I am so thankful to have said “sure” when some students approached me in the fall about meeting for English speaking practice. They have become friends. It’s ironic I thought I was saying yes to helping them, but I feel completely like I have been on the receiving end of the relationship. At a recent meeting, we played the Korean version of Clue. It was very funny because they spoke in English (as is intended when we meet), but I had to keep reminding them “in Korean” for weapons, rooms, etc. because I could read these words but didn’t know what they were. How likely is it that my Korean language class was going to teach me “Mrs. Green in the conservatory with poison?!”
As the semester comes to a close, they have made sure I have tried different kinds of Korean food. We were out recently for a variety of gimbap. Gimbap is a common snack and lunch item, and lots of people make it for a picnic, for example. It contains rice and other items rolled in seaweed sheet (like Japanese California rolls). I’ve had 참치(tuna) inside, but a sliced pork cutlet was new. We ate octopus (cooked a certain way; that makes 3 ways I have eaten it …. luckily none raw yet), and today we had cold noodles, very popular in the summer. The dish has crushed ice and it’s sort of tomato flavored liquid. There was a slice of pork and a slice of hard boiled egg on top. It’s kind of plain, really. Hwi Rang made a comment about wearing a white shirt but then having to be concerned with a stain … and right then Hyo Jin noticed the stain I had managed to get on my white shirt!! One interesting thing is that when I told someone I had cold noodles for lunch, they asked “at the restaurant next to McDonald’s?” Yes, that was the place. Most Korean restaurants are highly specialized, so you really have to decide what kind of food you want to eat and then choose a place that serves it.
Perhaps the most fun of all has been Baskin Robbins “size up” day. On any month with a 31st, one pays for a certain size and then gets the next biggest size. (It took me a minute when they told me about the 31st … get it, BR 31 flavors?!) They wondered if I wanted to get individual servings, but I said, “No… let’s have it Korean style.” So six of us split a half gallon … it sat in the middle of the table and we all dug in with our spoons. They each selected a flavor (the employee weighs it), so there was a good mix. It is fun to look around the room and see people sharing large sizes. We’ll have to adjust at home and not eat from serving bowls and plates, unless it’s just Michael and me!They are starting finals, so our plan is to meet for dinner next Thursday when all of them are finished.
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