I'm stuffed!

I had the weekend of appointments involving food this weekend. It was fantastic. Actually, not only did they involve food, but also my students from the Academy that I teach at.

Saturday I met with some friends downtown to have brunch at a restaurant called Sujis. It was pretty good western breakfast, although western food always comes with a high cost here. It was worth it though.

After that I was on my way back home to meet up with some of my old middle school students from last semester. I told them that I would take them out to Pizza Hut for dinner and hang out with them for a bit. I've come to the conclusion that even though I'm not at home and youth leading myself to the max, I can't seem to stop being a youth leader here in Korea. This time it's just without the backing of the church. Then again I guess you could say that the church is wherever Jesus is. And he's definitely here. I guess it's just part of who I am and what I really love doing.

Anyway, after eating some pizza and chillin with some giggly excited 14 year old girls, we walked for a bit and caught a cab toward my house. The girls said that they had a "surprise" for me. Turned out they had planned to buy me ice cream at Baskin Robbins. They were super excited about it and it was super cute. They bought a huge tub of ice cream and we walked back to my apartment. One of the girls grabbed a blanket, put it on the floor and we sort of "picnic'ed" in my apartment while listening to Korean pop music, eating ice cream, and reading my "western" magazines. It was super fun and totally high school. They also noticed that I had a flat iron in my apartment, so that meant I was straightening hair all round. Overall, it was a lot of fun. I think that kids definitely bring out the best in me and remind me not to take myself too seriously.

Sunday was yet another food related appointment with students. On Friday night I was walking home from the Bath House and I ran into two of my younger students, Angie and Leon (pics are in student pic area) who were having dinner with their family at a Chicken house that is on the first floor of my building. The kids came running down the street yelling "TEACHER!" when they realized it was me. I was pretty tired (it was about 1am and yes, kids are definitely still awake and out at that hour), so I didn't really realize what was happening at first. Anyway, the whole family was there and they invited me to sit down and have a drink and some chicken with them. So I did. Before our hour long meeting, introducing, and attempts at translating (the parents don't speak any English, only the kids speak a little), they had invited me to their house for dinner on Sunday night.

The kids came to pick me up from my apartment and walked me to their house. They didn't come alone though, they brought half the neighbourhood. Friends, neighbours, cousins, all came to check out my apartment (they're always interested to see where and how I live...turns out it's just like them;)). I've heard that Korean women can typically cook up a storm. The rumors are true. I was fed SO much food and it was fantastic. I can't even tell you what it's all called because some of it I'd never had before. We did have something called Chap che which is beef and clear noodles and we also had Bulgogi (beef), with rice and a million side dishes (in typical Korean fashion).

Anyway it was incredible, great food, awesome people. I had a great weekend. I didn't get to see much of my Canadian friends though, which is ok, because typically when I get an opportunity to spend time with Korean people, particularly a Korean family, I generally jump at the chance. I figure it's a great opportunity to experience a more realistic Korea. I guess I'm just as interested in what 'their houses look like and how they life' as they are in mine.

We all want to learn more about what we don't know I guess. But, it typically turns out that we're all the same underneath.