한국 음식

The long awaited food post arrives!

It's been awhile, but I've literally been trying to shove everything I can into these last two weeks. It's a real headache. Last Friday I bought the Yesung edition of SJ's new album. Since then, Gayoung has enjoyed dancing around the house shouting "Amelia loves Yesung" in Korean. It's a bit annoying, but she's seven.... Wednesday I went to Myeongdong with Akira, Alexia, my penpal Dayun, and Akira's penpal Gonwoo. It was super fun! Last night Dongjun and I went out and bought an electronic dictionary for me and then went to Namsan Tower. Namsan has one of the most amazing views ever. Period. Afterwards, we got a little lost and ended up walking all the way down the mountain. Ow. Then today was graduation. Oh my gosh my life is moving so fast.

Anyways. Food.

I've pretty much come to the conclusion that the idea of "breakfast food" doesn't exist in Asia. As in Japan, in Korea your breakfast is a full meal. I've only eaten lunch in my house a few times because I usually go out with Akira for coffee, or meet my supporters. But a traditional lunch is just as complicated at the breakfast with sidedishes and such. Dinner is even more food. Usually more meat I would say. All meals are eaten with the family together, too. The first week or so, all of this was fine, but recently I just can't eat a full meal in the mornings and I feel aweful when there is food left in my bowl

Another interesting fact about Korean dining: almost all of it can be eaten with chopsticks or a spoon. Koreans use spoons a LOT. I was really surprised. Also, Korean chopsticks are flat. It took me forever to adapt and I still can hardly pick up noodles.

As far as the contents of the meal, in my house we have three staple sidedishes that come with every meal: kimchi, sweet black beans, and these tiny little fish that are possibly candied with nuts and the most amazing things I have ever eaten. I have no idea what I'm going to do when I can't eat them anymore. Probably cry. A lot.

There is always rice served, of course. I also think it's more common to serve soup, but we don't usually have it. When you eat the soup, its also very common to put the rice IN the soup. Also, rice is mostly eaten with a spoon, not chopsticks.

Main courses vary. There is always meat. Korea actually eats a lot of meat. A lot. There is always a lot. Not as much seafood as I thought there would be though. But I guess that's okay. I don't think there is a meat Koreans won't eat. Dog is apparently very common as well, but my host mom loves dogs, so we never eat it. We usually have beef, but chicken and pork come along sometimes too. Food is usually mixed. ie. Bibimbap, which is a multitude of veggies and meat mixed with rice, hot sauce, and egg. There is also something we usually eat that is like rice mixed with minced veggies/meat. Bulgogi is common. It's beef thats been shredded and cooked with some delicious sauce. . . so good. Then there is kimbap, which is veggies and rice rapped up in seaweed. It's like sushi, but without the seafood! It's super good! That's what I ate for dinner tonight actually.

Another thing I must talk about, of course, is kimchi. I had eaten kimchi in America, but dear god, its just not the same. Kimchi here is SOOOOOOOOOOOOO good. All of us NSLI-Y kids talk about how our host mom's make the best kimchi ever. And really, my host mom's kimchi is to die for. It's amazing. She's been laughing at me recently and saying "You eat kimchi like a Korean!"


Anyways, it's not as spectacular as I had hoped, but that's a small window into Korean food. Feel free to ask questions!

Comments:

Ellen: *gives cookie* thank you~~~~ the rain sucks >< It's raining again. And Spudgy didn't come T.T We met up in a coffee shop, so pets were a little difficult....

Kealey: thank you~~ I feel like the London Underground would be a thousand times scarier than being lost in Seoul. It's super safe here, which is nice.

Shelbi: they were kimchi cookies :P I can't wait to see you Monday~

I have to start packing now (FML) so I better wrap this up! See some of you state side in two days T.T

Myeongdong and Host Family

This is probably going to end up being a small novel with all I have to talk about.

I guess let's start with how life worked living at the hostel. After landing, we lived in a hostel for three nights and two days. Hostels are great. Except that I was rooming with 10 other girls >< It was loud and a little nerve-wrecking! But I made it~
The first day, we went to a welcoming ceremony hosted by the US embassy. Highlight: 4 students from a girl's university came and played traditional instraments for us! Then, we ate lunch at the YWCA in Myeongdong. . . . Then we had free time. In Myeongdong. After coming from CLI, Akira, Emma and I had no clue what to do when they said, okay, be back in the lobby in an hour!!
Myeongdong is the shopping district (appearently) of Seoul. It's over priced and VERY crowded at night during the weekend. Akira ended up going to the hospital because her strep had been acting up, so Emma and I roamed around alone. Now, you're probably like "Oh my god! She had to go to the hospital?? Is she okay?" Note: Korea has universal healthcare. You are not feeling well? Go to the hospital! It only cost about 20-25$ for her visit and her meds and now she says shes feeling amazing~!
After that, we went to another place that I cannot remember to meet the college students who are supposed to be our guides/friends through all of this. My guide is Seungwoo. There are too other people in my group, Peter (who is Chinese) and Sarah (who is Korean). I feel really awkward >< Luckily, for that day, we had an activity with another group and I was with Alexia and a girl named Audra. We all had a lot of fun! Seungwoo is hilarious.
The next day we went to orientation. LOOONG. But it was pretty nice.
Afterwards we went back ot the hostel. And guess what: "Curfew is 9."
Oh my god. I feel like a free woman.
So Akira, Emma, and I went back to Myeongdong. Akira and I dragged Emma to sticker pictures (purikura) and Akira and I had a blast. Emma warmed up to it after while. Then Emma had to go back because her host family was picking her up early. Akira and I went into a little shop where she got a cellphone case and some BIGBANG merch. Then we found a street vendor selling icecream~! It was about a 1.50$ for a towering cone. This was how we found out that in Korea, you must eat your icecream very very fast! It took less than five minutes for us to feel like idiots because we had chocolate icecream dripping on us ><

The next day, our host families came.
My host family is a mom, a dad, and a 7 year old girl. Oddly enough, we get along very very well~! Yesterdeay, they picked me up in the car and we drove to the house. Then the dad had to go to work, so the mom and I waited for Kayoung to get home. When she did, we ate bulgogi for lunch and then went to Sogang by subway so I knew how to get there. We were going to go to the bathhouse, but when we got back from Sogang, I pretty much crashed><
When I woke up, we ate dinner (which was just a wrap with leftover bugolgi and vegetables) and then I handed out gifts. Kayoung hasn't stopped playing with the marble game I got her, so I'm pretty happy about that.
When I woke up this morning (about an hour later than I wanted too >>) Kayougn came in and we played the marble game xD
Then we had breakfast, which was. . . actually, I'm not really sure what it was, but it was good! Kimchi for breakfast however. . . this is new. And will take some getting used to!

Theres a lot more I want to write, but I'm worried that I'm taking too long to type this! Pictures (though not many!) are up!

Also, my ears still haven't popped. Yesterday, I thought they finally had, but this morning when I woke up, I still couldn't hear out of my left one ><