m8888888's Blog

One of the things that I found hilarious, but I really liked in Korea was the fancy toilet seat in my apartment!

It was very futuristic- it looked like it belonged on a spaceship! Some hotels and restaurants had them, too, and I saw a lot in Japan. You could warm up the seat, wash your bum when you were finished going...

Before I went to Korea, I thought Korean food would be pretty much like other Asian food I'd eaten- rice and stirfried veggies, some chicken, some fish, things like that! In any case, I was comletely wrong and unprepared! Korean food is pretty special. Most things are quite spicy, there isn't very much chicken (except for fried chicken, which is quite good, but only once in awhile!), and there is A LOT of fish. I hate spicy food and fish, which rules out...

In Korea, they have something called a "DVD Bang." It's a place where you pick out a DVD, and get a room with a couch to watch the movie with your friends. These are known places where couples (who usually live with their parents until they're married) can go to be alone! But it's fun with a group of friends! It's like going to the movies, but much cozier. You usually get a free drink when you pay, but you can bring in your own snacks...

"Konglish" is what English-speakers in Korea call the funny Korean English that we sometimes get. I think it's great- it would be boring if everyone could speak English, or spoke it perfectly! It gave me incentive to learn some Korean, too!

I worked as an English teacher, and my job would drive me crazy by making tests for the kids in my classes without having me proofread them first. Sometimes the multiple choice questions would have 2 answers, and sometimes none of...

Norebang!

Norebang is Korean for "Singing Room." It's where you go to sing Karaoke. Karaoke is incredibly popular in Korea. You can rent small rooms at the Norebangs by the hour, and go there with your friends. There are thousands of Korean and English (and some Spanish and German and probably...

Spam giftset for Chuseok.

I went to the store one day in Korea, and I was suddenly overwhelmed with all the spam! It hadn't been there just a few days ago, but suddenly there were multiple giftsets featuring Spam, mainly, and tuna and olive oil in lesser amounts. Spam is the canned pork shoulder and ham mixture,...

Koreans seem to have a very large affection for sweet pickles. With almost every meal, you get a side of pickles. Pizza, steak, soup, it doesn't matter- you get pickles. I'm not a fan of them, although I love dill pickles. Kimchi is the other dish that you get with almost every meal, and it is really a symbol of Korea. It's cabbage with spicy sauce that has fermented for awhile. There are other side dishes that you usually get for free when you eat at restaurants- pickled...

This is a topic very close to my heart! Pizza is my favorite food, and it's always fun to test it in different countries!
For the most part, pizza in Korea is the thick-crust kind. There are American chains like Pizza Hut, Papa John's, and Dominos here, although they tend to be a little bit more expensive. There are also Korean chains like Mr. Pizza (motto: "Made for Women." HAHAHA!) and Pizzaro. I think Papa John's is the best of all...

Seoul has lots of shopping options, from expensive to cheap-o. Young people in Seoul seem very concerned with appearances and fashion, so of course there are lots of hip clothes and accessories. All the Korean women in their 20s that I know, and most that I saw on the streets in Seoul, were almost always (what I considered to be) dressed up- high heels (all the time!) and skirts, when I was wearing jeans, tennis shoes, and tshirts. & I'm a girl, so I don't really know where...

Changdeokgung Palace

I went to this palace one afternoon in the fall. It was beautiful seeing all the red and gold foliage, but I can imagine it's beautiful in the winter with snow, and in the summer when everything's green, too! It's a huge place, and you have to take a guided tour. No walking around on...