This is Usually Savory..Hmmm...

Upon entering a restaurant I said, "Awesome!  This place has garlic bread!!  I've gotta have some of this!"  A little while later I found out that the bread tasted like garlic and butter, but also sweet (this is slightly disappointing when you are expecting salty and the taste of home.)  Every time I have had garlic bread it has had honey or some sort of sugar on it.  It tastes delicious but not quite what I'm looking forward to.

This has occurred with other food as well. Pizza for example. The first time I ordered a vegetable pizza I found out it had corn on it.  Yes.  Corn.  I was open to trying it and thought it was quite delicious. Due to the fiber in corn, I bet it helps with digesting the pizza. I think it's a great idea!

Another interesting experience has been putting honey on pizza.  Yep, not what I was expecting for a dipping sauce either.  I notice honey usually accompanies Gorgonzola cheese pizza.  This pizza doesn't have much sauce on it. I have had this pizza a few times with honey on the side.  The honey was quite tasty and it is growing on me.  I have drawn this conclusion.  Food that is usually salty or savory at home will be slightly sweet in Korea.  :)

Heated Floors...Soooo Nice!

Heated floors is something that I mentioned in an earlier blog.  Here in Korea, I find that most floors, where you are expected to take your shoes off, are heated.  This includes houses, locker rooms, jjimjilbangs, restaurants, meeting rooms, and others. These floors usually have the appearance of wood, without being real wood.  I don't believe I have seen floors with carpet.  I have seen rugs but that's it.  This makes for easy cleaning and a cleaner location over time.  Heated floors is extremely nice during these winter months.  To feel the warmth on the bottom of your feet is a great feeling after you come in from the cold. This is a picture of just one example.  They use many different methods.

 

Winter Music Festival

Recently I went with a friend to a flute orchestra.  There were other instruments like violin, trombone, and french horn; however, the majority of the members played the flute.  A coworker of mine was playing in it and I thought it would be a great experience.  I was right!  It was a wonderful concert!  The auditorium was beautiful, however, walking in made me feel instantly like I was going to watch one of my sister's concerts.  I felt closer to her by being there and watching the performance.
They played some new and some familiar pieces of music.  I greatly enjoyed my time and it was quite relaxing.  During one song, a woman stood in front of the rest of the orchestra participants. She played a beautiful solo; I was very impressed. A little while later I found out that this performer as in middle school!  Also, for a few songs a woman, dressed in a traditional dress called a hanbok, played a Korean instrument.  Here are some pictures to illustrate my experience.

SNOW in Korea and Umbrellas?

 It was quite an interesting thing to see.  People were using umbrellas to protect themselves from the wet, fluffy snow and wind.

 I think it is a creative and smart idea, but definitely not what I am used to seeing!

Shabu Shabu!! An Amazing Meal!

This meal is very popular in Korea.  It can be eaten with or without meat.  I visited this restaurant a couple times.  You walk in the door and see this gigantic Buddha figure.  The first time, it definitely caught me off guard.

Depending on the restaurant the meal can be eaten by sitting at a short table on the floor or at a table with chairs.  The tables have a hole in the center where stove and cooking pot are placed.  There is a switch with controls to change the flame intensity. 

This meal includes 3 courses.  First, you are served a vegetable broth.  Then you turn on the flame and begin heating it.  You add many different types of vegetables and wait till they soften.

You can add kimchi or other side dish choices to your individual bowl or to the large pot.

The 1st course is vegetable soup.  It is very delicious and it is up to the individual to decide the level of spice.   No spice to as much spice as you want.

For the 2nd course you add noodles and meat if you so choose.  You wait till this cooks and then enjoy!  Once you have finished the 2nd course, you remove everything except a small amount of broth.  If there are leftover vegetables or noodles they can be eaten or removed.  The 3rd course is made by adding the bowl of rice, vegetables, and the egg to the hot pot.  You stir all of the ingredients together with the remaining broth.  Wait a couple minutes and you end up with a delicious rice porridge.  The porridge is a delicious combination of many ingredients!   

This is one of my favorite meals in Korea!!!  I love making the broth somewhat spicy by adding kimchi!!!  It is a filling and delicious meal!!

Bowling!!!

Very similar to bowling in America....just some slight differences.

 This guy decided to photo bomb my picture lol

 Instead entering names, you are just a letter-number combination

 Handy nail clippers, band aids and other useful items!

You choose your shoe size and take your own from the shelf

"Jesus is the Reason for the Season" Talent Show

At the end of last term, my language institute had a Christmas concert focused on Jesus.  We asked students to participate through singing or playing musical instruments.  For many students it was the first time they would try to play English Christmas songs.  It was a challenge for some of them due to the language barrier.  3 of my students wanted to participate and the only song they knew from our list of Christmas selections was "Silent Night."  They had a lot of learning to do in terms of language and playing instruments!  They managed to do a good job though!.
Many teachers participated as well.  I was the presenter or MC for the evening.  Students and people from the city came to watch and we provided refreshments during the show.  We kept the focus as "Jesus is the Reason for the Season."

Here are some of the performances.

At the end of the show we gave each student a gift for participating and doing such an excellent job!  The whole night was wonderful!