A trip to the grocery store is a strong reminder that you are far far away from all that is familiar. After almost 2 years of living in Korea, I adore the kimchi selection, and fresh fish of every sort at my fingertips. Ramen is no longer a college staple with a selection of over 20 different kinds.

I want you [the reader that is far far away from me] to see that here in Korea, entire aisles are dedicated to one product with a huge variety for your selection.

First up > TUNA<, spicy tuna, kimchi tuna, vegetable tuna, and regular ol’ tuna.

>Gochujang Sauce<, for meats, veggies, and overall dipping.

>Seaweed< for sushi rolls, wraps, soup, and marinating.

>Rice< a simple word in Korean, bap [ for cooked rice ]. My favorite Korean dish is bibimbap, which is gochujang, rice, and 5 + fresh veggies, topped sometimes with an over easy egg. You mix and mix all the ingredients together,and maybe add some kimchi in along the way. It’s delicious!

Octopus, Squid, and Crab. You can find any sea creature in the regular grocery store. They are the neatest grocery item to look at.

i dislike instant coffee, unless it’s 3pm and i am feeling super drowsy at work and there is no coffee to brew. instant coffee is a staple here, you can go anywhere [doctor, salon, dentist, glasses shop, tailor] and expect someone to offer you a dixie cup of instant ness.

Garlic fed, quail, and plain ol’ eggs

A Korean meal generally consists of a soup, meat dish, rice, and lots of side dishes. You can find your favorites at the grocery store and have your own portion size. Think like the deli minus the meat & cheese.

the best mixture of cabbage & spices, given credit for it’s healing powers.

a baaaajillion different kinds

(라면) is the Korean Ramen. China, Japan, and Korea love to argue of who has the best. Japanese ramen is mostly miso based [ my personal favorite ], and Chinese is pork broth. No one thinks you are cheap eating this outside a convenience store. You will see many businessmen huddled up with ramen in one hand and instant coffee in the other.

another staple to the Korean grocery cart. A liquor similar to vodka with a bit of sweetness. By no means do I mean sweetness= awesome. Soju is a killer when it comes to hangovers. Drink of choice mainly because of it’s cheap price [$1.00= plenty].

A bit disappointing. The 3 Korean beers that you will always see offered are Cass, Hite, and Max. They all taste essentially the same. Lacking in flavor for what I enjoy in a beer. Either lots of bitter hops, or rich and dark. And funny thing is Miller High Life, and Bud Ice are popular here?! Wow, right!