Christmas in Corea 2008

Christmas is a recognized holiday in Korea but is not nearly as celebrated as it is in America and other countries around the world. My Christmas started off with a light workout to allow me to stuff my face more. I took 6 of my friends for a “special” Christmas meal …. Dog Soup, Beer, and Soju … and then squeezed 12 people into my officetel for a pre-party before the traditional dinner in Itaewon. Around 5:30pm 15 of us went to Itaewon for a buffet of turkey, chicken, potatoes, stuffing, and other good stuff. I proceeded to eat way too much and went home by 10:00pm. I napped and then woke up to “open presents” with my family like every year thanks to technology (web cams). My presents were great and some were not the normal Christmas gifts – Velveeta Mac and Cheese and Chicken Soup and Taco Seasoning (for my favorite chicken recipe) but were greatly appreciated!

So Christmas 2008 was very special in many ways. It was still hard to be away from my family despite “seeing” them on the computer and I am thankful for my friends here because without them, Christmas wouldn’t have been as sweet.

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas wherever you are and Santa was good to you!

Korean Trivia: Rumor has it that “Korea” was spelled “Corea” but the Japanese changed it because they were mad that “Corea” came before them in the alphabet!

Hate for Cabbies ... Love for Kimchi

FRIDAY ...

It's the middle of December and the weather is surprisingly mild compared to back home. On Friday, I went to Dr. Fish with some friends and then we sang our hearts out at the "Luxury Noraebang (singing room)." After a long night of getting our feet eaten by fish, chilling, chatting, and singing (no drinking), it was about 1:00am and we were ready to head home. We asked about 8-9 cabs to take us home and they all rejected us! And.. it wasnt just us... Korean people were gettig rejected too. So as we continued to attempt to hail a taxi, we were baffled why cab drivers drive by yet dont pick anyone up! Eventually, my friend Jared and I just started walking and 1.25hrs later, we made it home!

The good:

1. It wasnt blistering cold
2. We didnt get lost
3. We werent stumbling around
4. We didnt have to pee
5. We saved money

The bad:

1. I was in heels
2. Jared didnt have gloves
3. I caught a cold
4. We created a HATE for cab drivers in Hongdae

(Sarah, Jared, and I singing something - Greatest Love of all, The Rose, Dirrty, who knows)

Sunday ...

I went to my birth mother's house and made Kimchi and Chap Chae. It was really fun and since I made it, I figured I should eat some. I didnt throw up or run to the bathroom for a #2 right away... so it was a good day!

For Korean Cooking 101 (pics & videos) and more pictures, go to:

http://community.webshots.com/user/megshep09

I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Love,
Meghan, Meg, Min Jin, Meghan Teacher, Shep :)

KTV Cribs - Part 2: Birth Mother's House

My birth mother lives in NE Seoul with her "boyfriend" of 6 years. Mun Hyuk has lived there on and off. Her house is similar to my birth fathers but arranged differently and she doesnt have any beds - she pulls out mats to sleep on every night.

Again, I'm thankful for my living quarters in America :) ENJOY!

Violation #3

The massage chair at the Jjing Jil Bang (Sauna Room)!!!!

I’d been relaxing in the hot steam rooms for a couple hours and was in complete chill mode. Then my friend and I decided to use the massage chairs. It was just a normal massage chair until I unexpectedly felt one of the massage arms go from my girl area up through the butt crack (sorry no way to say it politely).

Guess it’s necessary from all the Ddong-Chims people give/get around here :)

I've been VIOLATED

So.... I consider Seoul to be a very safe city to live in. The crime rate is low, people seem trustworthy, and if anyone tried to mess with me, I'd have a fair fight since a lot of the men (and women) here are short and/or skinny!

But in the past few months, I've felt the most "unsafe" in the classroom... of all places!

And here's why...

Violation #1: When I was facing the whiteboard, a 5 yr old girl put her hands together forming a gun shape and poked me in the butthole and proceed to giggle. I immediated turned around and said "no" because that is about all the Korean she knows. I learned it's called ... the "Ddong-Chim means “Shit needle” ... and that I havent been the only victim of it!

Violation #2: As we were lining up before the bell rang, another 5 yr old kindergarten girl started poking at my boobs and asking “what are??" I sputtered out, "they are woman parts" and evacuated the situation as quick as possible. I've noticed most Korean woman lack a bust size over a "B" cup so several kids have been perked with curiosity over the boob (and not just mine).

Hopefully there is not a 3rd violation anytime soon :)

Here's a picture of the "ddong chim" you can get put on a t-shirt..

Doctor Fish is WICKED Awesome!

(Fish at my Feet)

My weekend was filled with some new cultural experiences and it was wicked fun!

* Dr Fish Cafe - My friend Jaimi and I planned to have a "girls night" until 2 white guys approached us in the subway asking for directions and we ended up inviting them with us to Dr. Fish Cafe. So we drank wine, ate pizza, chatted, all while having our feet in a pool of fish that eat the dead skin off of our feet. It felt weird but good at the same time and my feet felt phenominal afterward.. The guys were two marine guys who were cool until they started acting like the typical "GI guys" .. at that point we said, "thanks for buying!" and were on to bigger and better things.. aka going to a bar w/ our friends.

* Amateur Kickboxing - After 3 hrs of sleep and 4 hours of working on Saturday, I was peer pressured to go to an Amateur Kickboxing match. After we went on what felt like a scavenger hunt to find the place, We ended up in the basement of a small gym with a rink. My friend's friend who's a girl fought some guy and lets just say she made him cry after it was over!

* Batting Cages - I found batting cages right outside a subway station in the heart of a busy neighborhood. I tried to strut my stuff but the pitches were wicked and failed to convince people girls can hit baseballs because I only made contact on a few. Oh well... after I embarassed myself, I watched my friends feed money into the crane/claw game (those are everywhere and you can win anything from a lighter to a padlock to an iron!).

* My weekend was then topped off with a lazy Sunday watching "Uncle Buck" and chilling with some friends... No birth family this weekend but hopefully next!

(Dr. Fish - Me, Jaimi, Phil Peacock, and Tai)

Black Day, White Day, Red Day, Pepero Day!

So I recently found out that November 11th (11.11) is Pepero Day in Korea... what does that mean? It is sort of like a Valentines Day invented by the creators of the candy Pepero. Pepero are long, thin, chocolate sticks and 4 of them make 11.11. Clever huh! So boyfriends buy it for their girlfriends, friends by it for friends, and everyone is Pepero-ed out by the end of the day.

Apparently there is Pepero Day (11.11), Valentine's Day (2.14) and White Day (3.14) for couples. White day is where the girls give the gifts and Valentine's day is the same as in the states...

I think I'll avoid confusion and just celebrate Black Day (4.14) which is the day for people who, "didn't give or receive gifts on Valentine's Day or White Day can get together and eat Jjajangmyeon white Korean noodles with black bean sauce (hence the name), to commiserate their singledom (from Wikepedia)." ......................Hmmm............ with this definition maybe I'll find a temporary boyfriend so I can at least have chocolate and not black bean spaghetti!

Ahhh the culture differences here in the Homeland :)

(Pepero Displays were all over Korea)

Songs, Sweat, and Sweetness

Cute Korean Boys

I found some cute Korean boys...

....too bad they only come in kid sizes!!! :)

***Halloween Costume at School***

(Sarah's a Gypsie and I'm a pumpkin)

KTV Cribs - Birth Father's Home

Here is a virtual tour of my birth father's house (not exactly the kind of Crib that MTV shows)...

Things to Note..

1. The bathroom doesnt have a sink (just a hose and bucket) and the big thing in it is the washing machine (no dryer)

2. Space is limited in Korea and millions of people live like this or in a high rise apartment. Houses with a yard are non-existent (I havent seen one yet)

3. Right now, there are 4 people living in my birth father's house (Birth Father, Half Sis, Brother, Brother's Girlfriend)

4. I stayed there Saturday night so that made 5. I slept in my half sister's room while she slept in my birth father's room. There isnt such a thing as personal space... Mun Hyuk's girlfriend came into my room w/o knocking because some of her stuff was in that room (which was fine). Mun Hyuk told me to go into my birth father's room to watch TV despite the fact that my half sis was still sleeping (which I did).

5. When we have meals, we sit on the floor in the kitchen. We've squeezed as many as 6 in there so far.