Buddha's Birthday; Cheonan Love

Today is Buddha’s birthday, and I have the day off from school. Hence, some spare time to blog.

The next thing I fell in love with is the fact that Cheonan has absolutely NO crime. This is such a nice change from living in Memphis the past few months, where the news is always about murders, shootings, rapings, robberies, etc.. It’s all so disheartening. Since I’ve been here, I haven’t overheard one argument, I haven’t seen a single fight, and I haven’t heard of or seen any violence in the news (what has been huge in the news is how America sold a bunch of sketchy, 30 month old beef to South Korea). The atmosphere in Cheonan is very mellow as far as crime is concerned. Sure, it’s a pretty busy and bustling city, but I’ve never once felt afraid or uncomfortable or unsafe - even late at night. In fact, it's very common here to see kids running around at night, laughing, playing, and cavorting about. I’ve often seen pairs or trios of little boys sauntering down the street, arms linked and eyes bright. Young girls will often do the same. It’s not that they hold hands because they are afraid or feel insecure. They hold hands because they are friends who cherish one another.

What’s also great, and at times strange to my Western eyes, is seeing pairs of grown men strolling down the street with arms linked and holding onto one another, usually for support during a hazy soju journey, but also because they are close friends. In America, I feel our xenophobic and homophobic minds wouldn’t tolerate such companionship. Most would judge instantly and negatively instead of seeing such actions as mature and sincere ways of showing affection.

Whole families are commonly seen together, more so than in the States. A number of times I’ve seen grandparents, grandsons and daughters, fathers and mothers all walking and talking together. The familial bonds seem tighter here, as grandparents often live at home with their children instead of being sent away to retirement homes. These strong family relations can also be noted within teenagers. In the States, a teen often feels awkward, embarrassed or resentful about being in public with his or her folks. I can remember doing my share of grumbling. This doesn’t seem to be true here, from what I’ve observed. It’s common to see lots of teens and their parents or grandparents together, happy and unashamed as they share a meal or ice cream.

Other things I love about South Korea and Cheonan:

Gardens are everywhere. Koreans put their space and land to good use. There are many little plots of land nestled between buildings and parking lots, and instead of letting them be vacant, Koreans have planted gardens. I’m not exactly sure what they are growing in most of these bits of land, but I think it must be some sort of vegetable.

Orange Grapefruit Gatorade - I’m not sure if this drink has hit the States or not, but it’s amazing.

Old ladies hawking loogies with no timidity. I guess it’s not bad etiquette for ladies to clear their throats and spit. I also like how old ladies walk around with these dainty, oftentimes pastel colored umbrellas to shield them from too much sun.

How Cheonan has the perfect blend of city, suburb, and rural atmospheres. Downtown’s full of flare and blinking lights. My neighborhood is quiet and subdued with slow traffic, lots of little shops and restaurants, and numerous bike paths. Hiking trails and access to mountains is only a 15 minute walk away from home.

I love how eager Koreans are to learn and how much they value knowledge and sound information. Many of the Korean teachers at my school speak remarkably good English. I always have to ask them if they’ve lived in the States or Canada. None of the teachers I’ve spoken with have traveled to an English speaking land, let alone live there. So, I have to prod. “Where did you learn English?” They usually reply with, “Oh, in college” or “at the Hagwon.” ( a small, privately owned, academy or institution - oftentimes for furthering English skills ). I find it absolutely incredible how well I am able to communicate with many Koreans. I chatted with my friend Jino the other day about mad cow disease, the war in Iraq, and all sorts of other heavy topics. I never once felt like I had to slow down or simplify my language - he grasped it all just as any native English speaker would.

Korean food. There are over 100 different types of kimchi, and the ones I’ve tried have been delectable. It’s hard to describe the flavor. The most common kimchi ( at least the kind I’ve been served several times ) has a very bold and zesty taste, almost like a salad with lots of Italian dressing, only really spicy. My mouth salivates while eating it. I’ve also had the opportunity to dine out with some Korean friends. I was too afraid to eat out alone since the customs are vastly different from what I’m accustomed. I was also fearful of what and how to order, with my lack of Hangul and all. So a guide was necessary for me.

No, I haven’t tried any squid or octopus just yet, but it’s definitely on the agenda. The tables in Korean restaurants are very low to the ground. You put these little pads on the ground and sit on them Indian style ( my feet go numb after a while, so I always have to stretch out ). There are usually one or two main courses in Korean cuisine, with lots and lots of side dishes. The first time I ate out, Tim and I had strips of pork as our main course. A large platter holding the pork was placed between us. A little bowl of rice was given to both of us as well. The rest of the side dishes were placed all around so one may pick and choose what he likes. Every side dish is fair game; it’s not like there were two of each dish - one for Tim and one for me, but we shared everything. I wasn’t really sure of what some of the side dishes were, but I do remember there being garlic, anchovies, shrimp, kimchi, mackerel, peanuts, soup, potatoes, and probably 7 or 8 more dishes of various vegetables. On another Korean food outing, we sat cross legged underneath a low lying table with a grill in the middle. Strips of beef were placed on the grill, sizzling and sauteeing right before us while we sipped our soju in true Korean fashion.

Kwailchon Plum Juice - I was walking around my neighborhood a week ago or so, and I heard a familiar clicking sound drifting out of a second story window. Pool balls were striking one another. Feeling I was up for some 8 ball, I decided to check it out. The pool hall was above a restaurant, so it smelled like cigarettes and kimchi. There were a dozen pool tables, but only one had pockets for 8 or 9 ball. I forget exactly the name of the game played without pockets, but it’s far more common in Korea than 8 ball, which was fortunate for me - I didn’t have to wait to use the pocketed table since no one was using it. As I played, the owner brought me some complimentary drinks. One said “yogurt” on the side was like a fruit smoothie. The other was a drink poured into a generic cup, so there were no labels to tell me what I was about to drink. I was a little timid about drinking some mystery liquid, so I sipped it slowly. I can say with all sincerity that I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a better tasting juice. I’ve only been here for about 12 days. I probably didn’t even find the pool hall until maybe my 4th day. So in 8 days I’ve consumed about 6 liters of the stuff - and that’s with undergoing serious, willpower bending restraint. I haven’t been back to play pool, but I’ve been back three times to buy a 2 liter bottle of the juice - Kwalichon Plum Juice. I can’t find it anywhere else either, so I’m glad that the pool hall has a steady supply and is only a block away from home. Fortunately, it only costs about 2000 won and the word for juice in Korean is pronounced “juice ah,” so the owner always knows what I want. What’s strange is that it doesn’t taste much like plums, but more like a cross between apple and pear juice. It’s thick and sweet like some divine nectar, and I think I’m going to go through withdrawals when I come home.

And I love my students the most, but I’ll write all about my teaching experiences next time.

Con todo paz y tranquilidad,

patrick