How Koreans Tie the Knot: White dresses, Hanboks and Big “Bali Bali” Buffets

Dear all the missus-es:

The cherry blossoms are in bloom, I heard birds this morning for the first time in months and I no longer need to turn my heat on... Springtime FINALLY seems to have arrived. And with it? A whole slew of weddings in Korea.  In fact, I’ve been invited to a few already! Even though I attended a Korean wedding in the fall, I only got to experience the post-ceremony wedding photos and the buffet lunch afterwards. This past Saturday though, I got to see my first Korean wedding ceremony. I had a vague idea of what to expect beforehand, but now that I’ve been to two weddings, I thought I’d share with you how Koreans tie the knot!

The first wedding I went to in the fall was for a bride and groom that I did not know – I only knew the bride’s aunt (and her aunt’s family) - the family with whom I did my Home Stay program with in October. They were so kind to invite me along so that I could experience a Korean wedding.  

The wedding this past Saturday however, was for a bride who I know quite well – a Korean English teacher who works at the same school as me. Noori was absolutely gorgeous in her white and sequined strapless gown. When guests arrive at a Korean wedding, they greet the bride and may take a photo with her, so I went to say hello and congratulate her. Just for this day, I learned how to say “You look beautiful!” – “Nomu ye-bo-yo!”

Noori walking down the aisle and laughing at me taking a picture of her! SO beautiful!

The ceremony began at 2pm and I said hello to a group of teachers from my school and a bench full of high school students invited by Noori.  By a wonderful coincidence, I happened to sit down next to a Korean teacher who teaches English and speaks very fluently – with an interesting mix of a British, American and Australian accent.  Even though it was all in Korean, she gave me a play-by-play update of the wedding ceremony. Being a Protestant ceremony, it was 40 minutes, a little longer than I am used to, but I noticed that the ceremony is almost identical to Western-style ceremonies with a priest. The father walking the daughter down the aisle, the bible scripture, the vows... however, one different thing was that the mothers wore their hanboks and sat at the front as witnesses.

They also did the traditional “cutting of the wedding cake” right in front of everyone after the signing of their names. To end off the ceremony, there were two musical performances: a couple sang a serenade for them and then... *drumroll* Noori’s homeroom class performed a k-pop love song medley with dance moves. It was such a sweet thing for them to do and I know they rehearsed a lot. The bride was definitely tearing up by the end!

Following the ceremony, there was a photo-taking session with anyone who wanted to be in pictures with the bride and groom. I can’t even fathom a guess at how many photos they must have been in. Weddings (W) = a time for lots of pictures AND Koreans (K) love taking photos; therefore, according to my basic mathematical skills and the following formula whereW(P) + K(P) =  X, X must be a very large number of photos (P)!

Most guests, including me, went downstairs to the buffet hall at 3pm to get lunch. In order to enter, you must present a buffet ticket, which you essentially “buy” beforehand. Instead of wedding presents, in Korea, you give an envelope with money that is really like paying for your meal.  In my opinion, it’s not very personal and not as kind of a gesture as the gift-giving at western weddings and wedding showers, but I suppose it must really help the families afford the wedding. The minimum amount people give is usually 25,000 won (under $25), but if you know the families better, then upwards of $50 or even $100 per person is given. It was worth it though! It was a massive buffet with food ranging from Korean to Japanese to Italian to American-style pizza and steak. I finally tried the sweet Korean rice drink and it was very tasty – why did I wait so long to try it? I think I ate enough for 2 or 3 meals, but I don’t care! I skipped dinner later because I was still so full!  During the buffet, similar to at a western-style dinner reception, there were a couple of speeches (although it lasted only about 2 minutes at each of the Korean weddings I attended) and then the bride and groom walk around the tables to greet and thank everybody. The difference though, is that they change from their western-style dress and wear traditional Korean hanboks. Here is a picture of me with the bride and groom in their hanboks!

So, you ask, was there music and dancing all night long? Unfortunately... no. Koreans seem to have a “bali bali” (meaning go-go-go/rush all-the-time) lifestyle that doesn’t even take a hiatus or siesta for such an important event as a wedding. Like a conveyor belt, the wedding halls pump out multiple weddings and buffet lunches per day, so by 5pm, within 2 hours of the ceremony ending, everyone had left the buffet hall and was on their merry way, their cameras and bellies equally full.

In terms of other similarities and differences, I also learned that most Koreans take honeymoons, just like many western newlyweds. Additionally, the night of their wedding, they generally go to a hotel and the following day they officially move into a new home together, which they spend the months before preparing and decorating.  Traditionally, it is the groom’s family who pays for the house or begins the payment, whereas the bride’s family prepares the interior of the house, decorating and buying all the appliances and furniture.  Before the wedding, there are also some differences. Bridal showers are generally nonexistent, however often there are get-togethers of some sort, and I believe they are slowly becoming more common.  And don’t even think about bachelorette or bachelor parties – I’ve asked several Koreans, and these are even rarer. Perhaps the risqué side to this culturally western tradition, especially as portrayed in movies, is what has inhibited its popularity.  I would sure bet the movie, “The Hangover” didn’t do well to encourage this aspect of western culture in Korea!

So, the verdict on which style of wedding I prefer? Despite having delicious food and an entertaining ceremony, Korean weddings just aren’t quite as fun as Western-style ones.  To me, a wedding just doesn’t seem like a wedding if you don’t have the big reception. Bring on the music, dancing, drinking and friends, am I right? Isn’t it supposed to be the biggest party of your life? 

Korean Bangs (“bongs”) – Rooms with a twist!

Dear Korean bang (“bong”):

It has been my pleasure to visit you on several occasions, and a variety of you too, at that. You’ve provided me with everything from belting out karaoke tunes to bathing with naked Korean women in hot, relaxing ginseng baths to playing video games with an unlimited supply of ice-cream. What more do I need from life? 

Sure, you sound regular - “Bang” translated is simply “room”. But you’re more than that. You’re a room with a twist.

Korea is home to a multitude of types of “bangs”: Jimjilbangs, game-bangs, PC-, norebangs, DVD-bangs, multi-bangs and so on.

Here’s a rough guide, because seriously “Bangs”, you confuse us foreigners.

1)      Jimjilbang: These are public bath houses where you ... *take a deep breath and just accept it*  are naked.  You separate the men and women of course, but this culture is just so different from many western cultures that it can take some getting used to. However, soon us foreigners become experts, strutting around in our birthday suits like we were born here too. Jimjilbangs are full of a variety of saunas, baths of differing temperatures and differing minerals (such as ginseng), mineral stone beds and aromatherapy rooms. It is definitely invigorating to go between the hot and cold baths. Massages are also available for extra money, as are other spa services. Despite being nervous the first time because I’ve never experienced a culture so comfortable with being naked in front of people of the same-sex, I wasn’t scared off completely by it. Nobody was gawking at me as I walked in, as I had feared they would. Everybody just went about their own business, enjoying the baths. Many Koreans actually don’t shave the nether-regions, so us foreigners really don’t need to feel embarrassed by anything! A lot of the women actually used the time to socialize with the friends they came with whilst bathing, which seemed a tad odd at first, but it’s all part of the culture and what they’re used to. I believe there are some jimjilbangs that cost as little as 6,000 won, but I’ve only been to the one in Yongsan, in Seoul (one of the most famous jimjilbangs – it actually reminded me of Vegas with its eccentric decor) and it cost about 12,000 won. This is still a steal though, if you think about it, especially if you choose to sleep there overnight! Just be warned, maybe bring an extra pillow or blanket because sometimes what they provide isn’t comfy enough to get a decent sleep. I’ve been twice so far to you and I’ll definitely come back!

2)      Game-bang: These have private rooms, often separated with a curtain, where you can play video games and/or board games. I’ve been to two different wii-bangs in Bupyeong on Culture street (about 4 times total!) as well as a PS3-bang once in Bupyeong, where I played FIFA. I’ve also tried one with only board games in Seoul that was not as much fun, simply because there wasn’t a good selection of games in English. Game-bangs often provide customers with a free drink or sometimes unlimited drinks and snacks, depending where you go.  They cost anywhere from 3,000-10,000 won (with most I’ve seen being around 4,000 won) and that usually covers 1, 1 and a half, or 2 hours of playing time. Great for a chill night with friends!

3)      PC-bang: I’ve tried a PC bang once, but just like I had been warned, it was a little smokey and dark, and not the type of place I wanted to spend a lot of time.  These are not what you want if you’re looking for a “cute” internet cafe. The computers were very nice though and the internet was much faster than the 3G on my phone! And it was quite cheap – 1,000 or 2,000 for an hour, which passes by fast when there are no windows or clocks (casino vibe perhaps?) It was full of Korean boys and men either hardcore-gaming around the clock or surfing the internet, laughing loudly at their screens in annoying outbursts. Will I go back to you, PC-bang? Probably not... unless my laptop decides to quit on me *knock on wood*!

4)      DVD-bang: The name is self-explanatory – come here to watch a dvd in a little private room, often equipped with a couch and pillows or sometimes even a bed. It cost around 12,000 won for the one I went to (so 6,000 each if you go with 1 other person). These are notoriously known for being a place young Korean people go with their boyfriends/girlfriends for “alone time” (because of strict cultural taboos in unmarried couples). Not sure how much of the movies they actually watch...! I HAD to check it out once because of my undying cultural curiosity. The English movie selection was just ok, slightly lacking, but I settled on a horror film and got comfy! However, it was slightly disturbing to see a garbage can with a box of tissues beside it... erm.

5)      Norebang: Pronounced “no-ray-bong”, this is probably the most entertaining and the most popular of all the “bangs”. Translated literally, it means “singing room”, which you know better as “karaoke”.  They are literally everywhere. Koreans are CRAZY about norebang and it is one of their most common night pastimes. An average night out involves dinner out and/or a hof-style bar, other bars or a club where Koreans get mighty drunk off of soju, followed by a singing session at a norebang. The rooms are private and soundproofed, so no need to be embarrassed in public – only in front of your friends (or co-workers, if your school tends to invite you along, as is pretty common in Korean schools). They range in cost, often 5,000-15,000 won per hour, depending on how classy the place is. Sometimes they give you complimentary snacks or a drink too. My warning? Don’t go if you have a headache – the booming karaoke can be a lot when you have a room full of drunk people singing! You are definitely worth a visit (or a lot of visits!) while in Korea!

6)      Multi-bang: Just like it sounds, this type of “bang” has multiple things to keep you busy. I also had unlimited drinks and snacks with my friends – even ice-cream! I visited you in Daejeon and although my friends and I only used the wii, you also had board games, dvds and karaoke. No hot baths though. Sheesh. Way to fail on being 100% multi-bang! :p

Anyway, I’m off to my own “bang” – bedtime for me! Thanks for all the memories. Until next time, “Bang”,

Yours truly,

~Leana

North Korea? Who? – A Normal Waygook-ing Wednesday

Dear family and friends back home:

Thank you for being so concerned and checking up on me the past couple of weeks :) But pleeeaaaase, don’t panic! The South Koreans certainly aren’t! Life is going on normally. The streets of Seoul are still bustling with Koreans and tourists and DMZ tours at the SK-NK border are still being scheduled. The stop light on my way to school still turns to the walk signal at precisely 8:15am, the ajumma on my street is still selling her delicious-smelling fish-shaped red bean cakes and the Paris Baguette owner still chimes in with a friendly “An-nyong-ha-se-yo!” when I walk in. And of course, I haven’t abandoned the school full of students. English classes are going on as normal. This week’s Conversation & Culture class? Konglish in Korea: The incorrect, bizarre and funny.  

Yet, staying informed is always important in my books, so now my daily routine involves a look at the latest news online. I try to mix it up – look at the Korean news, the BBC, American news, CBC… The differences in how the portray the situation can be quite amusing. Here’s a sampling – a video from US media today that discusses how NK has officially shut down the industrial park that links the two Koreas economically at the border: 

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50144533n

While it does seem like it is a little more serious than it has been in the past, the Koreans I talk to are still not worrying, especially the Koreans in their 20’s and up who have lived through these NK threats countless times as part of a plan to "intimidate" the south.  Some younger ones, such as the first year high school students (about grade 10) that I teach, are less "blasé" about it though because they are younger and haven't lived to see all the threats in the past half century.  This past week, when asking them if they felt worried at all, some said not at all, some said they don’t follow the news and some said they feel just a little worried because it seems a little more serious than in the past.

As in the past, NK is making a variety of threats – verbal throw-up and insults, threats to test missiles, threats to end economic ties, threats to launch nuclear missiles… It is all because they want the UN to lift sanctions and because they want monetary aid from the international community - most people don't believe they would actually wage full-out war.  This latest morsel of news (that was quite blown up and sensationalized by the international community yesterday) is that NK has warned foreigners to leave SK because it is unsafe, threatening that a war could begin as early as… today? The most plausible reason behind this is the economic downfall that would transpire from such a collapse of the tourism industry and expat working community.  Of course NK doesn’t care about the foreigners – they want economic aid from SK and other countries. Here is an article from CBC about this: 

North Korea urges foreigners to leave South Korea

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/04/09/north-korea-warning-evacuation-tensions.html

Part of the logic in the “lack of panic” in SK is that South Koreans know North Korea won't use a nuclear weapon on South Korea because that would also greatly affect North Korea (being neighbours) - if they do any small attacks (IF), it would probably be smaller scale and at the American military base. In that case, I would not be affected and could quickly head south if need be (from Incheon there are buses and whatnot, so you wouldn't even need to go through Seoul). If anyone has to worry, it's the USA (and southern Canada) in my opinion. If NK uses their nuclear weapons it would most likely be against the US... If this is naïve, I welcome any and all comments – like I said, I’m trying to stay informed, so if you have other opinions, I’d love to hear them!

And yea, the media sensationalizes things a lot... but yes, I am thinking about it, watching/reading the news every day and staying informed. 

I don't want you to worry about me (I know, easier said than done), but maybe if you watch this video, your mind will be a little more at ease J :

High Tensions on the Korean Peninsula:

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2013/s3727471.htm

On a final note, you may find this interesting to contrast the two Koreas and put them into perspective:  

Taken from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/datablog/2013/apr/08/south-korea-v-north-korea-compared

Just another day - Happy Hump Day!

~Leana

Dear Buheung High School:

I’ve survived my first month of the new school year with you! It may seem odd to westerners how the students enter a new grade at the beginning of March, instead of September, but I suppose it does make a lot of sense since 2013 is still fresh and February was the Lunar New Year.

Walking into you (*the school – haha this letter-writing perspective can make for a bizarre read*) that first week back and seeing all the new first year high schoolers (like grade 10s in Canada) gasping in awe and excitedly running up to me to say hello to the “waygook” teacher is nothing short of amusing. I felt like a celebrity all over again. Want to feel beautiful? Want a pick-me up? I walk through your halls and will receive everything from low bows, to cheerful waves and grins, gifts of Korean candies and endless compliments about how beautiful my hair, skin, eyes and even nose are! One boy bowed so low the other day that he almost fell over. And one other boy came right up to my face, his eyes staring deep into mine and used what little English he knows… “Woowww, Teacher, beautiful eyes”.  

Despite having been here for 6 months (halfway mark in Korea!!) at the beginning of this new school year and having already become comfortable at my school, there have been many changes that have made 2013 new and exciting. I’m now teaching an Extensive Reading class for second years. I was skeptical at first about it (why have a native English teacher teach reading, not speaking, when a Korean teacher can do it well?), then excited (about the opportunity of making changes in the reading material to include things other than boring and tedious graded readers), then brought back down again when the realities of the Korean testing system made me realize it may be impossible for me to do everything I want to do in this class… It has been an interesting journey and learning curve. Needless to say, I am enjoying it more than I expected and many of the students, especially the girls’ classes, have impressed me. But, ah, the other teachers assure me nervously that “their English is very low… lower than in other high schools… what do you think?”  I think they need to read authentic English. I think they need to be exposed to English that will actually make them interested in English. I think they need to enjoy it. How else will they even want to put any effort in? I showed them a variety of places they can find and read English: some blogs, social-networking sites, funny English signs, ads, menus and t-shirts, horoscopes, newspapers, personal/love ads, song lyrics, gamebooks, comics, magazines… the list goes on! And I definitely succeeded in hooking a lot of them! Then of course I hear the bomb AFTER being told I can use these other “authentic” and “fun” materials. The graded readers are easier (in terms of vocabulary), easier for assessment and seem to be of a more “elite” status in preparing them for the notorious Korean exams. I may be slightly bitter about it, but I’m determined to find a way to slip some of this into the curriculum whenever possible. Rawwr! I shall!

In addition to this change, I’ve also been teaching 2 after-school first-year Conversation & Culture classes. These kids make me excited to teach them. Their personalities, participation and enthusiasm, despite being a low level in English make me want to try hard for them. My Conversation & Culture classes with the second years are much different. I know all the students already, so we’ve already got a connection going and they understand how I teach. This year they are making country teams/groups and even more than ever, I’m infusing culture and global education into my curriculum.  No textbook for my class – no problem! I think I actually prefer creating everything from scratch and challenging myself to meet their needs, what I think they should learn and what they want to learn. There are always challenges with the apathetic students, the sleepers and the talkers in these classes (I’ll post you a letter about this later), but I feel like they’ve improved immensely since last year. Or maybe I’m also improving too? :p I’d like to hope so! My student mentoring classes are also very rewarding. These students are more advanced in English compared to the rest of their grade and they’ve been picked by their homeroom teachers to join my class for an extra challenge and to cater to them more.  I have the 15 of us sit in a circle around some desks and we have an intimate, comfortable space. I find these classes allow me to experiment with my teaching methods and activities and have made me realize what I wish education in schools would become. This new school year has been busier, but somehow I also feel happier. I feel more invested and more connected to you and your students. They’ve become MY students too.

What makes teaching here at your school so interesting is the variety of classes that I teach. I get to teach adults too: Two English Teachers’ classes, a Non-English Teachers’ class and a Parents’ class. In this latter one, there were 8 moms that came to this week’s class and all are at different levels (which makes it difficult), but we have a nice, comfortable conversation class and laugh a lot! Each week, one person brings a snack for everyone and I provide the tea/coffee!

I’ve wanted to post about my teaching experiences for quite some time now. I’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. I’ve learned a lot about the Korean education system from being with you, Buheung. And there’s still a lot I have yet to learn. I’ll “mail” you some more letters soon.

TGIF!

Signing off,

~Leana

My Awesome List of 25

Dear February 25th:

Why have you and your past month been so cold? And how do you manage to be the shortest month but feel the longest? Today is the 25^th day of “you” and despite being the day my bills are due and being a Monday, I still consider myself really lucky and to have lots to be happy about. I think that every once in a while it’s important to think of everything that is awesome in life. So, in no particular order, here is a list of 25 reasons I am happy as of the 25^th day of you (aka the month)!

1.       This weekend is a holiday, so I get a long weekend – Korean Independence Day is on Friday, March 1^st.

2.       I discovered 2 wii game rooms in Bupyeong – Went three times in 1 week... becoming obsessed? Maybe...

3.       I saw Stars (a band all the way from Montreal) in concert on Friday in Seoul.

4.       Strawberries are now in season (and therefore a LOT cheaper) in Korea.

5.       “Invented” an awesome grilled breakfast sandwich this past week (avocado, hummus, easy over fried egg, tomato, salt and pepper, cheddar cheese and honey mustard on nice grainy bread and grilled on the pan. Yum!)

6.       Last week I visited an international school in Songdo on a business leave day. Had an amazing time and discovered I may want to work in an international school one day.

7.       I met one of my new co-teachers (who is awesome) who I’ll be planning/teaching Intensive Reading with to 2^nd year high school students (grade 11) this new semester. Not sure how I feel about the class yet... but this is my “happy list” lol....

8.       I get to meet my other new co-teacher really soon.

9.       I get to keep my office! They were so close to getting me to join the large shared office with cubicles.

10.   I’m just approaching the 6 month (and half-way mark) in Korea. It has been amazing and I can’t wait to see what the next 6 months bring!

11.   My “Incheon family” is awesome XD

12.   I’ve been deskwarming at work and having a pretty relaxed past week! And still a few days left of it.

13.    I’ve been getting better at Words with Friends. I was sooo bad at the beginning :p

14.   I’ve been playing Sims on an app for my phone. Aww yea, nostalgia.

15.   It’s been above 0 degrees the past couple days and it looks like it won’t be dipping low soon. Spring, here we come!

16.   I found an Indian-Nepalese restaurant only a few minute walk from my place in Bupyeong. It’s super tasty, has good portions for the price and is hidden away in the back streets – it’s so hard to find good Indian food here!

17.   Similarly, less than a minute walk out my back entrance to my apartment building, there’s a hidden little halal and Indian food grocer with lots of sauces, spices and ingredients hard to buy in Korean supermarkets. Can’t believe I just discovered it yesterday :O

18.   I’m getting back into my exercise routine/keeping up with exercise again at home. And I’ve been going to the gym every Saturday too.

19.   The past 2 weeks I’ve gotten to talk and skype with a ton of friends and family that I haven’t talked to in a while.

20.   Not going to lie, I’m pretty happy that I’ve been blogging and not forgetting or procrastinating.

21.   My Korean seems to be improving and I’ve recently gotten another kick of motivation to keep studying Korean.

22.   I may get to organize and meet up with a group of other expats here who also want to speak/keep up/practice their French too.

23.   I’ve found some Korean cooking classes that I’m going to try out soon (finally!)

24.   The new How I Met Your Mother episodes have been sooooo good. Can’t wait for the next one!

25.   And last but definitely not least, and in the words of the famous, omnipresent Barney Stinson... “I’m awesome”.  And I know that the next 6 months will be just as “legendary”. 

Signed,

L.

Many a night out in Hongdae

Dear Seoulites:

While I’ve had many a night out in Hongdae in Seoul, it never ceases to surprise me the weird things I see and how many new places my friends and I find.  I’ll take you on a little tour of what I’ve seen and done so far in this bustling and popular district that truly is the nightlife soul of Seoul.

Stepping out of the exit 9 at Hongik station (of course, after a good 5 minutes of being herded out like a sheep and losing all sense of personal space), you seriously don’t know where to look. Street food all around you, bright lights, throngs of people heading to restaurants and bars, exciting stores lining the streets...

One thing I noticed right away was the abundance of Ho bars. I think any Seoulite who has even been to Hongdae once would agree. Sure, I thought it was excessive in Bupyeong with its tripartite collection of Ho Bars: Ho bar I, Ho Bar II and Ho Bar III... but so far my friends and I have seen all the way up to Ho Bar XII. Can’t count that high in roman numerals? It’s 12. Twelve Ho Bars. They’re all quite similar with their wooden floors, walls, stairs, tables and their disco lights on a little dance floor and their hof-style service where they prefer you to order food when you order drinks.

When it was warmer out in September and October, the music park became a magnet for us and our near-empty wallets, tempting us with its vibrant musical atmosphere and “do-it-yourself outdoor-bar”, made possible by cheap convenience store drinks. Most popular convenience store drinks? Most definitely Cass and Soju cocktails, with OJ and Aloe juice being the most popular mixes. So far I’ve seen traditional Korean dance and drumming, Korean rappers, indie bands, and buskers/street performers.

Walking away from the music park and venturing even further from Hongik station, there are *gasp!* more bars and clubs that are worth a try. So far the ones that I’ve tried and haven’t forgotten (for good reasons, I swear :p) are Exit, Shamrock n’ Roll and GoGos. Each caters to a very different crowd, but hey, if you can’t quite decide what your mood is, do all three in one night – I did! Exit is a grungy, garage-looking hole in the wall with a DJ that rocked it one time I was there and epicly failed on another occasion. The drinks are good and the complimentary chips and snacks are a bonus. If you like to dance all night in a crowd in a laidback atmosphere and you don’t care for something fancy, it’s a good choice. Switching gears, Shamrock n’ Roll is your typical Irish pub, complete with a large bar, lots of Irish decorations, plenty of seating and tables, decent music, a pool table and a nice balcony to watch the drunk people walking below. There are lots of beers and even lots of great cocktails – unfortunately it’s a little expensive if you aren’t drinking beer, especially compared to Club GS, AKA a convenience store. A short walk across the street brings you to the third place, GoGos, a club with a few floors. I can’t remember if I was at GoGos or GoGos 2 (they seriously like sequels in Korea when it comes to bars and clubs!) This place was extremely packed, had loud music, a few bars, plenty of dance floor and was essentially what I was looking for: a club to dance my face off! There were two main dance floors. The top floor was dance and top-40 music and the basement was a lot of indie-dance, electronic and rock-dance. We stayed here the majority of the time because the music was familiar and more our style. There wasn’t any seating available because it was crowded and I lost my sweater (it turned up after 2 hours thankfully though!) but other than that, I have no complaints!

For the musical Seoulites, you don’t have to just settle on the music park to get your fix. Hongdae plays host for many concerts, shows and even music festivals. I’ve been to two music festivals so far and had an amazing time. For both, you paid one fee (I think they were about 10,000 and 20,000) and was allowed to venture into a bunch of different venues in the Hongdae area. Each venue had a different type of music so you can pick and choose! I actually discovered that the lead singer of one band I saw, the Rock Tigers, is actually the sister of one of the teachers at my school. Apparently the Rock Tigers are fairly well known in the underground music scene in Korea!

 For the shopping Seoulite, Hongdae also provides. I was exploring solo one evening and realized that I could literally spend hours perusing all the little clothing and accessory shops lining the streets. It’s the smaller side streets where you find the independent shops and lots of both popular trends as well as alternative looks. On the bigger streets I seemed to notice bigger brand name stores as well as chain restaurants.  And hiding down a little alley walking along one of these streets I discovered a little Hello Kitty Cafe! Can’t wait to check that out sometime J

Many expats hang out in Hongdae, but despite this, it is still quite “Korean”, with the majority of restaurants being Korean and not all “touristy” with souvenir shops everywhere, unlike Itaewon, the international hub of Seoul. It is still very possible to find international food though, and most trips to Seoul (including Hongdae) usually end up with us expats satisfying our international cravings. So far in Hongdae I’ve eaten Indian curry, a burger, chicken salad (except with dried squid “croutons?” ew...!), Middle Eastern (a very tasty schwarma), Vietnamese (steak pho noodles) and bubble tea (that was where I had my first Korean one since being in Taiwan. Doesn’t quite live up to Taiwanese bubble tea, but still very tasty!)

Last weekend, I became very “Korean”... Being a Soulite, you also know that many Koreans are camera-crazy. With a group of my expat friends, we went to the Trick-Eye Museum and went camera-crazy too. For 13,000 won, we spent just over an hour going through and taking funny pictures. The museum is smack-full of paintings, portraits and scenes that fool the eye. The idea is to take pictures with the backgrounds/scenes and stand in the perfect pose so that it looks like you are really in the scene. It’s a great novelty museum and worth a visit! Lots are pretty funny or amusing. Here are a few photos...

Following the trick-eye museum and a Vietnamese dinner, we ventured to Xylophone, a cocktail/flavoured soju bar in a central part of Hongdae, a few minute walk from exit 9. With a slight bohemian vibe, incense, comfy seating (we got a private booth!) and a wide range of drinks, it is definitely worth a visit. The best part though? Getting served our cocktail soju in gas pumps! I think it’s more of a novelty and not somewhere I would go many times (I mean hey, you can get soju for 1,000 won, the equivalent of $1 at the convenience store) but it was a soju-riffic good time! I recommend the strawberry soju (with an extra bottle of soju added too!) but I also loved the apple-grape soju and the pineapple-mango soju.

For those interested in leaving the area around Hongik station and walking 15 minutes, one station over, Canadian Seoulites would appreciate a visit to Mike’s Cabin. Owned by Canadians, this small bar boasts a small (but perfect-sized) dance floor and a fun drink menu. Try the hosta la vista senor or the *something* motherfucka *something* ... the exact names have escaped me, but they’re the top two on the menu and are deadly blue concoctions that will get you every time. So strong I had to share the 10,000 won with a friend both times I went there! The beer pitchers are also cheap and the B-52 was pretty epic because they lit it on fire and it went down really warm and smooth.

After your night out, going back to Incheon has always been a pain. The last subways run around midnight and the last late-night bus to Incheon is at 1:30am – which is better, but still not ideal. Not to mention, it can be tough to find the right bus stop if you aren’t familiar with the area.  At least taxis are cheaper in Korea! 30,000 won from Hongdae to Gyesan at night isn’t too bad :p

Without a doubt, Hongdae really is the nightlife soul of Seoul. Hope to see you there,

Signed,

L. 

Kickin’ it in Incheon, South Korea

Dear friends/family who have never been to Incheon or reveled in my awesome digs:

When I first found out I would be living in Incheon, I immediately went online to do some research. My first impressions weren’t the greatest – I was less than impressed. Everyone in forums said that it doesn’t have much to offer expats and that it is a city living in the shadow of Seoul but that takes credit for being home to Korea’s main International airport. I was scared into thinking it was just an industrial concrete city with no charm and nothing to do. Most expats said that if you aren’t living in Bupyeong or Arts Centre, that you will hate living here. Little did I know at the time, but I ended up scoring a place in Bupyeong – and a loft at that (Living in a loft? Check! That was always something on my unwritten bucket list!) Here are a few pics of where I’m living that I took in September...

The outdoor terrace on the 4th floor

My desk/table by the window

My little kitchen / 
My washer under the stove

My fridge/freezer have 
whiteboards on them!

The view from up in my loft 
(when I first arrived in Korea)

Up in my loft!!

I found this big guy chilling on the bench 
outside my building (Feb. 2013) <3

Despite some of the smells (just like any industrial city), being a concrete jungle (but so is most of Seoul and most other cities...) and not having the awesome attractions that the capital has, I can honestly say that I love living here. Even expat friends I talk to who are not living in Bup or Arts Centre say they like living here. So, I have compiled a list of why Incheon is actually a pretty great place. To any expat worried about working and living in Incheon (or really anywhere in Korea) – here’s what I say to you: Make your own opinions and don’t be scared off by what expats say – everyone has their own experiences and one person’s experience can differ so much from the next person’s. Here’s some of the things that I love about living in Incheon, Korea <3

Ø  It’s close to the sea (and a great fish market at Dongincheon!)

Ø  It’s close to Seoul (AKA New York on Steroids) – it takes me 30-45 minutes to get there from Bupyeong (and some more remote parts of Incheon take even less time!)

Ø  Incheon has a subway system, which helps avoid always having to bus it. And it connects with Seoul’s subway!

Ø  Arts Centre has a really good mall, including an H&M and other stores I like to go to back in Canada

Ø  Bupyeong has some great little western expat bars where we all gather – Shelter, Cheap Shots and Woodstock, to name a few!

Ø  Incheon has a TON of great islands to explore and beaches to visit

Ø  It’s right by the airport, which is great for coming and leaving as well as for those winter and summer vacations when loads of GETs travel to neighbouring Asian countries!

Ø  Incheon is home to Songdo, the “City of Tomorrow”, which is a futuristic, modern technology-hub on the coast

Ø  Incheon is home to IMOE, the Incheon Ministry of Education. With EPIC, you may make a lot of friends from all over Korea at the orientation, but with IMOE, it’s easier to make friends because it’s a smaller group (85 ish) and you know everyone will be close to you because everyone there is a teacher in Incheon.

Ø  Incheon has Korea’s only Chinatown

Ø  Bupyeong has the largest underground shopping centre in Korea (!!) where you can spend hours shopping for cheap but fun things

Ø  The nightlife in Bup and Arts Centre (which are quite central in Incheon) as well as some other parts of Incheon are quite good! Sure, they don’t compare to Seoul, but it’s still better than my hometown back in Canada :p

Ø  You can find international food in Incheon. Once again, it’s not as much as in Seoul, but the options are still there and are better than in other Korean cities! I’ve had Indian, Italian (at 3 places), Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Middle Eastern, “American” fast-foods, etc. in Incheon so far.

Ø  There are awesome people here – I’ve made amazing friends from around the world – lots of Koreans as well as other foreign English teachers!

Ø  There are many festivals that go on in Incheon. I’ve been to a couple- a cultural festival and a traditional Korean music festival. And it’s easy access to the many festivals in Seoul and surrounding cities!

Ø  It’s not over-run with other westerners/foreigners (waygooks) like it is in parts of Seoul. Hence, more of an authentic Korean cultural experience.

Ø  Incheon has a couple locations for doing cultural/conversation exchanges with Koreans

Ø  There are lots of mountains to the north and east that are great for hiking.

Ø  You can find green space gems here and there in the different neighbourhoods. They’ve got large parks with sports facilities, walking paths, fields and greenery. It’s an advantage of being in a city that isn’t too big and overcrowded.

My list ended up being longer than I originally expected! I can't believe I've been here over 5 months already <3 I hope the next 7 months are just as amazing!

Signing off,

~Leana