Pop Goes My Bubble

Never in my life has my personal bubble been flirted with, picked on, beat up, and smashed to death.

It was confirmed today that my bubble has officially been popped and I don’t even flinch at those “used to be” or “could be” awkward/uncomfortable situations.

Tonight, I went against the Korean definition of beauty and went to the tanning booth. I was put behind a curtain and given a kitchen towel size towel to take my clothes off and put my tanning lotion on.

It was obvious my bubble was popped because ….

It didn’t bother me that the curtain separated me and a lady getting her nails done…

Or that when I was topless, a worker just came right in asking for my name and phone number for her records…
Or when she asked if she could lube up my back (which was actually handy)...
Or when she pulled down my underwear and put lotion on my ass (as if I couldn’t reach it)…
Or when I walked through the curtain in my kitchen towel covering my upstairs and my underwear (thank goodness I wasn’t wearing a thong) covering my downstairs through the nail salon to the stand-up tanning booth.

I guess living in a city of 14million people crammed into a small space will pop your personal bubble and force you to just roll with the punches sometimes.. and I am actually thankful… so THANK YOU Seoul, Korea.

Side note to cap the night off – Before all this, I had to pee in a shower aiming at the built-in tile canal on the floor. I was thrown off and didn’t know which way to squat – towards the washing machine or away- I chose looking away.

After tanning, I put my socks back on and they were wet. I was thinking, “god, did my feet sweat that bad today?” Then I shamefully realized… I think aim was a little off in the shower… Let’s just say it was a moist walk home.

Ya win some, ya lose some… and this time, the shower won.

Live from #408

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Birthday Party Crasher ...

Weddings weren’t enough so I decided to crash a 1 year old baby’s birthday, too.

First birthdays are as big or bigger than a wedding. Apparently mom’s are more competitive over this than that. Why are they so important?

Because long ago, babies would often die before they were 1 year old so if a baby makes it to its first birthday, it is a big deal. Traditionally, guests would give gold jewelry to the baby but since these days gold is so expensive, money is substituted.

This was a YBM ECC Receptionist’s son’s birthday. It was at Ocean Star Seafood buffet (most bday parties are at a buffet restaurant). There are a couple traditions that happen at a first birthday party.

1. The baby’s future is read depending on what object it chooses from a tray– money (it’ll be rich), toothbrush (it’ll be a dentist), ball, computer mouse, etc… you get the idea.

2. The guests eat a rice cake so the baby will live a long life

I put my ticket on the ball and he chose that. Whoever’s ticket was in the golf ball glass was put in a raffle… and then I became a winner! I was excited because I don’t normally win stuff at these kinds of events!

I opened the gift and … don’t be jealous … it was a 6-pk of KLEENEX!

Then I choaked down the rice cake that looks like chocolate but really tastes like a goowy clump of dough covered in brown powder. I washed it down with some iced tea and tried not to throw it up… this kid better live a real long life.

On my way out, I was given two hand towels with the baby’s name and birthday on it.

I walked home in a light sprinkle of rain with my tummy full of free food and beer, two baby towels, and my 6pk of Kleenex.

Another cultural experience in the books and this one came with gifts! It was a win-win evening!

American Spaghetti Please

It was requested that I make “American Spaghetti” for my birth family so I delivered… linguini noodles, Prego sauce and ground beef, cheese bread, salad, and hershey’s chocolate.

Cooking on 2 burners in a kitchen without an oven and the size of most small bathrooms, I had to adjust my normal routine. I used chopsticks to stir the noodles to keep them from sticking, two rice cooker spoons to toss the salad, and made “grilled cheese” sandwiches for a cheesy garlic bread substitute.

As we were eating, there were some obvious cultural differences that I learned:

1. I suck at eating spaghetti with metal chopsticks
2. My “slurping noodles ability” isn’t up to Korean par
3. It’s all about the sauce – I should’ve bought 2 jars of Prego! (side note- it took me about 15secs to think of the word... jar)
4. Salad dressing isn’t used modestly on salad- just like the sauce
5. Apparently kimchi and spaghetti is a new delicious creation- Mun Hyuk said to go to America and open a “Spaghetti Kimchi” restaurant… hmm… I don’t think so.

With what resources I had, I think it turned out ok because they said it was “mashisseoyo (delicious)” … next time I want something with more of a challenge!

South Korea's SEAFOOD FEAR FACTOR!

(we called him the "fighter")

If Dad, Aunt Shelly, and I were competing on Fear Factor, it’s a safe bet that Dad would be claimed the winner.

During their 8 day stay, we had 3 challenges:

CHALLENGE ONE:
Location: Namdang-Ri Harbor (near west sea of Korea)
Food: edible cockle (clams), boiled octopus, raw mussels, live gaebul (nickname is Korean Sea Penis- some type of boneless sea creature), ramyeon, rice, beer
Winner: Dad – ate more than one of everything served – including the penis
Runner Up: Shelly – ate almost everything – ate one piece of penis
Loser: Meghan – ate the clam and polished off the noodles and rice

CHALLENGE TWO:
Location: Sorae Fishmarket in Incheon, South Korea
Food: raw cheonbok (abalone), raw meongge (aka sea pineapple innards or sea squirts), steamed prawns (something we all recognized), baeksae ju (alcohol)
Winner: Dad – ate more than one of everything AND even ate the meongge properly by chomping on the shell and then spit it out
Runner Ups: Shelly and Meghan – ate one of everything served

CHALLENGE THREE:
Location: Mokdong, Seoul
Food: sannakji (live octopus- cut tentacles of live octopus that squirm around on the plate and suction cup themselves to hold on for dear life), pajeon (korean seafood pancake), octopus bibimbap, octopus soup
Winner: Dad – ate more than 2 pieces of the live octopus and all the other dishes
Runner Ups: Shelly and Meghan – each had 2 pieces of live octopus and some other dishes

Even though I was the loser of Fear Factor (all because of the penis), Dad and I did conquer the Lonely Planet TRIFECTA of crazy Korean Food.

** peondegi (silkworm larva)**
**boshintang (dog soup)**
**sannakji (live octopus)**

So… I still have some competitive drive left in me :)

Dad & Aunt Shelly - thanks for visiting!!

(the Korean Sea Penis)

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