Korean Barbecue

Back in the States our "barbecue" is not a favorite of mine. The whole saucy mess is just not appetizing to me, and so I have never been one to jump on a barbecue restaurant or crave a barbecue sandwich. But in Korea barbecue is something very different....

It's almost an intriguing sight as you walk by the Korean restaurants and you see people gathered around a table with a grill in the center, flipping their meat with tongs, and cutting it with scissors. They are loading on their kimchi, beans, and other sides to the grill to make them nice and hot and then mixing it with the garlic that is simmering on there as well! As the hungry diners laugh and grill their food they are sipping on "So-make" which is a combination of Soju (a Korean rice liquor which tastes like a weaker version of vodka) and a Korean Beer. The word for beer in Korean is called make-ju, so you guessed it........put the two words together and you get SO-MAKE. YES! They mix a shot of their liquor with their Korean Beer in one glass and drink it together.  Usually they even mix it together with their chopsticks before drinking. So odd right? Then all the diners take their chopsticks and eat the pork or beef right off the grill, sometimes wrapping the food in lettuce to make wraps, but there are never plates. The grill is the master of this restaurant experience! And voila......we have Korean barbecue.

When I first arrived, I wasn't so fascinated with this new phenomenon. I was a little perplexed by the fact I had to cook my own food and was paying for it.....also, is was so simple! What was the big fuss about? But I was yet to discover the beauty of its simplicity and the community such a type of restaurant can bring! Now, I crave it all the time. Even though for the next 24 hours after I eat it I smell like garlic and pork, I cant help but love the stuff. And it helps that there is a great place about 2 minutes from my house where you can get a full meal for about $4 a person.

So, I'm off to have some delicious Korean Barbecue and So-make. After a long hard day at work, I'm going to relax and enjoy the easiness of this meal. :)

Gods embrace reaches everywhere!

I feel so inspired and touched, as today was my first time to meet my Small group (bible study group) through my new church here in Seoul. I have been in small groups at home and have even been a small group leader, but I wondered "Will it be the same? Will I still enjoy it?"  I wanted so badly to find a group of people here in Seoul who share my love for Christ and who I can be friends with also, so I felt the pressure was on.
So naturally, I was SO nervous when I first walked into the cafe to meet everyone. But I was comforted as everyone was so nice and I soon felt more and more at ease as time passed. By the end of the first meeting, we had done introductions and gotten to know each other better, and we were dismissed. I chatted a bit with the girl next to me and before I knew it she invited me out with her on Friday night to check out a great place for dancing that I had heard about but had not had a chance to go yet! I said yes, and we left the cafe, and all I could think was......God sent me this group and I will make long lasting friends here. Here is where I will continue to put down roots, here is where I will not only grow in my spiritual walk, but in my relationships with others. Thank you God for pushing me to sign up for a group!
I realize more and more each day....God's got my back here in Korea.

Korean culture & its quirks!

Here in Korea there are many little quirks i have noticed. But so you all can get some of the ideas of the things I see everyday I thought I would make a fun little list for you!

1.) They wrap up fish for you to take home at the grocery store with the head, tale, and it all still intact. Its 2 seconds away from still being alive!

2.) On that note, they eat live seafood here. Live squid and live blow fish to be exact, even though doing so can kill you!

3.) They absolutely with every ounce of them LOVE SPAM. Its everywhere, and a part of everything! its a part of soups, sushi, you name it, spams in it!

4.) They work like its going out of style..... they will easily work 10-11 hours a day without blinking an eye for 5 or 6 days a week. Coincidentally, I found out the suicide rate is higher in Korea.....related you think?

5.) They love to hike, but Korean women do not like the sun. It is considered that the more white you are the more beautiful you are. They even bleach their faces to get a whiter look! So the women will hike in long sleeves, pants, gloves, and BIG visors to cover their face. Regardless of the weather, this is the attire, and it looks hot!

6.) After lunch, they always brush their teeth. Good dental hygiene, right?!

7.) They always drive and park on the sidewalk. If you have your ipod in your ears on the sidewalk, you have to be very aware of your surroundings, because its not different from walking on the street. They drive and expect you to move ASAP even though your on the sidewalk!

8.) As a culture they are very respectful and very thoughtful. (I have already received gifts for being a teacher and i have only been here 3 weeks!) But when you walk on the sidewalk of a busy street or on the subways they do not squeeze by you and try not to hit you. YOU MOVE, or you get shoved. There is no malice behind it, that is just the way they are, so if you dont push back sometimes you will never get anywhere. Dont ever expect them to say they are sorry, and if you say it they dont care, because they were not bothered in the first place that you ran into them. Its just how it is!

9.) No one curls there hair over here.........they are serious about flat irons and having straight gorgeous hair, but if you want a curling iron (like me) you are completely out of luck! Curls are nonexistent!

10.) Last but not least......... a simple difference, but its very Asian and I have grown to like it. I teach barefoot. You have to wear slippers when you go into our school, and I have a pair of slippers that I am allowed to wear. (no outside shoes because they are dirty) But often the kids will be in their slippers and I just kick mine off to walk around the classroom and teach. All over Korea, taking off your shoes is a major sign of respect, so of course this will translate to the school too! My kids will say "Ms.Nikki don't forget your slippers!" as I will often try to walk to PE class or the Library and forget I'm not wearing shoes. And one of the naughty little boys in my class will sometimes even put them on and walk around the room in them, and all I can do is laugh! There is something very honest thought about teaching barefoot.....I'm that much more at home in my classroom!

 

So I have to ask.....whats your favorite quirk??

 

 

 

Getting Settled

 

It has been a whirlwind of a few weeks. With very unreliable Internet I have not been able to blog like I had wanted, as well as getting used to a 50+ hour work week! Its been exhausting. But after a few weeks, I am settling in, and feeling much more comfortable in my new home in Korea. I have gone on my first hike, seen a castle, and learned about a handful of very useful Korean words!

I have gotten into a swing at work and know what my children need and how they learn the best. I have also gotten to know the area of Seoul much better and have ventured out a few times by myself. I have even been lucky enough to find a wonderful church called New Harvest Ministry which is part of a bigger Korean church called Sarang Community Church here in Gangnam. God has really helped me to find my footing here and supplied me with some good friends to figure it all out with!

 

This is a photo of my Kinder Class. They are little angels and devils all at the same time, but I mostly love them. They are 6 yrs old and all have english names as well as Korean names that they use when at school. Here in Korea the children have a say in naming themselves (especially when it comes to just their English name) and so I have one child named Pitter Pan. (not to be confused with Peter Pan!!!) He is actually my favorite and is such a sweet child who is so funny too. We also have a Barbie and a Rapunzel! Go figure!

I still get so happy when they say "Ms.Nikki Ms.Nikki!!!" just because they

want to show me some picture they drew or tell me that they studied for their spelling test. Its quite adorable how much they love me already, and the feeling is mutual.

 

Overall, its looking like its going to be a job I enjoy and do well. I will build up a stamina for the long work hours and in no time I will think a 10 hour day with children is nothing! :) Either way, the memories I have already made with my kids at LCI have been worth the trip to the other side of the world. I'm ready to make an imprint on their lives.