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)

For a pictures and more videos, go here:

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

Min & Mun

I never imagined that when I met my biological brother for the first time 12 years ago that we’d get from the “ass out-awkward hug” to the full blown “I love you man hug” but that is what has happened.

As I think I’ve said before, we have this unusual unspoken chemistry and it amazes me how much we get each other and how much I grow to love him each day we spend together.

He called me as I was finishing work to tell me he was at my apartment and asked if I had dinner… which was perfect because I was starving! He said “delivery pizza” to be polite because I think he feels bad we always eat Korean food. I put an “x” on that and went for 치즈똔까스 aka “pork cutlet filled with cheese” instead! Haha... anyway, I asked how he was these days... tired? busy? happy? And he said “a little bit of everything.”

Long story short – him and my birth father seem to butt heads. My birth father likes to drink and isn’t very good with money. So Mun Hyuk seems to have a lot of pressure to take care of him and it’s hard since they don’t see eye-to-eye. He seems like such a care taker to him and my sister and it makes me sad he’s not living a normal 26 year old life.

To prove my point - I asked “Do you still want to come to America” and he said “to America very much I want… BUT... father’s monthly paycheck is very little” - basically he said he needs to stay home and work to pay the bills but wants to come in 3-4 years.

Now, he and I are both prideful and stubborn but now I’m on a mission to see how much money he’ll lose if he comes to the US for a week and try to see if he’d accept money from me to cover the difference while he’s gone…I love a good challenge :)

So, after he fricken paid for my meal (again!), we left “Kimbap Heaven” and he put his arm around me as a brother would (almost headlock-like) and it almost made me tearful because it made me realize how special he is to me and how I am 99% sure it's reciprocal"

(Geez... I hope one day I can re-create this relationship with a man who speaks English AND who I’m not related to!)

T - T - Th -Thee ... oh ... THE!

Before coming to Korea, I took pride in spending thousands of dollars on two college educations. Now that I’ve been here almost 8 months, I am embarrassed to say I have a Master’s Degree!

WHY????

* I teach children everee day ez words and frases n don’t use big, smart like words.

* I listen too bad “Englishee” out of the mouths of my students I’m trying to edumicate everi day and … monkey see, monkey do!

* When I speak to korean people in english, I try to speek very slowly and with simpel words so they can understand and we can talk more better.

*When I try to speak Korean, I revert to a 3 year old speech impared Korean sputtering out words.

THUS … lately when I talk with my Western friends and family using my native tongue, easy words and phrases do not easily transfer to my brain and many times I have had to think way too hard for a 2 syllable word!

SO … it is sad to say that being a teacher has ironically made me dumber!

THE BRIGHT SIDE … It’s not just me because my other friends have confirmed this epidemic. Let’s just hope we can re-gain our wisdom when we return home!

Besides becoming dumb ... there hasn’t been much too exciting to report.

My friend Betsy and I are taking up golf and hit the driving range one weekend. As soon as I stop swinging the club like a softball bat, golf and I will get along much better. I bought my first bottle of liquid eye liner to go the Korean way and try to make my squinty asian eyes look bigger through make up illusions. My valentine’s day was spent cooking my famous chicken and rice dinner for Betsy (sinc we're the only single girls we know or like) and having as intellectual conversations as we could with our neurological dysfunctions. Then I ended up at a house party with girls in tight pink dresses (some of who shouldn’t be wearing them) and guys in aviator glasses. Needless to say, I was home by 2am and had more fun talking to my Mom on Skype while eating a delicious Hershey’s chocolate bar :)

My Dad and Aunt come next week so that’s the next big excitement. My dad and I will complete the “TRIFECTA” of disgusting Korean food with – Sannakji = aka = live octopus! Let’s hope the little suckers don’t suction themselves to our throats before we swallow them!

---Random Picture of the Day---

My apartment building SECURITY Guard. He stands about 4'9", wears aviator sunglasses day and night, and has to be 60+ years old... Let's hope nothing happens during his nap time (8:30pm on a FRIDAY night) otherwise I'm in big trouble!

A Few More Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/user/megshep09

Only in a Land Far Far Away...

*Do I hold a box of Velveeta Shells and Cheese sacred and look forward to eating it all week
*Do I giggle and gossip with the ladies and feel like I’m losing my “tomboy-ish” touch
*Do I ask another woman to give me a makeover at a bar while drinking wine
*Do I eat burger king at 5:30am waiting to take the subway home after a night at the bars
*Do I feel awkward going to the bathroom in my own apartment because my guests are sitting on the floor right next to the door

*Do I carry a toy dog around to bars and try not to get bit
*Do I think about what to name my kids and what my wedding dress should look like

*Do I have a nightmare that when I went to Chipotle, everything changed!
*Do I answer to 5 different callings: Meghan, Meghan Teacher, Min Jin, Nuna (what a younger brother calls his older sister instead of her name) and Eoni (what a younger sister calls her older sister instead of her name)
*Do I fall in love with people with out even being able to speak to them (my birth fam)
*Do I not give 100% in my job and not even care
*Do I accept living in a 140sqft room
*Do I put food in my mouth despite having no idea what it is
*Do I have to give up my independence/stubbornness and let others do things for me
*Do I spend so much time thinking about who I am
*Do I feel the urge to write about living in another form of reality that has its perks and also feels like sometimes I’m living in a world of colorful unicorns eating kimchi with chopsticks while waiting in line for a ricecake filled with bean paste.

Five more months and it’s … back to Life… back to REALITY!

(My toy dog- white elephant christmas present - push it's teeth down & try not to get bit. It's amazing how it can entertain it can be for all ages!)

Pictures Website:

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

Lunar New Year… Bow and You Shall Receive

The Lunar New Year (end of January) is the other big holiday in Korea besides Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving). It’s a time to pay respect to your elders and come together as a family. It’s a nice vacation for the men and children. They just play, drink, and get served food. The wives on the other hand are in the background and do all the cooking! Just another glimpse at the superiority/inferiority of Korean marriages.

We got there after about 6hrs of driving. I was given raw fish dipped in some red paste wrapped in seaweed and semi-force fed because my uncles kept saying it was good for my health. I didn’t gag and I washed it down with some beer quick! After getting a crappy night sleep on the floor sharing a blanket with my sister, we woke up for the “ceremonies.”

I wore my hanbok and we did the traditional bow (Sebae) to my grandmother, father, uncles, and my late grandfather. Then all the men left and went to my grandfather’s grave where they paid respect. Meanwhile, the women prepared for the ceremony cutting up fruits and other food. When the men returned, they bowed in front of the set up for my grandfather. Usually it’s only the men, but I took part too.

Then after that, we ate a couple times and I hung out while everyone spoke Korean around me. I was ashamed of myself for not trying to reach out more and I think in big crowds I choke and become mute. I spoke to my Aunt in Korean a bit so that made me feel better.

After hanging out, we drove to Pohang to say hello to my birth father’s younger sister. We stayed there a few hours before we trekked back to Seoul.

A few highlights:
1. When you Sebae, you receive money. So I left with W80,000 from bowing about 5 times.

2. It was nice to see my extended family again even though the language barrier was still intact.

3. I got a lot of stares from distant relatives after they asked who I was and Mun Hyuk or my birth father explained in Korean something along the lines of “she’s my daughter/sister who lives in America and is back” – I’m curious of how they explain the situation to people since it could be a bit uncomfortable. I just listen and smile as if I were a mute Korean doll on display.

4. It wasn’t even noon and I had eaten beef, fish, 2 cups of coffee, a glass of beer, some kind of fish broth/tea, and was asked to eat Octopus that I kindly denied.

5. No flat tire this time … I got home at 2:30am and woke up around 1pm today.

Useful Uses of... the STICK

So it snowed a week or two ago and below is just one of the methods I saw used for snow removal (plywood on a stick). I also saw a guy holding an umbrella and mopping the sidewalk.. and another guy using a broom. As a Minnesotan, it was quite entertaining!

On Saturday, I went to the MISO Theater Performance. It was a WICKED AWESOME mix of culture - drumsticks, dancing, singing, and acting. Much better than the Chinese Opera :)

See videos on my pics website: http://community.webshots.com/user/megshep09

More to come after my trip to Andong where I will dress in my very own Hanbok and Saebe Bow to my grandmother in return for money. It's LUNAR NEW YEAR and is the other big holiday besides Chuseok. Hopefully this road trip we don't get a flat tire on the way back :)

Have a great day and thanks for reading!

Wedding Crasher

Today I skipped my Korean Lesson to go to a Korean Wedding (our Asst. Manager) and it was well worth it! It as incredibly interesting learning the differences (and some similarities) of weddings in Korea vs. Western Style. Here’s what I learned:

There is a western ceremony and a traditional Korean ceremony.

Western Ceremony: if the parents are divorced, the parent who left the marriage and his/her family doesn’t show up to the wedding! After, group picturess are taken according to family and friends/co-workers. I was right behind the bride and she doesn’t know who I am. That was awkward.... AND there isnt a chick fight over the bouquet because the bride pre-chooses the recipient and just throws it to her. BORING!

Traditional Ceremony: it’s where the bride “leaves” her family and is welcomed into her groom’s family. Only the groom’s family attends. It consists of bows, tea drinking, chestnuts and jujubes, and the best part… PIGGY BACKS!

After the western ceremony – everyone goes to the buffet and goes home! No reception.. boom boom with the bridesmaids or groomsman, dancing, music, partying!

Chestnuts and Jujubes are thrown onto a white cloth and is a sign from the groom’s parents wishing the couple happiness and babies. The couple eats the food on their honeymoon to “help” produce a baby.

Instead of a “first kiss” as a couple, they both bite a jujube and whoever gets the seed in their mouth is given the “power” in the relationship.

The wedding date is picked by the Bride’s family and the use of a fortune teller. After that, the groom’s family “owns” the bride – the husband and his family trump the bride’s family which shows the sense of “authority and superiority” that still has a strong existence in this culture. GAG!

You don’t have to RSVP or even be officially invited apparently because I wasn’t.

We got a ticket and ate at a buffet along with 4-5 other weddings. Catering doesn’t exist so that’s kind of why anyone can show up. I had chop chae, meatball type things, rice, salad, cake, and spaghetti.

They don’t have gift registries here – just put money in an envelop and give it to the people who welcome you at the door.

My Korean friend didn’t come to the wedding because she’s getting married in May and didn’t want to “give away” her happiness to the couple.

The groom wears a special necktie for marriage. Very classy!

I am sure there is more that my brain is forgetting since I was going on 3hrs of sleep… but I got the jist and it really was cool. I wouldn’t want to be married in Korea because of the superior/inferior culture that still exists... but I’ll gladly crash a wedding to see how it all starts!

Go to my pics website to see videos and pictures of what I’m talking about :)

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

Ready... ACTION! Live from at Min Jin's Officetel

Pictures & Videos:

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

Hello 2009!

새해 복 많이받으세요 ~ HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I hope everyone had a splendid New Year wherever you are in the world!

On New Years Day, I ate ddeok gook (ricecake soup) with my Mun Hyuk, his girlfriend, Jue Hee, and my birth father… and was told that I am now 28 years old (Korean age)… YIKES I’m getting old faster than I want :)

It’s hard to believe I’m 6 months away from reality and all the good stuff I’ve been without such as:

1. A dryer to go with my washing machine
2. A microwave
3. An oven
4. A car
5. And most importantly … a CHIPTOLE BURRITO!

Despite living the simple life in some ways, I have been spoiled with not having to tip … anywhere (restaurant, haircut, etc), carry keys around, or take more than about 30 mins to clean my 95sqft living quarters.

Since I’m halfway done, I figured I should use my athletic counseling skills on myself… So, I’ve looked back at my initial goals of coming here and having assessed my progress, I haven’t done too bad!

1. Try not to eat anything I can get in the USA –I’m guilty of eating more American food than I want, but am still doing a dang good job of trying to keep it Korea.

2. Explore as much as possible – I have checked off quite a few places I’ve wanted to visit and have my “to-do” list for the next 6 months

3. Learn enough of the language to survive – I’m learning more than I need to survive!

4. Better understand the Asian culture and immerse myself in it – This naturally happens everyday and I have tried to hang out with my Korean friends as well as American friends

5. Have no regrets when I am done – so far… CHECK!

6. Figure out why I am the way I am... is it because of NATURE or NURTURE or BOTH!?!? – So far, it’s both … and I have a feeling it will be that after the next 6 months too.

So … the next 6 months I plan to:
1. Finish two more 9 week sessions of Korean Language Class
2. Go to a professional Korean Basketball game
3. Do a “temple” stay with the buddists
4. Attend to a Traditional Korean Theater Performance
5. Hike Seoraksan Mountain
6. Educate myself at the War Museum and maybe one other (National History Museum)
7. Vacation on Jeju Island (the Hawaii of Korea)
8. Travel to Busan, Korea and Fukuoka, Japan

Hopefully all goes well and I can come back to America regretless and ready to start settling down :) I am excited to see what 2009 brings and am thankful for all that 2008 gave me.

I wish everyone a WICKED AWESOME 2009 :)

Pictures of Nami Island and others are up:

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

(Sneak Preview: Kate, Eunice, and I at Nami Island (East Sea))