Friday again, passed my 1 week mark without much celebration. Still don't have my internet, or back account (apparently by next Friday I should be set up for both) BUT I do have my phoneeeee or should I call it a banana lol will try to upload a picture later but this phone is about 3 inches longer than my face. But I shouldn't complain because a week and 2 days without a phone can really make you realize how much you rely on technology, if I could I would ban it and escape from technological slavery but sadly I crawled back into the comfort zone.
I instantly started the painful process of texting and adding people, lets just say Korean phones may appear in English settings but will always be Korean when you need that application that most. Instantly made my day better, and I was so grateful for my co worker Betty who helped me translate. Kicked myself in the ass for being greedy and trying to wait it out for a blackberry/iphone… not happening on a one year contract. Should have ordered the phone before arriving and it would have been here when I arrived. Should have, would have but…. didn't!
Being downtown today was different, somehow last weekend everything was upside down to me… I kept wondering where is the directional me? This weekend things started to gel a bit better, although I have to give credit to Brad (another friend) and his "water map" that saved me the trouble of fulfilling a foreigner's worse nightmare of being lost in an unknown city without their language on hand. I hope this is a sign that the Jan I know and counted on to get me through the next year is somewhere close by… I miss my family and friends back home but it helps to see that there are a few amazing people on this side of the world. The whole door close window open cliché will have to work for this adventure!
****Little excerpt on food in Gwangju South Korea: Never buy spicy looking chicken from 7 eleven, it will turn out to be VERY spicy pig feet :s
Food is extremely cheap in Gwangju (except foreigner places… of course) kimbap (rice/veggies or tuna wrapped in salted seaweed.. not sushi) is $2 and a nice blend of flavors no matter what you put in it. It is a great quick, inexpensive snack that could be eaten on the go. It is shaped like a triangle and the rice could be white or mixed in spicy red sauce, could be bugolgi.
Bibimbap is also super cheap, $4 a stone bowl with rice topped with vegetables, seaweed, a fried egg and covered in red pepper paste. Mmm the best part is if it is done right, the crispy rice on the bottom of the bowl… no luck yet.
Mun do (chinese dumplings, japanese gyoza) are also a really good and inexpensive choice for lunch, $2.50 for 10 and they come in different variations, as well as in soup.
Korean Fried Chicken, $15 for a full meal for two and then some. We got a nice sweet sauced chicken and another plate of straight up Korean style and both were so delicious.
MORE FOOD PICS
Finally the BIG one: The dish that Gwangju is most famous for- KIMCHI! Pickled cabbage, love love love it! Canada's can't even begin to do it justice, it is fresh, not bitter, not overly salted here. There is still a crisp sound when biting into the stem of the cabbage, a sour from the fresh vinegar still marinating. Not massed produced and just enough red pepper paste that gives it a bit of a kick but doesn't over power the sour distinct taste of all 3 flavors blending. Gwangju is rightfully known as the Kimchi capital of Korea. In November there is a kimchi festival..hello heartburn lol
P.S. Planning a September Thailand/Taiwan getaway… stay tuned :D
No comments:
Post a Comment