going to take me to Seoul and act as my tour guide.  I’m going to stay there for the weekend and am leaving my computer behind, so there will be silence on the blog from my end for the next little while.  So, to tide you over, I’m going to leave you with some good Korean signage.  Enjoy!