Apologies and a Debut

First, I would like to apologize for the absence.  In truth, the fact of the matter is that I have become too lazy am having too much fun with my kids that posting to my blog has been getting pushed further and further back on my stove-of-priorities.  To make up for my lacking, I hereby officially dub the month of August as "Summer [In]Sanity" and vow to post once a week.*  You may now all offer me your forgiveness and enjoy the following Special Edition Debut:

Special Edition: Konglish Kooking Vol. 1 Issue 1


To kick off the first issue of Konglish Kooking, I will start very simply: cooking a pot of rice.

In Korea, 밥 (bap) is a staple food that can be eaten at every meal.  Many times it is mixed with other grains like barley, or legumes, like azuki beans.  The most common variety is 백미(baek mi) or white rice.  Apparently, many years ago, during the war, there was a great shortage of the rice and the custom of mixing in other grains or legumes to stretch the rice further began around this time.  The government encouraged everyone to do this becuase rice was becoming so scarce.  Many people grew up eating rice this way and thus, the custom continues because they have grown to like it that way.

Most Koreans use a rice cooker to cook their rice, as it is more convenient, and much easier.  Therefore, my instructions will include the use of a rice cooker. 

Step 1: Gather ingredients

All you will need is rice, water, and a cooker.  Here, you see all my ingredients assembled

Step 2: Measuring

Now, the most common ratio I use is 2:3 rice to water.  You can use any kind of measuring vessel you like.  Most rice cookers come with its own rice cup, but mine did not as it was a free one that was previously salvaged.  No, worries, I've got a handy tumbler that will work just fine; 2 cups rice into the pot.  In a rice cooker, the pot is usually removable which is very convenient when it comes to the next step.  

Step 3: Washing the Rice

This step is to wash off the talc and excess starch, which Koreans believe to be unhealthy.  Now, when it comes to washing the rice, the Japanese will tell you to rinse and then scrub the grains.  However, the Koreans will tell you to wash and swirl the rice briefly in the water and then drain; none of that ridiculous scrubbing.  So, this is how to wash the rice: take your pre-measured rice and place the bowl in the sink.  Turn on the water and allow it to cover the rice.  As it is filling with water, quickly swirl the rice a few times to rinse the grains.  Once the rice is sufficiently covered with water, quickly start to drain the water.  You will notice the water that is draining is cloudy.  Drain as much of the water out of the pot as you can.  Repeat this about 3-5 times until the water is almost clear.  It will never become completely clear, but that's okay.

Step 4: Soaking the rice

This step is very important as it apparently softens the grains and cuts down on cooking time.  It also allows the rice to become a little stickier when cooked, which is the preferred texture of rice for Koreans.  So, once you have drained the rice for the last time, drain as much of it out as you can.  Then measure your water into the pot.  Swirl it a little to make sure the grains settle evenly on the bottom of the pot.  This is very important for proper cooking.  Then put the pot back into the cooker and close the lid.  Do NOT turn on the cooker.  Many expensive cookers have built in timers that can delay cooking start to include the soak time, then it will start cooking after the rice has soaked for the pre-determined time.  I do not have a fancy expensive one, so I have to remember to turn it on.  Also, I cannot plug it in until after the soaking is done.  When plugged in, it is automatically in "warm" mode and will start to heat up.  The soaking times depend on the season.  Most Koreans will say about 30 minutes of soaking in the summer and about 1 to 1.5 hours in the winter.  Shorter soaking in the summer because it is so dang humid here during the summer.  In the winter, it is bitterly cold and very dry.  Once it is done soaking switch on your cooker and wait.  The cooker will automatically turn off once the rice is cooked.  How handy! 
  
Step 5: Enjoy your rice...Korean-style!


Please enjoy your rice any way, you like!  Eat it hot and freshly cooked as an accompaniment to a meal; put the leftovers in the fridge and make some 볶음밥(bokkeumbap: fried rice)  Teacher loves 김치 볶음밥 (kimchi bokkeumbap).  Who likes 김치 볶음밥?  Raise your hands! ("Ohh, Teecha, Korean!!")  You can also put some of your 볶음밥(bokkeumbap) into an omlette and have 오무라이스 (omurice).  My kids eat rice and kimchi for breakfast every morning and look how happy they are!


And thus concludes the first issue of Konglish Kooking.  Some of the dishes I have been enjoying eating and making for myself include: 떡볶이 (tteokbokki), 라면 (ramyeon), 비빔밥 (bibimbap), and the summer favorite 비빔 냉면 (bibim naengmyeon).  So, please look forward to those dishes.



*This statement holds no guarantee. 

The Norm

I was walking home after class last night around 7:45pm.  The fact that it was 7:45pm and I was walking home is already abnormal.  I am normally walking home around 10:45pm.  Middle school testing (think FCAT x 1000) has taken precedence over English hagwon class and thus, my middle school class has been canceled.  Anyways, I was passing the sportswear store (called “Indian”),  next to my building when another abnormal thing occurred.  The norm for walking the streets is usually a constant cacophony of various KPop tunes being blasted from the stores out to the sidewalks, but tonight, something was not normal.  As I was nearing the store I realized that what was being emitted from the speakers was not the latest Big Bang single or a classic hit from Super Junior nor a 2AM smash or even Girls Generation, but it was the unmistakable strains of Ke$ha.  To be specific, "Your Love is My Drug".  I used to hear this song at least 3-4 times a week back in the States between spin classes and the radio. It was at this moment that I realized I have reached the point where the abnormal was now normal and the normal was now abnormal.  It was so out of the ordinary that I had to stop for a moment outside the store to listen.  I even danced a little a bit, I'm pretty sure the Korean businessmen with their pitcher of beer outside the Chicken & Beer restaurant next door just dismissed me as another crazy 외국인 (waegukin-foreigner) as they gave me the sideways stare. (I've gotten used to the stares as well-that is also the norm.....as well as the random "hellos" from schoolkids on the street--any attempts to continue the conversation with the kid will be answered by shy, confused smiles) As I rode the elevator up to my floor I reflected on this small milestone I have reached during my sojourn.  Other things that are now the norm:

  

1. My daily schedule:  I wake up between the hours of 10:30am and 11:30am most weekedays.  I leave for work between 2:30pm and 3:00pm.  I teach my first class (elementary students) from 4:30pm to 7:30pm.  Then, I teach my second class (middle school) from 7:35pm to 10:30pm.  I am then usually leaving work around 10:40pm.  Sometimes, I will stop at the Lotte Mart for groceries on the way home.  Yes, there are usually quite a few people grocery shopping at this time of night.  The only downside is, all the fresh bread is gone from the bakery and the sushi counter is closed.  I will then arrive home at 11:30pm which is when I will proceed to make and eat my dinner.  Then, if I am working tomorrow, I will crawl up to my loft around 12:30pm and proceed to work on my homework (catching up on my dramas-this is important homework!  if you know the dramas, you are automatically cool with most of the kids).  I usually fall asleep around 2:30am.  If I am not working the next day, then sometimes I may go out with some of the other teachers.  If this happens I usually don't get home until 3:00 or 3:30am and will fall asleep around 4.

2. Not buying a lot of groceries at once.  As I am walking to the Mart around the corner,  I do not have the luxury of a car trunk to load a lot of groceries into.  Therefore, I must only buy what I can carry in 1 or 2 bags.  Sometimes, that turns into a box.  Next to the registers at the Mart is a counter for people to load up boxes with items so that they can be carried easier.  The boxes are provided free by the store as they are the boxes the products are delivered in to the store.  There are scissors and tape at this counter as well as many spools of paper twine so that once your box is packed, you may tie a carrying strap onto the box.  Exhibit A: This past Sunday's groceries

The twine carrying strap is quite prevalent.  I've seen tied onto many things.  People on subways carrying newly purchased appliances, like rice cookers, electric fans (선풍기-seonpungki), and electric kettles.  They will also put twine on pizza boxes for carryout pizza.  It makes carrying a box a little more convenient, actually.

3.  1.5 L sized bottles of beer.  These are quite common in convenience stores.  It will almost always be Cass brand or Hite brand.  These are the two big domestic brands here. Hite is brewed from barley malt and rice while Cass is brewed only from rice.  When you go to a restaurant, you just ask for "maekju chuseyo", and they will always bring you one of the two (in a liter bottle which will be shared among the diners in small glasses, soju is a frequent accompaniment in even tinier glasses)

4.  Drinkable yogurt.  I don't know why this was so fascinating to me as I'm pretty sure we have something similar in the States (Gogurt?).  This seems to be the most common form of consumption for yogurt here.  But anyways, I now buy my yogurt in a 500mL bottle which I can pour over cut fruit in a bowl or use instead of milk in my cereal.  (my favorite combo so far: freshly cut chamae melon with strawberry yogurt poured over...soooo refreshing) 

My coworkers are planning a trip to Hongdae for another birthday celebration.  Hongdae is a popular nightlife district in Seoul.  I went to Hongdae a couple weeks ago to visit the Coffee Prince coffee shop.  A night in Hongdae means taking the train out in the evening and then having to catch the train back the next morning after they start running at 5am which means getting back home to Yeonsu-gu around 7am.  That's fine.  We're going on the weekend.

The System

On Saturday night, I was riding the train back from Seoul.  It usually takes about an hour and a half to get from central Seoul back to my station, Woninjae, back in Incheon.  I was sitting between a business man on my left and a young woman watching TV on her smartphone on my right.  The rhythmic clacking of the rails and the smooth movement started to become quite pleasant and, as anyone would do after walking all over the city, I began to nod off.  I had spent the day with a co-worker, TV, and I could see her shoes across the aisle from me.  I still had several stops before I reached the transfer station.
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"What kind of vegetables do you like to eat?"  I prompted my elementary-aged class.  "Ohhh, teacha,"  one of the said, "I only like potatoes and broccoli." 
"Me, too."  another chimed in.
"You kids need more variety," I quipped.  Another student raised their hand.
"Yes?  What vegetables do you like?"
"I like to eat potatoes and cu-...cukoo.."
"Cucmbers?" I suggested
"Yes.  Oh, and kimchi."
"Oh!  I like kimchi too!" many of the students agreed.  
"And me!"
"Ohhh, Teacher likes kimchi, too," I added, "Very good."
"Ehhhhhh?" they looked at me with confused faces.  "But, Teacha from U.S.A."
"So.  That doesn't mean I can't like kimchi."
"Ehhhhhhh...."
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I have been here for 3 weeks, now. This is where most people would insert "I can't believe it".  The thing is, though, I don't feel shocked or surprised that I've been so comfortable here.  Many people would say, "you're so far from home, isn't hard adjusting?"  "aren't you homesick?"  For me, it doesn't really feel that far away.  I suppose I have modern technology to thank.  With planes flying all over the world as well as the ability to talk to people face-to-face no matter where they are in the world, I really don't feel that far.  The only difference now, is that I can't read the labels on a lot of the items on the shelves at Lotte Mart.  But even that doesn't bother me.  I can usually figure out what it is by looking at it (still working on the brown rice tea, green tea differentiation).  Now, this doesn't mean I have not noticed the staggering difference in culture and daily life here, I have just acknowledged it, made adjustments accordingly, and continued on with my life.  My fridge now contains: 2 packets of kimchi, eggs (some already boiled), orange juice, a bottle of yogurt, some freshly cut pineapple, 2 chicken breasts, milk (Seoul milk-->do not know what that means), sliced ham, mayo, a bag of lettuce and perilla leaves, ketchup, long green onions, tea, a jar of "fruits jam", bottled water (do not drink the tap water), and Chilsung Cider (Korean 7-up).  My pantry is stocked with: 2 bags of rice, cranberry granola, a box of kiwis, a large bottle of soy sauce, cooking oil, olive oil, garlic, spaghetti, curry mix, several packs of spicy ramyeon, half a loaf of bread, instant coffee, tea bags, and small snack packets of crackers.  As I finish the list of these items, my washing machine is singing to me.  That means my clothes are clean.  When I turn my air conditioner on, it also sings to me.
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Back on the train, the transfer station jingle is playing.  I see TV's shoes move.  As I stand up, I see her pointing towards the door.  We shuffle through all the people and make our way over to the doors.  The automated system announces the next station on 3 languages (Korean, Japanese, and English).  The train slows, the doors open and every files out.  The people waiting to get on patiently stand in two lines on either sides until everyone is off.  Then, they file on.*  We walk down several stairs, through the station, and up several more stairs.  We then get on the next train and ride several stops and get off at Woninjae.  We walk through the local park back to our building.  It is 10:30pm and it is packed with kids.  Many are playing basketball on the courts, there are some riding bikes around, some adults are running or walking on the circular path around the park, and other kids are playing on the playground equipment.  As we cross the street, I think about the chicken cart I see on some weeknights when I am coming back from work.  One of these days I should buy some chickens from him.  Two roasted birds for 10,000.  That's a pretty good deal.


*For those who were in Rome with me: people stand in line at bus stops.  They stand in single file and they will extend the line down the sidewalk.  When the bus or train arrives, everyone waits for people to get off, then they get on one-by-one.  That is the system and everyone follows it, neat and orderly.

Rice Krispies Green Tea

Since my arrival in Seoul, my life has been moving on Korean time.  Meaning, all hours nonstop.  That's the thing that is so mind boggling to me.  Time of day apparently holds no importance to Koreans.  Last week, when I was out in Seoul, I saw a couple walking their baby in a stroller.  Sounds completely normal right, well add in the fact that it was 1:30am, and it completely blows your mind!  School kids here go to school from morning until early to mid-afternoon, depending on when they start, then go to hagwons (supplementary schools-I work for an English language hagwon) until 10-11 at night, and then probably get home around 11:30 or midnight, and then do it all over again the next day.  Mind you, these are elementary and middle school kids--mostly the middle school kids.  It is not an uncommon sight to see kids in class at my school drinking coffee drinks in class.  Sleeping in class is also an everyday occurrence.  We are supposed to discourage this activity, but when I heard how these kids live their days, it's really hard for me not to just let them sleep.  Most kids go to several hagwons, since they don't go to a single hagwon everyday (I have 4 classes, I see each class twice a week).  The norm is about 2-3 hagwons.  They have hagwons for various different things: language, music, science, etc. 

My life, on the other hand, has transitioned into an entirely new system.  I now go to work around 2-2:30pm start teaching my first class at 4:30 and finish my last class at 10:30 (I teach 2 classes-yes, each class is 3 hrs. long).  Then we are hurried out of the building promptly by 10:30 and from there most of the teachers go out for drinks and food, so I normally get home around 2am and then wake up around 10 or 11 and start my day over.  However, I only teach 4 days a week and I have Wednesdays off this term-which, according to the other teachers, is the best schedule.  I have to agree, it is quite nice.  Mon, Tues, then Thurs, Fri and no class on the weekends.  So on free day, I can: explore the mountain trail that is apparently a couple blocks from where I live (I've been told there is a temple somewhere near the top), figure out what the difference is between Seoul milk, morning fresh milk, and fresh milk at the Lotte Mart around the corner, or finally find bottled green tea that is plain tea and not brown rice tea.  It's not bad, but when I want something refreshing to drink, I don't normally crave a drink that tastes like rice krispies.  So far, the only way I can be sure that the tea is plain tea, is if I defer to the Japanese brand Itoen. 

Coming soon:  Mind your manners on the Metro; The Elysian fields of electronics; Protein Parties and other tales; Will Kats of Korea ever come to fruition?  All this and more after the break!

Being a Hulu-ist

I am a Hulu-holic.  Yes.  And anyone else who watches too much TV is a pop culture enthusiast should be too.  If I ever meet the people who created this website I will give them my kidneys.  Both of them.  As someone whose tastes in entertainment cross into many varieties of genres, I, naturally, have an unhealthy addiction thriving enthusiasm for this ingenious invention.  For those of you who have yet to discover the Elysian fields of great entertainment, please make your way to hulu.com and prepare for your eyes to be opened.

Thanks to hulu’s expansive and diverse library as well as its uncanny ability to suggest shows I may like based on my viewing history, I have been continuing to expand my television horizons.  Hulu has facilitated in the introduction of such shows as It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, 30 Rock, and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (all fantastic shows in their own respective right).  Had hulu never suggested those shows to me, I’m not sure if my life would be the same.

But the whole point I am trying to make is this: I have continually put my undying faith in hulu’s ability to deliver exactly what would interest me and it has not failed me yet.  Case in point: while I have been dutifully studying Korean, hulu has been quietly amassing a small collection of top notch Korean dramas for its viewers to enjoy.  Yes, you heard me right.  Korean dramas.  This was a key play in securing my loyalty to hulu.  Not being one to pass up an opportunity for cultural enrichment, I began my browsing in earnest.  I selected Secret Garden; a drama described as a “fantasy, romantic comedy.”  Currently three episodes in: while I haven’t exactly figured out where the fantasy part comes from, the “romantic comedy” part is clever enough that I may continue watching.  To be totally honest, I am mainly going to keep watching because Gil Ra Im is basically kind of a bad-ass and Kim Joo Won’s sequined tracksuit is all levels of hilarity.  Intrigued?  Check it out:

As I currently have more downtime than before, I may be able to devote more time to my language learning pursuits, or spending more time at the gym, or becoming an expert in economic stimulation with a focus in retail……..or not.

Keeping busy in Limbo

My remaining days in the United States I’d like to say are numbered, but as I still do not have a definite departure date, I cannot accurately state what that number would be.  What remains to be done? 

1. submit my apostilled FBI Criminal Background Check results to my recruiter
2. receive a visa code
3. attend an interview session with the Korean Consulate in Atlanta
4. receive my visa
5. book a flight

In the meantime…….

My Korean language learning is, well, I guess “progressing” would be the appropriate word.  I’m not really sure how to gauge my progress on Rosetta Stone.  I can tell you that each time I log in, I can see the number of green check marks has increased, but as far as what that means in my retention or comprehension of Korean, I am clueless.  However, I can now identify, in Korean, man, woman, girl, boy, (as well as their plural forms), children, adults, dog, cat, and horse.  I can say if they are eating food or drinking water/coffee/tea/juice or if they are cooking/reading a book/reading a newspaper/swimming/running/walking.  While I still cannot ask a man/woman/girl/boy/cat/horse if they speak English, I can assure my future Korean neighbors that yes, in fact, I am a woman, and this woman is drinking tea.  So fear not!  There will be no confusion as far as what my preference is for my regular fluid intake.

Very recently I have begun using Declan’s ReadWrite Korean! Software.  I can now read, write, and pronounce about 4-5 Hangul characters.  Check out the results of my practice below:

I am pretty sure that compared to any normal Korean’s, my Hangul can be likened to the scrawl of a first-grader’s.  

In other news, this past weekend I did the Katie Ride for Life on Amelia Island.  It was a pretty nice ride.  I conquered the 36-mile course in about 3 hours, give or take a little.  It was pretty sunny, but not terribly hot.  We started around the Fort Clinch area and rode around the park a bit before it took us through Fernandina Beach and down towards Amelia Island Plantation.  It was a bit windy and had little bit of rolling hills going through Fernandina.  However, probably the biggest challenge was the Nassau Sound bridge.  Southbound crossing, there was a constant, fairly strong headwind, which I powered through to the other end only to be told to turn around and go back the other way.  All I’m sayin’s that the stars must have been in an auspicious alignment or something because as soon as I turned around, I noticed that the angle of the wind was blowing in such a way that I was pretty much blown back to the other side of the bridge—piece o’cake.   

Here's a nice aerial shot of the course area.  The infamous bridge is the long one down on the left hand side.  This photo does not show the new bridge, which is the one I actually rode over, but the new one is right next to the one in the photo.  

Part of the course took us through residential areas of Amelia’s golf communities. Most of the local people we’d pass would wave at all the riders.  I saw a lawn care guy in one of the neighborhoods with a Doctor Who license plate on the front of his truck.  I should have given that dude a double thumbs-up, but I rode by too fast.  All said, it was a successful ride.  They had free Firehouse Subs at the end, so it was definitely worth it.  That was one awesome turkey sub.

Annyong haseyo?

Greetings, internet world!  Welcome to the inaugural post of this here web log, or “blog” as the cool kids say.  To be honest, I really only thought of creating this blog as a means of keeping in touch with friends and family so I don’t have to reply to copious amounts of emails from multiple people all asking the same question:  “What have you been doing?”  So, friends and family, if you want an answer to that question, this is where you need to be!      

However, while I was busy figuring out how exactly to set up a blog (forgive me, I am a lowly noob to the blogverse), I also began to see it as a medium for collecting all sorts of things that interest me.  As I am preparing to start living in South Korea, I am anticipating there being a lot of new and exciting experiences in the future. I started listing some things I would be looking forward to: new people, new job, new foods, new culture, new fashion, new environment, etc.  I have always found that when I want to be articulate, writing has always been the easiest way for me to organize my thoughts.  So not only will I use this as means of letting people know that yes, in fact, I am still living and breathing, but also as my outlet for my raves, rants, musings, observations, etc..  So, for now, here is my preliminary plan for life in South Korea: teach, eat, sleep, eat, drink, write, eat, cook, attempt to speak Korean, write, eat some more, and maybe climb some mountains…you know, to balance out the eating.

Let’s begin.  Here’s what I currently know about South Korea:

1. kimchi is good.  If you have never eaten it, try it.  (Publix has it in the produce section)
2. the Korean writing system, Hangul, is phonetic—language gods, kamsahamnida!
3. There is apparently a growing awareness and popularity of Korean pop culture and entertainment sweeping East Asia and may have just now begun landing on Western shores-this is known as the Korean Wave (or Hallyu)
4. K-Pop star, Rain, has an ongoing rivalry with Stephen Colbert.  For reference, see below:

The throwing of the gauntlet:

The showdown:

But, putting aside popstars and vanity--looking ahead, here’s the kind of things I plan on chronicling in my brand spankin' new web log: 

1. my struggle to learn the local language, preferably at least the basics before my departure.  I’ve pulled out the big guns and will be working my way through Rosetta Stone Korean Level 1, gifted to me by my parents (much gratitude and thanks).  I’ll include updates on my progress on that as well as my ongoing progress while in Korea. 

2. my ongoing gastronomy studies. I plan to eat well and eat often…well, maybe not that often… and will attempt to learn Korean cooking as well. 

3. updates from the classroom front.  I’ll talk about my lessons, my school, and my students. 

4. my every-day life.  I’ll probably use this as a catch-all category for anything that does not fall in the ones mentioned above.

I haven’t nailed down a posting schedule yet, so please bear with me.  I may also decide to create a couple special feature entries for those certain things I feel would not be done justice in the “every-day life” category.  I already have 1 special feature in the works that will appear from time to time, mainly for the sakes of sister no. 1 and sister no. 2.  As of now, there is no set premiere date for “Kats of Korea”.  Stay tuned!