On thursday the 5th was the internship ceremony. A few days before the ceremony, one of the internship coordinators asked Kraig to write out a 3 minute speech about his time in Seoul (I guess she noticed he doesn't mind talking in front of big groups). We got all dolled up for event and even got there on time, just to find out they knowingly told us to be there an hour early! When we did start, we were served orange juice and a plate of delicious fruit (yay!) They did some talking, but I was too bored to pay attention. After all the short, thankful speeches we moved onto the Q&A session with the vice mayor. Somewhat interesting, but I was thankful when it was done. We took some group pictures, then Kraig and the IU gang somehow got a picture with vice before he ran away. All the interns received really nice diplomas and a fancy usb memory card filled with pictures and videos from the internship.
After the ceremony we headed home and accidentally got on the wrong bus! We realized the bus was going to take forever to make a loop, so we hopped off, and what do you know? It starts raining cats and dogs! Even though we had an umbrella, we still got soaked. Poor Kraig, he was so tired and his feet hurt and he was starving and his clothes were drenched. I guess it goes without saying, we were extremely happy to make it back home that evening.
Friday the 6th was Kraig's last day of the internship. They took his group to get bulgogi for lunch, which Kraig was very thankful for.
Somehow Kraig and I remembered which date we got married on, maybe it was both of us saying "it's the 7th, not the 8th" every day the week before it happened. One of the girls in Kraig's intern group received 2 tickets to see the B-Boy show in Hongik (a university town), but couldn't make it, so she gave the tickets to us! We were very thankful since each ticket cost 50,000 won ($48). The show was slow at first, but picked up and was very entertaining. At the end, one of the dancers was playing announcer, picking on the crowd, when he asked if there were any foreigners. He was speaking in Korean, so he looked around to find people that were just sitting around, not really fitting into the crowd, and he spotted us. Eek, he asked some questions but I could hardly understand through his thick accent, but it made people laugh. We had such a great time at the show!
Afterward, we made our way back to the Wang Thai in Itaewon. I accidentally ordered 'extra spicy' instead of 'spicy.' Big mistake! My dish was delicious, but I could only eat it half a spoonful at a time. I'm pretty sure I drank a liter or two of water with my meal. It was even too hot for Kraig! I mean, we left an unlicked bowl at a Thai place, that's saying something. Well, we about keeled over on our way home, but we did survive (sans a few taste buds).
On sunday, we went to the afternoon service at Yoido Full Gospel Church, the largest church in Korea (about 800,000+ members). I think they have 5 services just to acomodate everyone. We sat in the foreigner section, which was equipped with headphones and a choice of 9 different languages. The pastor told a story about some students in the Philippines in Antipolo, although he didn't mention names, Kraig was very suspicious he was talking about his high school that is in Antipolo. The church was a bit on the Pentecostal side and since they weren't speaking in English, prayer time (with everyone praying aloud at the same time) was overwhelming. It was a very unique experience, to say the least.
Although it was a beautiful day and we were by the river (close to where we took that boat cruise on the intern fieldtrip), it was too hot to enjoy! We got some ice cream and headed back to Hongik, because I liked it so much the night before. Hongik reminded us of Itaewon in that it offered lots of western restaurants and many people speak English there. But we liked Hongik more since it's a slightly artsy town with way fewer foreigners than Itaewon.
Oops, this post is kinda long! Time to go to the beach, more later.
20 August 2010
18 August 2010
DMZ!
We were kept busy the last week and a half in Korea with a trip to the DMZ, a special Q&A with Seoul's vice mayor, a night out to celebrate our 1st anniversary, attending Korea's largest church, making one last trip around Seoul, and saying our goodbyes to friends. Whew!
For our trip to the DMZ (De-Militarized Zone), I joined Kraig, the interns, and his boss, Chewynim (not sure about the spelling, but it means leader). We took an hour long train ride up to Paju and then a quick taxi ride over to Imjingak, the tour bus home. Imjingak had an interesting vibe; as we walked from the taxi we passed by a mini carnival that had dark, creepy paintings on the wall. Hmm, not sure what to say about that. Also at Imjingak are many monuments and the Freedom Bridge, where South Korean POWs returned from war. Imjingak is very popular to South Koreans who still have family in the north, as they can come here and bow to their parents or family members during the holidays.
After exploring the place and grabbing Popeyes for lunch, we jumped on a tour bus with about 30 other people. Before entering into the area with all the tour stops, our bus had to stop at a Military check point (all our passports had to be checked) and then weave around street barriers across the bridge. Our first stop was Dorason Station, the last stop on the only line entering into North Korean. It's only for cargo, but still a great sign of progress between the two.
Our next stop was the Dora Observatory. From the outside deck, we could look upon the DMZ, which was very lush and beautiful. If we leaned over the edge of the deck, we could see North Korea. But unfortunately for us, it was a very hazy day, so we couldn't see very far. Inside the observatory, there was a room with theater seating facing a wall of windows and at the base of the windows was a small 3D map of the DMZ, pinpointing all the important places. I was very sad to find out we weren't allowed to take pictures inside, as I really liked that map and the view we had.
After a short stop at the Observatory, we headed to the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel. Before entering the tunnel, we watched a short video about the war and it's affects on the Korean people. We then stored our stuff, loaded a little tram, and put on our hard hats. A former North Korean man told officials about the tunnel, so they started poking holes in the ground and filling them with water until they found the tunnel. The tunnel wasn't completed, so the South had to build a tunnel from the surface to the stopping point. We rode the tram up to the meeting point, where we got to leave the tram and walk in the actual tunnel. The tunnel was built for a surprise attack on Seoul (it is only 30 miles from Seoul and about 30,000 soldiers could make way through the tunnel in just an hour). But being sneaky Northern folk, they smeared coal on the walls and claimed the tunnel was for coal. But of course, no coal has been found in the area. The tunnel is 2m wide and 2m tall, but it felt a whole lot shorter than that since half the time we walked with hunched shoulders. There are 3 concrete barricades in the tunnel, and we were allowed to walk to the 3rd (or the 1st one we came upon) before we had to turn around. Once again, we weren't allowed any pictures, but Kraig took one on his phone!
The trip was very educational and saddening, but surprising hopeful. Each stop had a monument expressing how they feel the North is not enemy, but family, and how they hope to one day be unified.
I'll be posting pictures soon!
For our trip to the DMZ (De-Militarized Zone), I joined Kraig, the interns, and his boss, Chewynim (not sure about the spelling, but it means leader). We took an hour long train ride up to Paju and then a quick taxi ride over to Imjingak, the tour bus home. Imjingak had an interesting vibe; as we walked from the taxi we passed by a mini carnival that had dark, creepy paintings on the wall. Hmm, not sure what to say about that. Also at Imjingak are many monuments and the Freedom Bridge, where South Korean POWs returned from war. Imjingak is very popular to South Koreans who still have family in the north, as they can come here and bow to their parents or family members during the holidays.
After exploring the place and grabbing Popeyes for lunch, we jumped on a tour bus with about 30 other people. Before entering into the area with all the tour stops, our bus had to stop at a Military check point (all our passports had to be checked) and then weave around street barriers across the bridge. Our first stop was Dorason Station, the last stop on the only line entering into North Korean. It's only for cargo, but still a great sign of progress between the two.
Our next stop was the Dora Observatory. From the outside deck, we could look upon the DMZ, which was very lush and beautiful. If we leaned over the edge of the deck, we could see North Korea. But unfortunately for us, it was a very hazy day, so we couldn't see very far. Inside the observatory, there was a room with theater seating facing a wall of windows and at the base of the windows was a small 3D map of the DMZ, pinpointing all the important places. I was very sad to find out we weren't allowed to take pictures inside, as I really liked that map and the view we had.
After a short stop at the Observatory, we headed to the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel. Before entering the tunnel, we watched a short video about the war and it's affects on the Korean people. We then stored our stuff, loaded a little tram, and put on our hard hats. A former North Korean man told officials about the tunnel, so they started poking holes in the ground and filling them with water until they found the tunnel. The tunnel wasn't completed, so the South had to build a tunnel from the surface to the stopping point. We rode the tram up to the meeting point, where we got to leave the tram and walk in the actual tunnel. The tunnel was built for a surprise attack on Seoul (it is only 30 miles from Seoul and about 30,000 soldiers could make way through the tunnel in just an hour). But being sneaky Northern folk, they smeared coal on the walls and claimed the tunnel was for coal. But of course, no coal has been found in the area. The tunnel is 2m wide and 2m tall, but it felt a whole lot shorter than that since half the time we walked with hunched shoulders. There are 3 concrete barricades in the tunnel, and we were allowed to walk to the 3rd (or the 1st one we came upon) before we had to turn around. Once again, we weren't allowed any pictures, but Kraig took one on his phone!
The trip was very educational and saddening, but surprising hopeful. Each stop had a monument expressing how they feel the North is not enemy, but family, and how they hope to one day be unified.
I'll be posting pictures soon!
17 August 2010
Late Update 2
The following monday we had another great night thanks to Tim-jangnim. A while ago the interns had mentioned to Tim-jangnim that they wanted to try dog meat; I guess he liked us a lot from the cookout, so he agreed to take us to his favorite dog restaurant. From what I heard, dog meat is illegal, but hardly anyone gets in trouble for serving it. It's sort of a specialty, so it was kind of pricey. Since Tim-jangnim knew the owner, we got our private room for dinner. They served the dog steamed, stir-fried and in soup. Kraig said the steamed dog meat tasted like undercooked roast beef, but he liked the stir-fried dish. I did try the soup but now I can't remember the flavor. I did eat about half of it, until I found a piece of meat that looked like it may or may not have been a nipple. Yep. They de-fur it, but cook it with the skin on.
Tim-jangnim made some calls during dinner and then announced that we'd go to Namsan Tower. When we arrived, we were personally greeted by the Tower manager and a couple of his assistants. The Teddy Bear Museum was closed, but he took us in anyways and let us take all the pictures we wanted (wait til you see my fb album!) At the end of the museum, we got a group souvenir picture, courtesy of the manager. Afterward, he escorted us to the front of the line to go to the top of tower, which was fantastic. Outlined on the window are the distances and directions of popular cities in the world, pretty neat. Then we needed a little rest time, so we went down one level to the revolving, fine-dining restaurant where we had a seat and were served glasses of orange juice. Apparently that restaurant is tough to get reservations, most people book it a month in advance. We all said our thanks and then he sent us off to ride the cable car (for free) to the bottom of the hill. We stood in line for a little bit before our guides escorted us past the long, long line to our own dock to get onto the cable car. Lesson learned from Tim-jangnim: know the right people and you'll get a lot of great experiences!
Tim-jangnim made some calls during dinner and then announced that we'd go to Namsan Tower. When we arrived, we were personally greeted by the Tower manager and a couple of his assistants. The Teddy Bear Museum was closed, but he took us in anyways and let us take all the pictures we wanted (wait til you see my fb album!) At the end of the museum, we got a group souvenir picture, courtesy of the manager. Afterward, he escorted us to the front of the line to go to the top of tower, which was fantastic. Outlined on the window are the distances and directions of popular cities in the world, pretty neat. Then we needed a little rest time, so we went down one level to the revolving, fine-dining restaurant where we had a seat and were served glasses of orange juice. Apparently that restaurant is tough to get reservations, most people book it a month in advance. We all said our thanks and then he sent us off to ride the cable car (for free) to the bottom of the hill. We stood in line for a little bit before our guides escorted us past the long, long line to our own dock to get onto the cable car. Lesson learned from Tim-jangnim: know the right people and you'll get a lot of great experiences!
16 August 2010
Late Update
Written Sunday at 5pm local time:
Oops, I've been neglecting the blog for the past few weeks. All our new experiences and adventures have kept us busy. We are currently in Manila's shabby domestic flights airport. Security here was such a joke! But trying to be better safe than sorry, we arrived at the airport more than 2 hours early. What better to do than to update the blog?
A couple weekends ago, Tim-jangnim (not sure on the actual spelling, but he was Kraig's boss's boss) treated us to a Korean style campfire dinner. I wish we had known this guy early; he has all the right connections! He's pretty high up in the tourism division for Seoul, so he knows all the managers and owners of major tourist spots. Kraig, 3 of the interns, and I met up with him after work and he drove us to the city campground. Normally you need to reserve a spot 2-3 months in advance, but since he knew the owner, there was no need. She got us through all the lines, paid the rental fees for tables and chairs, and helped us pick out the best stuff. Tim-jangnim paid for most of it, which is part of the culture, but surprised us. I guess it's custom that if someone higher up invites you out, it's their treat. They bought mostly meat (a lot of it!) and an onion for me.
I guess most people don't cook for themselves? It was interesting to watch Tim-jangnim figure out how to do the cooking and it was mostly unsanitary. But we figured any germs, uncooked food, and cross-contaminated food would just be part of the experience. On our drive to the campground I was a little skeptical- I didn't really know the people we were with, afraid I'd be starving all night, and nervous it would be an awkward evening. Quite the opposite! One of the Japanese interns, Tomoyo, was so curious about American things. She has been to the USA on a short trip and remembered a lot of brands, which she asked if we used any of them. If we didn't, she would say we weren't American. Very entertaining to hear a foreigner's idea of an American.
We also got to experience a little bit of the Korean drinking culture. They love to drink in Korea, especially older men (although sometimes on the subway I could smell soju on old women's breath). A few things to know: when you drink with elders (or with your employer/employees), there's a little bit of a hierarchy. If a higher up offers you more to drink, you should accept by offering up your empty glass. Also, to show respect, you should hold the glass with either both hands or your right hand with the left hand holding your right hand. (That usually goes for anytime you are accepting something from someone higher up than you) Korean's cheap alcohol is soju; it tastes similar to vodka (gross!), has a high alcohol content (19%), and is cheap ($1.50 for a 16oz bottle, cheaper than beer). Tim-jangnim made us a little concoction of soju and beer, which wasn't that bad.
After dinner, we walked around the campground and down to the river. Their way of camping is very different from what I'm used to. There were equal amounts of tents with walls and tents without walls. Of course it's too hot to sleep in sleeping bags, but they just sleep on the floor. The campsites were on top of each other, which I guess if there's only 1 campground and the wait is 2-3 months, they need to squeeze in as many people as possible.
After our long night (we left at 4pm and got back at 2am), Tim-jangnim graciously drove us back to the dorm. It was definitely a great night that we won't be forgetting anytime soon!
Oops, I've been neglecting the blog for the past few weeks. All our new experiences and adventures have kept us busy. We are currently in Manila's shabby domestic flights airport. Security here was such a joke! But trying to be better safe than sorry, we arrived at the airport more than 2 hours early. What better to do than to update the blog?
A couple weekends ago, Tim-jangnim (not sure on the actual spelling, but he was Kraig's boss's boss) treated us to a Korean style campfire dinner. I wish we had known this guy early; he has all the right connections! He's pretty high up in the tourism division for Seoul, so he knows all the managers and owners of major tourist spots. Kraig, 3 of the interns, and I met up with him after work and he drove us to the city campground. Normally you need to reserve a spot 2-3 months in advance, but since he knew the owner, there was no need. She got us through all the lines, paid the rental fees for tables and chairs, and helped us pick out the best stuff. Tim-jangnim paid for most of it, which is part of the culture, but surprised us. I guess it's custom that if someone higher up invites you out, it's their treat. They bought mostly meat (a lot of it!) and an onion for me.
I guess most people don't cook for themselves? It was interesting to watch Tim-jangnim figure out how to do the cooking and it was mostly unsanitary. But we figured any germs, uncooked food, and cross-contaminated food would just be part of the experience. On our drive to the campground I was a little skeptical- I didn't really know the people we were with, afraid I'd be starving all night, and nervous it would be an awkward evening. Quite the opposite! One of the Japanese interns, Tomoyo, was so curious about American things. She has been to the USA on a short trip and remembered a lot of brands, which she asked if we used any of them. If we didn't, she would say we weren't American. Very entertaining to hear a foreigner's idea of an American.
We also got to experience a little bit of the Korean drinking culture. They love to drink in Korea, especially older men (although sometimes on the subway I could smell soju on old women's breath). A few things to know: when you drink with elders (or with your employer/employees), there's a little bit of a hierarchy. If a higher up offers you more to drink, you should accept by offering up your empty glass. Also, to show respect, you should hold the glass with either both hands or your right hand with the left hand holding your right hand. (That usually goes for anytime you are accepting something from someone higher up than you) Korean's cheap alcohol is soju; it tastes similar to vodka (gross!), has a high alcohol content (19%), and is cheap ($1.50 for a 16oz bottle, cheaper than beer). Tim-jangnim made us a little concoction of soju and beer, which wasn't that bad.
After dinner, we walked around the campground and down to the river. Their way of camping is very different from what I'm used to. There were equal amounts of tents with walls and tents without walls. Of course it's too hot to sleep in sleeping bags, but they just sleep on the floor. The campsites were on top of each other, which I guess if there's only 1 campground and the wait is 2-3 months, they need to squeeze in as many people as possible.
After our long night (we left at 4pm and got back at 2am), Tim-jangnim graciously drove us back to the dorm. It was definitely a great night that we won't be forgetting anytime soon!
06 August 2010
The Other Friday
I have a lot of catching up to do! We've actually been busy lately, grilling out, making kimchi, going to the DMZ, trying dog meat, getting VIP treatment, etc. I'd say this past week has held the most excitement of the whole trip here in Korea.
On Friday, we went on another field trip with the interns. We spent most of the day below the river in the Gangnam area. First stop was a 'how to' session; you could choose between making a paper flower or traditional dance. We first thought we'd just watch the dance, not participate, so we chose the dance. Whoops! Kraig did a great job trying (muffled giggle) and I opted to learn from my seat while taking pictures and video. I'll admit the pictures are pretty bad. I want a new camera so badly!
Anyway, Kraig is in there, somewhere.
After two people did the dance in the costume, Kraig donned the sweaty thing for a quick picture.
After the dance, we headed to Seven Springs, a delicious and wonderful buffet. Kraig told me that it had vegetables, but I was wary since Korean's usual vegetables only include mushrooms, onions, and some gross tree leaf. But to my delight, it was wonder bell peppers, squash, tofu, shrimp, pasta, fresh fruit, breads, rice, fruit juice, salad (salad!!!) and so much more! I guess all the foods that are regular in our diets we take for granted. Fruit here is so expensive and lettuce and bell peppers are very rare. I had a great time at this buffet and wish we could go back, but it's about 30,000 won a person ($25).
Happy after lunch, me with Chomi (Japanese), Jin Jing (Chinese), and Mehmet (attends IU, Turkish)
After a great lunch, we headed over to the Kimchi Museum in the Coex Mall. We went there a few weeks ago with Adam and it was packed, but I guess since it wasn't the evening or weekend yet, it was very deserted. The Kimchi Museum was a hoot. We got a quick tour, showing the history and many types of kimchi (but we didn't really listen since the lady was speaking in Korean and the translator was quiet) We then crowded around tables in their kimchi-making lab. They did the first 2 steps for us; salt and soak the cabbage for 4 hours and make some paste with all sorts of spices. Then we chopped up the radish and spring onions and mixed those into the paste.
Making a mess:
Then you stuff the mix into the cabbage, layer by layer.
And when that's all done, you take the long, bottom layer of the cabbage and wrap it around to keep it together. Then you wrap it in seran wrap, or something, and store it in the fridge for a week. They gave us cute packages that keep the smell in the bag, along with a 'kimchi museum' bag with treats inside. We ended up giving both our kimchis to Wang from Kraig's group. He loves to eat!
After kimchi, we took a long bus trip back to Myeongdong for Nanta. It's the number one attraction for Seoul on Trip Advisor, so we thought it would blow us away. It was exciting for the first 20 minutes, but then got pretty old with it's slapstick humor and banging on pots. But we endured and were glad we hadn't paid $50 to see it.
Oops, not supposed to take a picture, but we did!
And then the field trip was over! Kraig's group of interns decided to all grab dinner together. We hadn't tried a place that cooks the food in front of you, so we thought it'd be a great time to take advantage of our Korean-speaking companions and give it a try. On the menu there are about 10 different dishes to try from, but they all look pretty much the same. All 4 of us girls opted for the seafood, while the boys tried the chicken. We were sitting at a table with 2 skillets, so they cooked all the seafood in one skillet and the chicken in the other. Pretty much like every fried rice dish, they cooked the meat and 'veggies' first and then added the rice and weird sauce.
Excited for a new experience!
Using butter to cook, what a surprise since they are so health conscious.
The boy's chicken, which wasn't enough for them. But they finished off our seafood dish.
It was good for the first 2 small servings, but got old once I wasn't starving and took time to notice the flavor. So, a good one-time experience.
Friday was so much fun, we all had a great time and were pooped by the end of the day!
On Friday, we went on another field trip with the interns. We spent most of the day below the river in the Gangnam area. First stop was a 'how to' session; you could choose between making a paper flower or traditional dance. We first thought we'd just watch the dance, not participate, so we chose the dance. Whoops! Kraig did a great job trying (muffled giggle) and I opted to learn from my seat while taking pictures and video. I'll admit the pictures are pretty bad. I want a new camera so badly!
Anyway, Kraig is in there, somewhere.
After two people did the dance in the costume, Kraig donned the sweaty thing for a quick picture.
After the dance, we headed to Seven Springs, a delicious and wonderful buffet. Kraig told me that it had vegetables, but I was wary since Korean's usual vegetables only include mushrooms, onions, and some gross tree leaf. But to my delight, it was wonder bell peppers, squash, tofu, shrimp, pasta, fresh fruit, breads, rice, fruit juice, salad (salad!!!) and so much more! I guess all the foods that are regular in our diets we take for granted. Fruit here is so expensive and lettuce and bell peppers are very rare. I had a great time at this buffet and wish we could go back, but it's about 30,000 won a person ($25).
Happy after lunch, me with Chomi (Japanese), Jin Jing (Chinese), and Mehmet (attends IU, Turkish)
After a great lunch, we headed over to the Kimchi Museum in the Coex Mall. We went there a few weeks ago with Adam and it was packed, but I guess since it wasn't the evening or weekend yet, it was very deserted. The Kimchi Museum was a hoot. We got a quick tour, showing the history and many types of kimchi (but we didn't really listen since the lady was speaking in Korean and the translator was quiet) We then crowded around tables in their kimchi-making lab. They did the first 2 steps for us; salt and soak the cabbage for 4 hours and make some paste with all sorts of spices. Then we chopped up the radish and spring onions and mixed those into the paste.
Making a mess:
Then you stuff the mix into the cabbage, layer by layer.
And when that's all done, you take the long, bottom layer of the cabbage and wrap it around to keep it together. Then you wrap it in seran wrap, or something, and store it in the fridge for a week. They gave us cute packages that keep the smell in the bag, along with a 'kimchi museum' bag with treats inside. We ended up giving both our kimchis to Wang from Kraig's group. He loves to eat!
After kimchi, we took a long bus trip back to Myeongdong for Nanta. It's the number one attraction for Seoul on Trip Advisor, so we thought it would blow us away. It was exciting for the first 20 minutes, but then got pretty old with it's slapstick humor and banging on pots. But we endured and were glad we hadn't paid $50 to see it.
Oops, not supposed to take a picture, but we did!
And then the field trip was over! Kraig's group of interns decided to all grab dinner together. We hadn't tried a place that cooks the food in front of you, so we thought it'd be a great time to take advantage of our Korean-speaking companions and give it a try. On the menu there are about 10 different dishes to try from, but they all look pretty much the same. All 4 of us girls opted for the seafood, while the boys tried the chicken. We were sitting at a table with 2 skillets, so they cooked all the seafood in one skillet and the chicken in the other. Pretty much like every fried rice dish, they cooked the meat and 'veggies' first and then added the rice and weird sauce.
Excited for a new experience!
Using butter to cook, what a surprise since they are so health conscious.
The boy's chicken, which wasn't enough for them. But they finished off our seafood dish.
It was good for the first 2 small servings, but got old once I wasn't starving and took time to notice the flavor. So, a good one-time experience.
Friday was so much fun, we all had a great time and were pooped by the end of the day!
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