I have, in the past couple weeks, been involved in nightly escapades. One of the highlights was when I met my former students, Juhee, Min, Jiho, and Jae Sung in Hongdae for dinner. Hongdae was a zoo, partly because we were experiencing beautiful weather that day, and partly because it was Saturday evening. The hordes do not even slightly intimidate me, as I have become rather adept at quick dodges and shoulder movements to avoid possible crashes. This is surely one thing I will miss when I go back home. Moving back to the story, Erica and Teddy joined me for dinner with the friends, as we enjoyed a tantalizing array of kimchi with our galbi. I also had the best kimchi chige that my tastebuds have ever come in contact with. After dinner, they guys took us to a truly exquisite wine bar. I wish the pictures that I took could do it half the justice, but unfortunately they don't. Think Morocco ~ pillows on the floor, candles every where as the source of light, sheer curtains covering entrance ways into the side rooms, golds, purples, deep reds... even writing this now, I want to go back again. The seven of us had our own private area for our wine and cheese tasting. The true highlight was when Teddy thanked the guys for giving me such a positive impression of Korea wh
ile they were in Sacramento ~ an impression which led to my eventual extended vacation in Seoul.
I also went to Caliente
both nights of the weekend, relaxed for several hours at the jim jil bang with Paulina (and did red ginseng masks!), went to a truly scrumptious Indian food buffet (which was followed by my friend Hector getting pulled over for making an illegal turn across four lanes of traffic in Itaewon, but thankfully ended with a firm warning from the police officer to never make that kind of turn again), feasted on incredibly delicious nigiri in Sinchon, and back to the Well-Being Korean Restaurant down the street for
galbi and soju with the team. For Easter, I got an egg, which was nice, because I actually missed my Mom's Easter Egg hunt, a tradition that she continues
to keep even though her children are all over the age of 18.
I have one more week, and I'm seriously going to miss this place.
Tonight, I ate chicken like I've never eaten it before. Teddy brought over two whole chickens from the street vendor near his apartment, and I supplied the beer. The Koreans call it chi-mek [a combination of "chicken" + "mekju" (Korean for beer)]. His mom probably would've been so disappointed, because Erica and I just sat there like little princesses, drinking our beer as Teddy dissected the chickens. Sporadically, he expressed his frustration with his task with choice phrases in Korean. And it was wonderful.
I have, in the past couple weeks, been involved in nightly escapades. One of the highlights was when I met my former students, Juhee, Min, Jiho, and Jae Sung in Hongdae for dinner. Hongdae was a zoo, partly because we were experiencing beautiful weather that day, and partly because it was Saturday evening. The hordes do not even slightly intimidate me, as I have become rather adept at quick dodges and shoulder movements to avoid possible crashes. This is surely one thing I will miss when I go back home. Moving back to the story, Erica and Teddy joined me for dinner with the friends, as we enjoyed a tantalizing array of kimchi with our galbi. I also had the best kimchi chige that my tastebuds have ever come in contact with. After dinner, they guys took us to a truly exquisite wine bar. I wish the pictures that I took could do it half the justice, but unfortunately they don't. Think Morocco ~ pillows on the floor, candles every where as the source of light, sheer curtains covering entrance ways into the side rooms, golds, purples, deep reds... even writing this now, I want to go back again. The seven of us had our own private area for our wine and cheese tasting. The true highlight was when Teddy thanked the guys for giving me such a positive impression of Korea wh
Officially, I'm embarrassed. Since the night of my return to Seoul on the second of April, my life has literally been non-stop and I have had neither the time nor the energy to get down to blogging. A couple brief notes about the photos... Last Wednesday, I gathered with a group of former students from Seo Il University. I had to take the subway for an hour to get over there, at which point I was met by Duck, who escorted me to a restaurant where the rest of them were all waiting for me. The blood rushed to my face as I struggled to wrap my mind around the fact that four months ago I had been in a classroom with all of those people, laughing and learning about American culture, and then there I was in Seoul with them eating sam gyap sal and drinking soju. Indescribable. Last Friday, I went with Teddy, whom I met through my lovely friend and partner in crime, Paulina, to his university. First we went to his English class, followed by a four hour break, during which time we had nigiri with Teddy's friend TaeJoo and then sat for a couple hours in the sun, eating popsicles, drinking tea, watching a soccer game. It felt like I was in a receiving line because Teddy's juniors would pass by with a wave and a bow, and I returned their greeting. Caliente was incredible on Saturday. The cherry blossoms are in full bloom, and starting to fall like light little snowflakes, except the weather is warm and beautiful. 
