Thoughts and photos from the weekend

I took a Korean culture class at our home school co-op when I was young, but all I remember is chopsticks and colorful outfits. Now I can see it first hand, and it is so exciting!

This past weekend Seong and I had some free time, so we decided to make the most of it! On Friday we went to the National Museum of Korea, which is within walking distance from the base. I learned about Korean history and culture from our personal English-speaking tour guide! Seong was quick to point out the most famous pieces and explain their significance. He also helped me put what I learned into the crude timeline in my head. It was a great time learning and exploring together. These are some bowls from the Joseon period and a medicine cabinet.

On our way home we stopped at the cutest coffee shop and had some hand-drip iced coffee!


Then on Saturday we took a train to visit Seong's family members! Here are my thoughts about Korean language and food, because those are the most prominent aspects that I noticed!

The Language
Immersion language learning seemed unbelievable before I came to Korea. Everyone told me, "You'll pick it up quickly," but I really couldn't imagine how just being in a foreign place and listening to the language would give me magic knowledge of how to speak it! Now I realize why it is so magical! Its because by living here, I don't just listen, I see the nonverbal gestures that go with the language. You can't underestimate the importance of body language! Also, the few words of Korean I know were drilled into my mind because in a string of understandable words, my mind can pick out the understandable ones. So every time I heard the word 미국 (Miguk = the USA), I knew what they were talking about AND, more importantly, I remembered what it means. Then suddenly, I heard a few short sentences that I could understand from start to finish! I am so blessed to have Seong with me, who is my faithful translator and teacher! He tells me new words and phrases every day, so that I am slowly building my vocabulary. I'm definitely going to study on my own, but I think that spending time with Korean speakers will speed up the process.

The Food

Our korean breakfast table.

Korean food is shared. There are so many "family style" restaurants, with food that the whole group eats. The whole premise of korean food is big plates of food and many side dishes in the middle of the table with small dishes for each person. One thing I realized is that Korean's don't ever need serving spoons! Everyone takes what they want with their own chopsticks. Korean food is also seasonal. Right now its summer, so we ate cold noodles and iced coffee. The summer snack of choice is corn on the cob and fresh fruit like peaches, melons, and grapes. Seong told me that the original purpose of 김치 (kimchi) was to preserve vegetables for winter! I also had a new thing called 물김치 (Mul Kimchi = water kimchi). Its like cold, tangy kimchi juice with floating kimchi veggies! Yum! Korean food is also an experience! When you sit down (sometimes on floor pillows after leaving your shoes at the door), the waiter brings you cups with a water pitcher and moist towelettes.

Noodles before and after!

A bowl of cold noodles is not something you just dig into right away. It must first be mixed up, the condiments added, and the noodles cut up with scissors. The 반찬 (Banchan = small side dishes) also make every bite customizable. Dishes with steak, pork, or chicken cooked at your table usually come with lettuce to create a variety of bite-sized wraps with different ingredients. Its a hands-on meal! There are also some things that I didn't like. One day we stopped for some 떡볶이 (Ddeok-bokk-ee), spicy rice cake noodles, which are delicious! But Seong ordered something on the side that I didn’t appreciate. For me, eating an animal’s muscles and fat is totally normal. Even chicken or pork skin is part of my eating vocabulary. But what I can’t handle is organs. Seong ate pig liver, lungs, and intestines as I tried not to gag! Other than that, I have been enjoying every meal! Whether it's 빙유 (Bingu = frozen milk flakes) or fried chicken, eating out is a great way to explore this new place!