!!! The Blumers Come to Korea !!!

We’ve had our first visitors from abroad! I’m thankful that I’ve never had to spend a major holiday alone – four years ago, I was in Chile for Thanksgiving, and Tony visited (and proposed); this year, my whole family came to Korea to spend some time with us. 

My dad, brother, sister, and nephew landed in Incheon last Wednesday evening. They spent Thursday touring the DMZ and seeing parts of Seoul, like Gangnam and Itaewon. The DMZ turned out to be one of their top highlights of the trip, and I can’t believe they beat us to it! We have yet to go, but now we know it’s definitely worth the hype.

After one night in Seoul, they taxied into Pyeongtaek, where we live, and Erica checked into her second hotel of the trip (Matt and Dad were crashing in our living room for a night). We met them at the train station and, after dropping their luggage in our apartment, treated them to dinner at our favorite spot across the street, which we visit weekly because it’s cheap, delicious, and somewhat healthy. There, they sampled a true smorgasbord of Korean cuisine: mandu (dumplings), kimbap (a sushi-like roll without the raw fish), bibimbap (a mixed rice dish), donkasse (pork cutlet with a barbeque-like sauce), tteokbokki (rice cake in spicy sauce), mandu ramyan (ramen noodle soup with egg and dumpling), along with the typical (and plentiful) Korean side dishes – dried fish, lotus root, kimchi, pickled radish, boiled quail egg, etc. They really enjoyed the dumplings and ramyan, though I was disappointed they didn’t like the texture of the rice cake – my favorite! I was pleased, however, to find that for the first time ever, my spice tolerance has surpassed that of my father! We were happy to welcome them to town by footing the bill – but it’s easy in Korea because the food is so cheap. All of that for around $30 fed five hungry adults and one picky child; not bad!

Next, we stopped at Paris Baguette, a ubiquitous bakery chain all over the country, for a birthday cake for Dad’s belated 60^th. They threw in some candles, matches, and party poppers for free, and we headed back to the apartment to celebrate. After some cake and plenty of catching up, Erica and Vinny eventually caught a cab back to their hotel and agreed to meet us in the morning for breakfast, so that we could take the family to school with us to see where we work, meet some of our colleagues and students, and so that Vinny could join us on our field trip!

Friday was the best – we arrived at school around 9:30, and the students were buzzing with excitement because we had told them that an American boy their age would be coming to Kids College to visit! He was initially so shy, he wouldn’t leave Erica’s lap. I was nervous he’d be too anxious for the field trip, but after touring the classrooms where Tony and I teach, seeing our office, and meeting our workmates, Vinny suddenly overcame his shellshock and nearly ran toward the bus without turning back to wave goodbye. He would be just fine.

Bus buddies

Vinny fit in perfectly with my kindies
His friends ate kimbap for lunch, but luckily his Aunt Meghan packed him a PB&J

How perfect are they!!

Vinny had the time of his life on the field trip, and fit right in with my kindergarteners, the Starfish class. He played and sang and snacked with them, and by the end of the day, when I said “Starfish, raise your hand!”, he raised his own as well. While we took the kids to a space exhibit and a palace, Erica, Matt, and Dad visited Main Gate, an area near the Air Force base, for touristy shopping. Our principal Heather, her parents, and head teacher Fallon took my family out to a barbeque lunch which they have yet to stop raving about. After that, they visited a superstore called HomePlus, checked out the markets near our apartment, where locals sell street food, produce, exotic (live) seafood, and other goods, and returned to the apartment and passing out.

But there was no time to rest! Soon we were back from school and threw our luggage into a van taxi, squeezed into the limited seating, and were on our way to Gimpo airport. This should-be 1.5 hour voyage cost us 3 hours and $130 USD, and if our flight hadn’t been delayed, we likely would have missed it. We ran through check-in and security and sprinted to the gate at 8:05, the cut-off for the 8:25pm flight. I’ve never been relieved that my flight has been delayed before, but there’s a first for everything.

Soon, we were island-bound. After our hour-plus flight, we landed in Jeju, the premier island destination in Korea. Heather had set us up with a student’s grandfather, Iwon Gi, who owned a beautiful, brand-new guesthouse on the island and offered to drive us to all the must-see points of interest for the whole weekend for a small fee. The accommodations and guide cost us about $700, split among 5 of us (plus Vinny). Especially after seeing how nice the house was where we stayed (though our expectations have been lowered since the pensions we stayed in in Ulleungdo and Deokjeokdo), it was a very fair price.

All day Saturday, we saw an EcoPark, a lava tube cave, and a forest, along with a delicious lunch and decent dinner. It was a chilly and damp time to be on the island, which is famous for its outdoorsy activities – beaches, hiking, sightseeing – but we certainly seized the day. The lava tube was amazing; it took about a half hour to walk from the entrance to the hardened lava column at the end, the source of the cave’s creation, where we learned that it is the tallest lava column in the entire world! By the time we returned to the house, everyone was exhausted. Within two hours, everyone had fallen asleep on the floor, although it was only 9 o’clock.

Half our gang with our leader and guide, Iwon Gi on the train

Serene landscapes at EcoLand

The awesome lava tube, Manjanggul Cave

Posing in front of the tallest lava column in the world, at the end of the Geomunoreum system!

Exploring the misty Bijarim Forest

The next day, we awoke early and packed up our bags once again. Iwon Gi, our guide, took us on our next round of sight-seeing, which began with an extraordinary visit to a modest home among an enormous expanse of tangerine trees. A friend of his had invited us to a morning tea, where she taught us the proper method of drinking tea and shared various treats with us. What an authentic experience, and such hospitality! After tea, the couple encouraged us to pick some tangerines off their trees and take them back to the mainland with us – we took home at least two dozen delicious and juicy Jeju tangerines. Next, we were on our way to stroll around a National Park and take in the sights of a cliff along the coast, which boasted geometric forms in the hardened lava rock. After a lunch of Jeju-famous black pork at a barbeque restaurant, we were back to the airport to return to Gimpo.

Enjoying the flowering tea, traditional snacks, and hospitality in a local couple's home

 

Stuffed sweet juju, frozen tea powder cookies, sweet radish flowers, syrupy rice cakes, and candied tangerine

An intimate, once-in-a-lifetime cultural experience

Picking tangerines

Found the summit at the Hallasan National Park

Amazing views of the Jusangjeolli Cliff

Before we knew it, it was time to say goodbye again. It was 6 o’clock on Sunday evening, and we had to journey our way back to Songtan on the subway before returning to work the next morning. How those three days together had flown! It may seem silly that family spent almost as much time on an airplane as they did with us, but we were so grateful that they used their holiday time to travel across the globe to see us and learn first-hand what we do each day, and they were so open-minded about it all: the food, the customs, the language! My incredible dad had even been secretly studying Korean since we left the States, and I’m proud yet embarrassed that he knows more than I do! What an amazing and supportive family I am so blessed to have, I am reminded of how fortunate I am during this time for being thankful.

Tea Time: Our Trip to Boseong

Last weekend we were finally able to embark on a trip that we’ve had to reschedule several times, to a place that we’ve anxiously anticipated seeing: Boseong, a region in the very southern part of the peninsula, which is famous for its green tea!

The first time we saw that the organized trip was available was the first weekend of October, but we had a school event to host; the next time the trip was offered, I had a bad cold in late October. Finally, we managed to sign up for the last Boseong trip of the year through this particular company, in mid-November.

There are several companies that organize trips around Korea that are foreigner-friendly; that is, they take care of travel, itinerary, accommodation, meals, and an English-speaking guide for a fixed cost. The cost is quite reasonable, for all the planning involved and amenities included. When we went to Ulleungdo in September, we went with Adventure Korea; this Boseong trip was through Goh Travel Korea; and we’re planning a trip to a hot spring with WinK. We loved our trip with Adventure – it was easy and extremely well-organized. Our first experience with Goh left much to be desired, but Boseong was still breathtaking.

On Saturday morning, I woke up at 6 to the sound of water pouring. To our horror, we saw that our toilet had backed up and overflown – with dirty water. I won’t get into the details, but it was terrible and stressful. We had to leave our apartment by 7:15 to be at the station on time for the bus. Luckily, a co-worker took care of the issue and we couldn’t thank her enough. However, due to the fiasco, we nearly missed the bus that would take us to Boseong! Luckily, it seemed, the bus was delayed. Soon, though, we would find out that this was a theme throughout the whole trip.

"Maisan" = "two horses"

Selfie at Tapsa Temple

An hour late, our bus finally arrived at Maisan (a mountain named “two horses” in Chinese) and saw the Tapsa temple hidden amongst the peaks. We ate bibimbap at a local restaurant before taking an easy hike up a part of the mountain. It was a beautiful fall day, but the minimal hiking meant that we didn’t get to appreciate any staggering views from the top or gain any major sense of accomplishment. Soon, it was already back to the bus.

Delayed again, somehow, we were back on the road and headed further south. There were two more points on our itinerary for the day – next, we were to see the Suncheon Bay Wetlands and then explore the Naganeupseong Folk Village before dinner and retiring for the night in one of the huts there. Soon, though, the guide told us that it was too late to see the wetlands, and that we’d see it in the morning before going to the tea fields; instead of starting our day at 8, we’d meet at 7 to go to the wetlands. Ok, then – to the folk village we go.

When we finally neared our destination, the guide announced, once again, that the tour of the village wouldn’t happen because the sun had already set. We could meet at 6am to tour the village, if we desired. We grumbled. So far, on a day where three distinct activities had been planned, we’d only accomplished one. It was dinner time. We ate fish, rice, eggs, pork, kimchi, sprouts – typical Korean dishes – at the folk village before it was time for room assignments. The after-dinner process was chaotic. First, we were each to receive a muffin and tea bag for our breakfast (only to find, when we reached our hut, that there was no kettle to use  for tea in the morning…), and this took about 20 minutes. The room assignment process took far too much time and was poorly organized, but finally Tony and I were off to find our hut in the dark – there was little lighting in the village.

Our hut was tiny but cozy – we learned quickly how luxurious the heated floor system can be when you’re chilled. (Instead of central heating like in the States or stoves/estufas like I grew accustomed to in Chile, Korean heat comes from the floors. It makes sense – they sit on the floor to eat, and their beds don’t have frames, but rather they sleep on the floor as well.) Of course, I had to kill half a dozen spiders in the tiny (sink-less) bathroom, but these are the things we do for our loved ones J.

Once settled and having deposited our backpacks, we ventured out once again to explore the dark village, as it was only 8 o’clock in the evening. We wandered around the interweaving pathways and climbed up to the top of the fortress wall that surrounded and protected the entire village, which has survived since the 14th century! We managed to stroll the entire wall from start to finish, noticing the empty moat below on the outside, and seeing little else besides thatched roofs, indecipherable flags, and a pond or two. It was a serene, silent evening.

A foggy view at dawn

In the morning, we woke at 6:30 and took one more quick walk before reaching the bus with our cups of tepid tea-water. It was a pity we couldn’t stay just a half-hour longer to see the sun rise over the mountains from the fortress wall, but perhaps we would have had the time if the itinerary hadn’t been delayed the previous day.

Next, we were on to the Wetlands park in Suncheon, which is home to the only wetlands that connect directly to the sea. We wandered the planked, dock-like pathways through the reeds and munched our muffins, and spent about an hour hiking a small mountain within the park for outstanding, panoramic views from the top. On the way up, the pathway forked, and we had the choice of the “hard road” or  the “road of meditation.” I bet you can’t guess which one we chose…

View of the wetlands

Lunch - culinary tea!

Finally, we were on to Boseong, what we’d been waiting for all along! We arrived at a tea plantation – amid the peaks of stunning fall foliage, the infinite rows of Camellia sinensis. It was worth the wait, to be surrounded by such natural, healthful beauty. There, we climbed once again the steep incline around the bushes and through the cedar trees, and every view was breathtaking. After admiring our surroundings for some time, we had lunch on-site: Tony got jajangmyan (black noodles) which were made with green tea, and I ordered donkasse (pork cutlet) which was sprinkled with matcha and served with a side of green tea rice. Delicious! In the store, we purchased matcha and loose-leaf green tea, and surprisingly, though I originally had planned to buy a teapot (I mean, we’re in the TEA CAPITAL OF KOREA, can you blame me?), we bought two matching mugs – complete with steeping baskets and lids. We left very pleased with our purchase! We headed back to the bus with a green tea ice cream, ready for the last stop of the tour.

 

Simply spectacular.

Autumn is beautiful no matter where in the world it happens.

 



Traditional tea table-setting

Finally, we reached a smaller, family-owned tea farm. There, we partook in a proper tea-drinking ceremony, where the proprieter taught us the correct form of sharing tea with others in traditional Korean style. I assumed the role of the pengju, who serves the tea to those around him/her. We sampled a green tea and a black tea, as well as biscuits and breads made with the same ingredients, all of which were harvested at that same farm. After the ceremony and plenty of samples, we made handmade chocolates that we got to fill with nuts, cranberries, and, of course, green tea leaves.

Chocolate-making fun!

As always, when this excursion ended, we were behind schedule. After a jam-packed weekend and little sleep, we were ready to be home again. But, alas, we had to travel all the way from the southern coast up to Seoul before taking the subway home. The itinerary had promised we would return to Seoul around 6, which meant we should be home to Songtan no later than 8:30. Surprise! We arrived at our front door at 11 o’clock at night – without having eaten dinner. Exhausted yet relieved (especially when we saw that our bathroom was spotless, thank God), we turned in for the night. On the bright side we were able to check two things off our list: first, we checked Boseong off our Korea bucket list. Next, we checked Goh Travel off our future travel plans.

Pinch Me.

There isn’t anything new to say, but for eight hours now I’ve simultaneously been feeling empty and filled with resounding, hopeless thoughts. So, I write.

My disappointment has nothing to do with party loyalty or a broken heart for Hillary. I was never a huge fan of hers, nor of Obama’s. It’s hard to find a perfect candidate, and Lord knows there wasn’t one this November. I know that people see Hillary as a crooked liar, but what is Trump? 

At this point, it's over. I’m simply sad. It’s hard to find the words to express my disappointment in the American political system, the lack of education of our public, and more than anything, the cesspool of hate that has been breeding in recent years. 

I’m simply afraid. Our new president-elect is known for his odious, ignorant comments toward social minorities. I fear for racial, religious, and sexual minorities, as well as my fellow women. I’m sad that we continue to be a nation free from female representation, a nation that ignores the needs of more than half of the population. I’m sad that we are controlled by the privileged, and that we don’t have a voice.

I simply don’t understand why a woman with a lifetime of experience lost to a man with none. It makes me feel hopeless because his persona exemplifies everything we tell ourselves and our children not to be. He is crass; he is unkind; he is self-absorbed; he is rude; he is ignorant; he is immature; he is spiteful. 

Source: The New York Times

How did we let this happen? How many people will suffer now, within and outside our national borders? Children at the school where I teach confessed today that they are scared because “Donald Trump doesn’t want to help South Korea anymore.” How many countries will his unfiltered, reckless discourse of “telling it like it is” upset, and how many international disputes will he start? How many domestic travesties await us? How many rights will he take from the humans in our nation? This isn’t about party. This is about humanity.

Say CHEESE!

What a weekend!  Truly, this weekend was one for the books, ideal for an international foodie, leaving me brimming with joy and a full tummy. On Saturday, we toured parts of Seoul - from Yongsan to Itaewon - drinking and eating and enjoying every second. Then, we spent Sunday afternoon at Main Gate, near the air force base, for Pyeongtaek's Cultural Friendship Festival. What could be better?

Around noon on Saturday, we began at a coffee shop called Blind Alley Café in Yongsan. Korea's littered with urban cafés of different styles and ambiances, but Seoul takes it to a whole new level. One can find a ramen café, and even a poop-themed café... as well as cat, dog, sheep, and raccoon cafés! There, you can enjoy a caffeinated beverage in the company of a furry animal of your choice.

When a friend suggested we go to a raccoon café, it sounded fun, but I had no idea just how much I'd enjoy it. We watched, fed, and petted three raccoons - and a bonus corgi puppy. Originally rescued by the woman who owned the coffee shop, who treats them like you or I would treat a dog or cat, I had never expected that raccoons would be so energetic, social, and wacky! They climb like monkeys and are just as infinitely curious. Their paws are even more comparable to hands and feet; they grip their food and eat it from their own grasp. We spent over two hours reveling in the playful behavior of these creatures.

Pocahontas, or Meghan? Answer: Yes.

How cute are they? Notice the rope climbing skills.

See ya later, lil guy!

 Next, we headed to Itaewon, a neighborhood chock-full of foreigners - and the choice in gastronomy shows. In the taxi, we stared out at the storefronts like children that have finally reached their vacation destination: Mexican! Greek! Italian! Thai! Hooray!  In Songtan/Pyeongtaek, we don't have such options. But where there are foreigners, there is a demand for our varied palette. So, we ate like the foreigners we are. Mostly, we were on a mission for one thing - something that we can't get where we're living: CHEESE.

Truly inspirational.

Cheese isn't an unknown concept in Songtan, but the quality and variety is, objectively, abysmal (no hard feelings, Songtan). Every option is a processed shredded mozzarella-style, or an individually-wrapped, plastic-tasting consistency (think Kraft American Singles, but apply it to other cheese types, too - cheddar, gouda, whatever). Now, I'm no cheese connoisseur, nor am I a self-proclaimed addict, but after two months of shoddy cheese, I was ready for some high-quality cheddar (no pun intended).

Not a good shot, but it'll do the job.

First stop: Cheese A Lot, a cheese-lover's paradise. Their main restaurant was on break between lunch hour and dinner, so we bought some mac-n-cheese to tide ourselves over; Tony got meat sauce, while I chose garlic. YUM. It was expensive - $5 per tiny cup - but when in Seoul...

Next: Namsan Chemistry, an insanely cool, modern, open-air bar. Urban and industrial, this spot featured mountains of choices of beer and cider, but I'd go again just for the pulled pork fries. Honestly, I haven't tasted better bar food. The roof-top atmosphere was so chill, and whoever created the playlist should win an award. Such a modern, hip atmosphere and relaxed vibe. Not sure what the night scene is like, as we were there in the late afternoon, but I'd happily return to investigate!

Third: We returned to Cheese A Lot, but this time, we were Team Serious. The dine-in area was back open for business after 5, so we descended to sink our teeth into some delicious dairy delicacies. And, of course, what goes better with cheese than wine? Since we had snacked all afternoon, we decided a simple ricotta salad and cheese platter would suffice, but soon we regretted that decision. This sinking feeling set in as we saw a neighboring table, which had ordered an actual, bonafide entree, requested melted cheese on top of the plate. What happened next caused us each to gasp and groan, and our friend Fallon (a true cheese fan) literally had tears in her eyes as she said, "We've f***ed up, guys!" Behold, reader, as I attempt to verbally describe the beauty that I witnessed, and as I curse myself for neglecting to capture a photo.

Near the bar were two enormous slabs of cheese on adjustable pedestals under a heat lamp. Every five minutes or so, we'd watch (mouths watering) as the wait staff returned again and again to redistribute and spread the melting cheese as the top of the block dripped down upon itself. At this point, the table near ours made their request. The waiter picked up one of the slabs (how much did it weigh - four pounds, perhaps?) and carried it to the patrons. We watched as he slide a knife across the top of the slab, and every melted bit of that cheese, bubbling and slightly browned, fell atop the meat on the platter. More cheese than anyone could ever need, but just enough for a restaurant that boasted an unforgettable cheese experience.

Nevertheless, we wiped the drool from our lips - and the tears from our eyes - and thoroughly enjoyed the salad (crisp greens topped with slivered almonds, walnuts, dried fruit, and a ricotta smoother and creamier than I ever imagined ricotta could be) and cheese platter (complete with bleu, aged cheddar, brie, gouda, and swiss, plus crackers glazed with honey, nuts, and fruit).  Before ending our cheesy evening, we stopped at a store nearby and bought a wedge of brie to take home - a souvenir, if you will, to sustain us until we must face the sad reality of returning to the land of the plastic-wrapped single slices away from the capital city.

Pork, pico, & pineapple.
What more could you ask for?

Our foodie weekend didn't end there! After a late breakfast of sliced apple, eggs, and melted brie (hehe), we decided to head to Main Gate, another foreign district with fewer options but much closer to home, for some sushi and to get some work done at a café. Lo and behold, we had forgotten that Fallon had mentioned it was the Cultural Friendship Festival on the main strip! Quickly we decided we could return anytime for sushi, and we wandered from tent to tent, stage to stage, observing and enjoying what each culture had to offer. There were a few performances - Ecuadorian pan flutists in traditional feathered regalia who danced and played, and another group of what we think may have been Mongolians who played and twirled ribbons on top of their heads. We took advantage of the variety of western foods and did an around-the-world gasto-tour that included Turkish kebab wrap/gyro, Czech dark beer, honey cinnamon tea (Korean?), German sausage, Mexican al pastor taco, and for the finale, American pulled pork BBQ sandwich. Perfection.

God bless the USA.

Mysterious Island

During Chuseok vacation (a blessed 5 days away from school), Tony and I took advantage of the free time to do some exploring of the country that has become our new home. At 11:50PM on Tuesday, September 13, we boarded a bus to begin our trip to Ulleung-do, an island off the eastern coast of South Korea.

After 4 hours on a bus, 2 hours waiting at the port, and 3 and a half more hours on the most seasick ferry ride imaginable, we arrived at the tiny island of Ulleung-do, home to only 10,000 residents. Despite its size, small population, and lack of an airport, this island provides the mainland with most of its squid (which may not sound like a big deal, but squid is a common and popular food source here). Of course Tony wanted to try some of the local dried squid that was present at each food vendor on the street, but I was more interested in the other item that makes this island famous: pumpkin! We tried pumpkin taffy, gummy candy, and even pizza.

We traveled with a group called Adventure Korea, which provided us with accomodation, many of our meals, transportation, an itinerary, and most importantly - English-speaking tour guides. We tried to make the most of our brief stay by...

...exploring the walkway that is carved into the volcanic rock up and down the coast

...taking a bus tour around the island and stopping for various photo ops at breathtaking views

...hiking the tallest peak on the island, Seonginbong, at 3,228 feet

... making a Buddhist-style rock stack at the beach before swimming in the chilly, clear sea

...taking a cable car up to a scenic viewpoint and visiting a museum dedicated to the controversial neighboring island, Dokdo, which the Japanese and Korean feud over.

What a beautiful trip it was to this destination that is coined as "Mysterious Island," and a welcome opportunity to explore the more hidden gems that make up Korea.