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UPDATE: Legal assurance details - the fine print

If you're not sure what this post is updating, read this post first.So I've received the contract for the Legal Assurance program offered through the Kangnam Labor Law Firm and ATEK. 20,000 won a month for representation by a professional law firm sounds too good to be true, right? Wrong; while the assistance provided is limited to labor law and your job (not your girlfriend's or significant

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Great pochangmacha in Jongno, Seoul.

One of the great things about Korean street food are pochangmachas. Literally translated as “covered wagons,” these self contained tents are like mini outdoor restaurants, and are fantastic places to start or end a night of eating and drinking.

A good place to check out one of these is a street off Jongno near Jongno 3-ga Station. Here, dozens of pochangmachas line each side of the street, selling such delacies as octopus, skewered chicken hearts and shellfish – all served with plenty of sojo and beer of course!

One such tent is run by Kyung-Sup Lim, a friendly young chef who preps, cooks and serves everything in his tent single-handedly. The whole operation is a lesson in efficency and good service, and his food is absolutely fantastic.

I started with a complimentary bowl of odeng (Korean fish cake) in a broth with chili flakes and little squares of dried seaweed. The broth was lovely and warming, and the odeng nice and salty.

Later I ordered some octopus (10,000 won) For this I got a whole baby octopus, freshly killed then boiled and mixed with sliced chilli, onions, and some sort of light, sesame oil dressing.

The octopus was cooked gently (it was semi-translucent in places) and tasted great with the accompanying bowl of watery, tart chilli sauce.

I’ll definitely return to this pochangmacha. The menu has much more to discover (I saw Kyung-Sup Lim frying up a batch of pork and chilli sauce that looked particularly inviting) and the tent had a really happy, friendly atmosphere.

Directions: Come out exit 15 of Jongno 3-ga and take the first left (hint: it’s the street with all the pochangmachas!) Kyung-Sup Lim occupies one of the last tents on the right side of the street.

Favorite Things About Korea - Part II

Although life out here in the Far East can be a little strange compared to hanging out in the good ol' US of A, there are many, many things to like about being here in Korea. I did a previous post on some of those things. The first list included:

- my team at MSCO Korea
- bulgogi
- optional red traffic lights affectionately called "might lights" cause you "might" stop at them
- cheap taxi fares
- Asian pears
- clean subway
- police rarely give out traffic tickets
- kimchi
- coffee shakes
- paper lamps
- spicy octopus
- the many sights in Busan
- people respecting their elders

Here's a few more items to add to the list:

- Our church. We go to the English service of Sooyoungro Antioch International Ministries (AIM). Great people there and a very diverse crowd. We recently attended a wedding of two of our friends that met from the church. There were over 20 countries represented at their wedding reception. Pretty cool.

The music is awesome at AIM. The English service is in a brand new building in Suyeong.

I volunteer to do the Children's message near the beginning of the service. I really enjoy doing that with the kids. The things that come out of their mouths!

The Children's ministry started out with 5 kids. Here I am doing the Children's message with 16 kids. Now it's up to 40+. Pretty cool.

- Nice toll booth workers. They dress up, smile and actually give you a greeting.

- Samgyupsal. This stuff is awesome! You take this very tasty grilled pork, throw it in a lettuce leaf, add some sauce, garlic and kimchi and you've got the perfect bite of food in your mouth. There's something about that grilled kimchi. Samgyupsal is kinda fatty but man is it tasty. Even CJ, a very picky eater, likes this stuff. That tells you something.

- Girls holding hands. Here's a pic of Carol and Ms. Sin from the Korean American Busan Association (KABA) holding hands. Sometimes when Carol is around some of my staff, they'll unknowingly hold Carol's hand. I think it's very cute. Ms. Sin is great, btw. Although we can only speak a handful of words to each other, we still have a blast together. She's a dancing machine too.

- Gotta love all the high heels. Check these out:

High heels at a museum.

High heels at a temple.

High heels at another temple.

And high heels even on the beach. I've even seen girls wearing high heels in the sand at Haeundae Beach. That's what you call dedication to fashion.

- The kissing camera at sporting events.

Here's how the kissing camera works at basketball or baseball games. When the kissing camera is on, the two random people they spotlight on the big screen TVs are supposed to kiss each other, whether they know each other or not. Laughter from the crowd ensues. Depending on the enthusiasm of the kiss, a restraining order might follow as well.

- Inexpensive car wash/wax. Only 25,000 won (about $22 US) to get your car washed, waxed and vacuumed at Homeplus, and that's for an SUV. Excuse me, 24,000 won. It costs an extra 1,000 won for them to shampoo Jake's car seat. Can't beat it with a stick.

- Blazing fast internet. South Korea used to be the most wired country in the world. If I have my facts straight, Singapore is now #1. Still, pretty smooth sailing on the internet.

- 24 hour McDonalds and home delivery.

I really shouldn't have this one on the list because we have yet to take advantage of Mickey D's after hours or called out for delivery.

I gotta share this next thing with you cause it's so dang funny. A little sad but pretty dang funny. This is an actual Facebook update from a friend out here in Busan:

"As if I didn't feel guilty enough ordering McDonald's, I find out that my order is over an hour late because the delivery boy had an accident with his scooter and was sent to the hospital. Dang! At least he is okay...and the food was hot." I busted a lung over that one. I do hope the delivery boy is okay though. BTW, Koreans on scooters - not one of my favorite things.

- Dry cleaning is delivered to your house. Nice.

- Cheerleaders at sporting events.

Cheerleaders at a Lotte Giants baseball game.

Cheering at a Sonic Boom basketball game. Where are the blondes?

- Busan Foreign School. A lot to like about the school. CJ's been lamenting lately how there's no way his next school can hold a candle to BFS.

- Doenjang chigae. Carol and I both love this spicy soup. It's served piping hot with white rice on the side. It's got tofu, veggies and sometimes, seafood in the soup. The base is made of bean paste. I'm really hoping Carol learns how to make this soup before we leave.

- Cherry blossoms. Just gorgeous. Wish they could stay longer.

Cherry blossoms with our building in the background.

- Spending time with the kids at the orphanage. Those little ones are just a ball.

These pics are from a recent ice cream party we had with the kids. That's Set Byul in the middle, the half Russian, half Korean girl.

- Movies are inexpensive and the concession stand prices are reasonable too. You pick your seats when you purchase tickets. This way, you don't have to stand in an extra line to grab a good seat for a popular movie like you do in the US.

- The overall innocence and cuteness of it all here in Korea. Here's an example:

You can wear hats like this, no problem.

This guy was wearing this hat and his buddies weren't even laughing at him. Very common. Couples wearing matching outfits, girls holding hands in public, the popularity of cartoon t-shirts and Hello Kitty gear are other examples of the cuteness and innocence of Korea.

- When picking someone up from the airport, you can just park your car right in front of the terminal and just leave it there. I'm sure it's illegal but no one messes with you.

- We can step out our front door and walk to the world's largest department store, visit the Museum of Modern Art with pieces from Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Picasso and other masters, partake in a luxury spa, geek out at the Apple store, run to Haeundae Beach and APEC Nurimaru Park or grab McDonald's for the boys and Korean food for me and Carol right across the street.

Yeah, we're gonna miss Korea.

Too Nice To Stay Home

Nepal New Year Festival

Thanks to the kind invitation of our friend and BHR member Ujwal (John) Adhikari, BHR members attended the Nepali New Year's celebration, held by the National Coordination Council, a Nepali organization in Korea, on April 18th. The organization hosted a gathering of around 100 people and featured traditional Nepalese singing, dancing, and of course, a delicious dinner for all. BHR members were welcomed warmly and we all had a good time. Thanks to Ujwal and the NCC!

"You there. Yes you....give me your shirt."

Today was a brilliant success! Though, it didn't start out that way. Actually it began quite ominously and I had a creeping suspicion that today was going to end with me crawling into bed and hoping that the sun would hurry up and set.

I had a bit of trouble getting motivated this morning. The thought of going out all on my own again was a bit daunting, but the idea of a possible haircut got me shuffling out the door.

My Hair Issues

My hair used to be really short. I'm talking... boy-short. I loved and hated it. But that's just the relationship that my hair and I have. Love, hate. Even now, I like my hair cut, but it's longer than it's been in over 4 years and for some reason that's bothering me. I see the girls here with all of their cute short hair styles and I get that inner tug to get my hair cut again.

So, I planned today to travel to Namcheon. I'd heard about a Salon there called "The Hair". The guy who owns it worked in London for a bit so apparently his English is very good and I've heard he has a large foreign clientel. That means that he'd be able to deal with my hair. My thick, frizzy, fine, blonde mess of hair.

I wish that I could give you guys a review of the place, but after taking the subway all the way there I find it, and it's closed. Not closed for good closed. Just closed. No one had told me anything about business hours, so I supposed it would have been a little intelligent of me to call before I went all the way there, huh? Only issue with that.... the Salon number wasn't working and I have a problem with calling strangers on their cell phone, even if it IS a 'work cell phone'.

Anyway. After standing at the door for a bit and trying to figure out what to do next I finally take a deep breath and turn around

Surprisingly enough, I didn't feel too bummed out about "The Hair" not being opened. I got to see a little bit of Namcheong.

Now, Namcheong isn't exactly a pearl of a city. It's small and 'quaint', which I very much like. All the buildings were shorter, the population in general was older. It was refreshing to be in a place a little calmer than Hwamyeong, especially with such magnificent weather.

Anyway....

I hopped back on the Subway and ended up going the wrong way. Fortunately my wrong direction still got me to Seomyeon, my destination after Namcheon, it just took about 15 minutes more.

Finally get to Seomyeon. Feeling a little down because the subway is dark and cold, and I'm getting tired of being pushed about by Ajummas who believe that they have the right away above everyone else, especially blonde foreign girls named Auggie. And then suddenly....

Euphoria

5,000₩ sales rack boasting a bunch of cute shirts and skirts that are totally my style. I didn't go overboard, I actually had willpower today. I purchased a couple of things and moved on to the next store with relative ease.

This isn't really a shirt that I'd wear out into public (at least I don't exactly plan to). This is a lounge around type of shirt. I added a photo of it up for my family and friends Stateside who I know will appreciate a cute kitten in glasses and a bow tie.

Do I love New York? Honestly. No clue. I've never been there. But I know people there who like it quite well. So, I bought this sweater thinking about them. You know who you are!

Comfy, comfy, comfy.

A couple of accessories later and I found myself oohing and ahhing (okay, I was practically squealing) over.... Scarves. Gorgeous, colorful, wonderful scarves. I don't know when it started, but at some point scarves began to seduce me with their wonderful and widely varying colors, patterns, and textures. I am now, quite happily, obsessed with them.

This one wouldn't hang properly on my white 'display shirt' because it's so much tinier than the others. But you get the idea. It's cute.

Aside from the scarves I brought home quite few nice things to add to my wardrobe, including a slew of adorable socks.

Happy Scents

I'm a big 'smell' person. Smells are the biggest trigger of emotion for me. If I'm in a pleasant smelling environment then I'm pretty darn happy. Today was filled with nice smells.

On the Subway on the way to Seomyeon a young man loaded on and then came to stand next to me. I'm suddenly on immediate alert. He was doused in cologne. Usually people would find this offensive, but this ... this was an amazing cologne. It was the type of cologne that made me want to lean over and bury my face against his shoulder (which would have given him the shock of his life, I'm sure). To guys like this I just want to say:

"You there. Yes you... give me your shirt."

Arriving back in Hwamyeong I was greeted with wonderful scents coming from street vendors selling sweet cakes, bread, and other yummy foods like this. The sun was warm and just getting ready to set, there was a cool breeze, and there were children running around all over the place. At that moment I realized something. I really do like Hwamyeong. It's a city, sure. It's a busy city, yeah. But it's got its charm, and it's just small enough to have quaint areas that are completely homey.

I have a feeling this summer is going to be amazing and memorable.

On the way back to Hwamyeong I stopped in at a little store that one of my co-workers suggested. Upon entering my first impression is "Oh, just another knickknack store." Then I see it.

Herbal Essences shampoo.

That moment was one of absolute joy. After picking up a bottle of shampoo and conditioner I look around to discover there are more western products there that I recognize. I walked out of that little store with the Herbal Essences shampoo and conditioner, a bottle of "Fresh White Musk" body lotion by Body Fantasy, and a gallon of Downy fabric softener.

These are smells of home, comfort, and summer. They are liquid happiness.

I'm quite pleased.

Yes. Today was definitely a success.

I hope you're all enjoying your weekend.

Your blog host,

(Edit: Apologies to everyone who read the original post and had to read "Bog host". While I'm sure this isn't always the most thrilling and interesting of blogs, it is certainly not a bog. And I am certainly not a 'bog host'.)

~Auggie Teacher

Here and there and everywhere

Batman was on to something.
Caves are fun.

So are soju tents ...

...and Enoch

... and those wild little Bulgarians in Haeundae

... but you can't beat a sunrise on the beach.

20 questions

A fellow K-blogger has posted about the 20 most common questions he's asked "in any given week". Take a look for yourself:1: How old are you? 2: What country are you from? 3: How long have you been in Korea? 4: Are you married? 5: Do you have a girlfriend? 6: Do you like Korean food? 7: Why did you come to Korea? 8: What do you think of the Korean people? 9: Do you like teaching?

Open Thread #12 (Updated)

( Source: geishaboy500 )

Let’s try this again!

Always just an experiment really, after last week’s open thread received no comments whatsoever then I deleted it and thought I’d call it a day, but I’ve relented and decided to give the open threads one more shot: after all, all the others received many. So, if you’d like a forum to talk about virtually anything Korea-related each weekend (albeit with a preference for sociology and pop-culture), and perhaps most importantly one that is moderated also, then please do make sure to contribute this time!

But please don’t get the wrong impression: of course I’ll be a little disappointed if the open threads don’t take off, but I don’t mind really, as keeping you entertained and informed is my prime concern (call me selfish, but I would like to get paid to write eventually, and this is how I learn how!). And with that in mind, in lieu of an extra post this weekend I’m starting this open thread a little early to give me more time to work on several in-depth ones I’ve been promising for a while.

Before I go though, an admin note for RSS feed subscribers: I recently bought the domain “http://thegrandnarrative.com”, which the old “http://thegrandnarrative.com.wordpress.com” now automatically redirects to, but I’ve noticed that although the feed for the latter still works just fine in Google Reader, the feed for the former is completely haywire, throwing up any post I simply edit even if it is several years old. That wouldn’t normally be a problem, but then I’m doing some major spring cleaning as it were, editing a month’s worth of old posts at a time, and this has meant that sometimes 20 very old posts have been arriving in your feed each day, which must be a little annoying. Sorry about that, and unfortunately I don’t know what I can do about it until I finish in a couple of weeks, but if you’d like to receive notification only when new posts arrive in the meantime, then please consider changing the feed to the old wordpress one, or alternatively you can subscribe by email via the button on the right.

Have a nice weekend!

( Source: HikingArtist )

Update, Monday 26th - Apologies, but those posts will have to be postponed a little, and this week’s Korea Gender Reader to next week: our landlord has just informed my wife and I that she wants to raise the rent, and so much of today has been spent looking at apartments online. We might be moving in less than 2 weeks!