September 17

So.... I just got back from the COEX mall, which is one of the biggest malls in Korea. I've been there before, but it is nice to go to an actual mall for a change, you'd be surprised that there aren't many "real" malls here. But anyways, things are mostly the same. I'm coming up on 7 months now in a couple days. Doesn't seem like it's been that long, but it has been. Oh, yeah I also went to Costco last week, and it's always a marvel to go there and come back with stuff I can't find elsewhere here. Still no ranch dressing, but I suspect I may survive. Almost as big a travest as Pizza Hut not having Cheese Breadsticks here. Though Sbarrao is pretty much the same here as I found out today.

On the subject of food,I will enlightent you all to some of the wonderful things the Korean people eat and drink. First among my favorites (by favorites I mean food I can't stand) is Kimchi. Whenever you go to a Korean restaurant you get it as a side and I can't stand it. I guess you could liken it to sauerkraut (which by the way I don't touch either) in that it is fermented cabbage, but the taste is much different. Kimchi is most often bitter and spicy and usually not to firm. Bleck. Next is octopus. Now I don't consume much seafood outside crab, shrimp, lobster, tuna and whitefish, and I can respect people who do, but honestly, eating still wriggling tentacles with the suction cups still on? NO THANKS! By the way, chew it up well so the suckers don't get stuck to your throat. Really. I have also seen them cooked an put on sticks, but no, still not appetizing. That said, there are some good things like gulbi (pronounced gal-be) which is basically meat you cook your self in a frying pan or on a grill at your table. The meat isn't specific, mostly it will be beef, pork, or duck, but horse and dog can be found here too. Did I mention they eat dog? No? Well, they eat dog here, which I think is a travesty. The phrase "How much is that doggie in the window?" really takes on a new meaning.


For those of you who may be curious as to my next destination/job I am either going to go teach in Japan or come home and get my teaching license. At least that's where I stand now.

I'll try to do another post soon with some pictures from a palace/temple I went to that is from 1459. It was pretty cool, and I'll try to get one of myself with my new haircut.