Immediately, Alex and the rest of the team, along with myself ventured a block or so from campus to a restaurant called, " Paris Baguette". This particular bakery is considered gourmet, now if you realized that this word has been absolutely slaughtered in modern day business. I walked into this place being slightly reluctant, most likely due to the fact that my parsimoniousness has been being slowly dismantled. For starters, in order to gain access to this establishment, one must levitate your hand in front of a sensor attached to the door, then as if some covert communication had occurred, the doors slide fluidly open. Upon entering one gets inundated with the thick aroma of pastries. Three small baguettes lined my post flight stomach, and held like a dam. The title gourmet is a staple to a restaurant-or at least should be-and Paris Baguette lived up to every inch of credibility that is associated with such a claim. Though the marketing visage was a bit pretentious, the food spoke for itself.
After the team spoke about teaching options for about half an hour,we packed our bags and left the overly modern dormitory and made for Game Science High School. I was very impressed upon by the amicability of the Korean people. We met up with our coordinator Scott, and made for the mountains. The cliffs slowly began to chisel their way into the clouds, sticking their vert noses upward, swallowing the humid air in branches. A handful of precipices overtly hung precariously among the dense greenery, accenting the even brighter blue sky.
We drove directly to the restaurant our team was waiting for us at. I tried my first bowl of authentic bimbimbop, and yes it is actually called, bimbumbop. I assure you, it tastes better than it sounds
Above: Bimbimbop, composed of eggs, rice, seaweed, bean sprouts, red-bean paste, and other products from the JeonJu Province in South Korea
I met the rest of my team, and since that moment, my anxiety and worries have been disappearing by the hour. As we walked into this little hut of a restaurant, we sat down cross legged on the patterned cushions laid out for us and began to indulge. A curious part about Korean culture is the fact that it is thought of as disrespectful- and perhaps, in western circles, a lack of tact- to pour your own drink. Also, quite a queer taboo superstition that the Koreans hold to is the notion of blowing ones nose in public. This is regarded as highly disgusting and gross. For me, an avid connoisseur of the fine art of 'nose-blowing', and especially coming off of a slight cold, is highly impossible, and even more so, impractical. As the nasal tunnels are implacable when it comes to the excretion of- and for lack of a better word- snot.
We convened for a short meeting with the team to go over last minute teaching preparations, then as we all were jet-lagged to some extent, made for bed. Here is what the scenery looks like around the school.
Last night as I was attempting to surrender to sleep and almost successfully doing so, I heard a vociferous yelp and a smacking. My fists clenched and I physically felt my pulse quicken its gait. Then there ensued an echoing down the steep concrete steps, and yet another scream. My initiation into the Korean school system was corporeal discipline. I hadn't been that frightened for years, and as I was laying in those awkward sheet, I was ready to defend myself. But after a miniscule amount of time passed, my fists unclenched, and I slipped into sleep, until the morning when the entire school is blasted with Korean Pop though overly powered loud speakers at 7am, sharp.
The mountains are rather elysian, and even more so ethereal. Waking up from a fearful night, and an even more obnoxious morning, looking right outside of our humble lodging is a filling scene of mountains. Beauty is evident everywhere in Korea, whether it be in the swath rows of the fields, or in the panoramic scenery and even still in the warmness of the people. Korea has truly captivated me.
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