Cathianne's Journal:
22 Feb. 2011
Warm Welcome in Kimchi Land
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| Incheon Airport (Google Images) |
The plane touched down at approximately 5:50 am (Philippine time). The temperature was -1 degree. Finally, I touched down to Korea! My new adventure was about to begin!
In Korean time, it was 6:50 am. We had to get our luggages. Micah and I were about to start our Korean culture experience.
After getting our luggages, we met with our schoolmates from UST and waited for Micah's lab mates, the ones assigned to fetch her. I was supposed to go with them. The problem was, My luggages can no longer fit in CC oopa's suv because both Micah and I have extremely heavy and huge maletas! We were told to expect a cold climate and bring clothes for winter, so there...
Good thing, Kurishee was there to accompany me. The weather was really cold (for me) and I was blowing out fog from my mouth. We took the bus going to Cheonan where were going to meet our fellow Thomasian engineers who are studying in Kongju National University. The bus was big and the seats were comfortable. I was able to sleep well during the two-hour trip to Cheonan station.
Just as we got down the bus at Cheonan station, MJ oppa, my fellow lab student, caught up with us. He and Wayne oppa brought us first to Kongju where we had our small "Thomasian-engineers-in-Korea gathering". We met Ate Marla's professor who enthusiastically welcomed us.
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NOTE: Koreans are very particular with addressing those who are older or younger than them to show respect. The term "oppa" means "big or elder brother" for females.
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After a few minutes of chitchats, I had to leave with my lab mates because I had to check in at my temporary room in the dorm inside Korea University in Jochiwon, which is another 1 hour drive from Cheonan.
Upon arrival, MJ oppa gave me a small tour of Korea University and brought me to the dorm where I was given a reservation. The university was breath-taking aside from the cold climate that was giving me goosebumps and a nice feeling about my stay.
Back at the dormitory, we're using key cards! Cool! As I entered the room, all I could say to my mind was "awesome" with the internet cables, tv, two beds, cabinets, heaters, some bottled water and coffee, mini refrigerator, and a neat bathroom with a pair of bathroom slippers! I left all my bags and went to eat lunch with oppa at the nearby cafeteria. The best part of it all was the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf just across the dormitory! Sweet!
Just as my friend advised, they love having things through vendo machines. So indeed, at the caf just before getting our meals, we had to pay at the vendo machine to get our food stab for 3,000krw per person. Not bad cos the food served were kimchi, breaded porkchop with teriyaki sauce, some noodles, seaweed wrap, soup and steamy sticky rice. The meal was just good for my hungry stomach! I had to check out the toilet fast and everything was so clean and neat. Back at the caf, it's a CLAYGO or Clean As You Go system. It's good that they have a system for disposal such that garbages have to be separated from the plates and utensils. The spoons, forks and chopsticks were all metal by the way; and even the cup. There's a water dispenser (hot and cold) at the end of the caf and they have this neat way of collecting the cups just beside the dispensers. Wish I took pictures but I was still dizzy trying to pick up the pace to adjust to this new life! IT'S SO MUCH FUN!
MJ oppa asked me if I wanted to take a cab to the downtown or just walk. Knowing myself, I've always loved walking as much as I can (of course other than to save more, I also wanted to burn all the calories the simple way). At the downtown of Jochiwon, he accompanied me to KB, a local bank, so I can open a local bank account. Good thing indeed that MJ oppa was with me or else my nose would have been bleeding1 all day long cos I know not a single word in the Korean language except "annyong hasseo". That time, I also just learned to say "thank you" / "komhapsupmida". It started to sink in that I have to learn the language fast too! At the bank, I needed oppa to be my translator. Funny thing, I just remembered, it's also oppa's birthday. What an effort to tour a foreign student around on his birthday.=))
1 The term bleeding has been used in the 21st century by Filipinos to mean that they do not understand English or are having a hard time with the English vocabulary. It is also being applied to other foreign languages as well especially Chinese, Japanese and Korean since these languages do not use the typical 26 letters of the alphabet.
After I had opened an account, oppa brought me to a cellphone store and talked with a sales representative. He was told I had to present a certificate (which will be given by next week when classes will start) in order for me to buy a line because I'm a foreign student. So we had to come back next time instead. My Pinoy phone is about to die on me, only hanging onto 1 bar of battery! Oh no...
Sensing oppa got tired of walking, I agreed to finally take the cab with him back to the university. It's just a quick ride indeed. But I still find it fun to walk (as long as the weather is nice like a cold sunny day)... *laughs*
We went to our laboratory where I finally met our senior lab-mate, GJ oppa. He was the oppa who helped me out with my registrations and dormitory reservations while was still in my homeland. I had my own table already with the computer and some office/school supplies. What surprised me were the colored post-its! I'm about to go back to being "O.C." again!
As night fell, we all went out to dinner together. I wasn't sure if it was to celebrate MJ's birthday but it was a cool way to introduce me to their culture -- dinner at an authentic Korean restaurant. I was amazed by the appetizers alone! I thought they were already the main dishes but I kept wondering why the servings were small for a group of 8 guys and an unica???.. There were kimchi, oysters with spicy sauce, seaweeds, crab with spicy sauce, crispy shrimps, and more of which I cannot describe perfectly. The table was definitely FILLED UP. If only they could cover up each space on the table with the bowl of appetizer, they literally would; that's how FILLED UP the table was such that some of the appetizers that were still unfinished had to be taken out by the waitress in order to serve another set of appetizers. How is that for a meal?!
Then came the pork and more spicy sauce. I didn't see them eat the leaves at first cos there were about 3 plates with piles of purely leaves of various types and sizes. I didn't know what to pair it with until one of them gave me a demo by getting a leaf, putting it on his palm, took a pork with the chopsticks and placed it on the leaf, added some spicy sidings on the pork, wrapped the leaf around it all --- and chomped 'em. GJ oppa told me to dip it in the separate orange colored, more spicy looking sauce and so I tried it too. AND I LIKED IT! It would have been better though had I not tasted the fat. Then steaming black rice with some beans and whatelses were served to each one of us. Oh, I just remembered, they didn't serve water. It was cold service tea for the drinks. Weird but I managed anyway. And on the rice, some ate half of 'em and poured service tea on the steaming bowl, which made more steam because the cold tea mixed up with the steaming bowl. And I felt horrified at the sight of my rice being done with the same practice too by my senior! He told me it's the "real appetizer" for Koreans! Weird at sight but I tried again. Rice was eated with spoon by the way. With my spoon, I dipped and took some rice to my mouth and it almost burned my tongue! I had to blow just before eating. Almost lost my appetite for having to blow the heat off but it tasted...well...just ok...manageable...like "lugaw" but watery and less dense with more rough texture on the rice... And to top off the dinner, they served this "appetizer" or what might have tasted like dessert to me because of the familiar sweet, mint-like taste. It sort of had a hint of ginger to it... Anyway, I got FULL tasting almost all of it except for the mushrooms that looked scary to my taste buds...
This ends my first day adventure and now I shall rest here in my cozy haven! I just wish my permanent room will be as cool if not more awesome than this! *wink*
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