Struggles: Enemy #1

2015.2.24

Probably my biggest struggle so far in Korea is getting food. It was after 4pm my first day in Korea and I’d just gone through the struggle of exchanging my US dollars to Korean won (embarrassing myself because I’d never exchanged money before and didn’t know I’d need my passport, so I had to go back and get it..). So I was hungry you know? But I was alone, didn’t really know the area, and was really out of practice listening/speaking Korean. Even so.. a girl has got to eat! There was an area with some shops and I was looking through the glass at the food prices and found a place I thought I’d try.

You’re not going to believe this but.. I didn’t know how to open the door to get inside >.> In the US, big glass doors normally have sensors that open once you walk up to it, or they have handles that you obviously use to push/pull the door. These doors had neither. There I was, standing alone like an idiot, exasperated because I can’t even open a door LOL the moment is too ridiculous. I had to do something though! So I decided to just push the door to see what happens. Praise the Lord I accidentally ended up pressing this vertical rectangular button. This button ladies and gents, opens the door. *commence singing of angels*

Now I’m in the place, but the adventure had just begun. I now had to speak, in Korean, to a native Korean. Great. I clumsily was able to order some food and get out of the public in one piece.

Ordered 팟죽 [red bean porridge] and got a side of 식혜 [a sweet rice drink]

Dinner was a whole other story. I’d returned to Sinchon from HongDae [홍대: one subway stop away from where I live] with my teaching assistant’s brother. He helped me get a few things I needed, including my blanket. I didn’t plan to buy such a nice blanket, but now I have something I definitely need to ship home because it was too nice and too expensive to just leave here when the semester is over.

Anyway, did you ever know ordering food could be so intimidating? I sure didn’t. First, I have to figure out which restaurant I want to enter (when most of the time I’m not sure what they sell). Second, it’s not part of Korean culture to eat alone (most dishes you order here are actually made for two or more people). Third, I have to speak Korean to native speakers (honestly, my Korean is not that good and having a 2 month break from class didn’t help me. and did I mention I’m white? the whole room knows when a foreigner walks in). I was honestly so nervous that I opted for street food because it was outside and the tent was empty except for the lady cooking. She was generally nice and I could recognize the food and was able to order what I wanted. Too bad I have to eat every day more than one time a day.. *sigh* Hopefully this will get easier as time goes on!

nomnomnom I had 떡복이 [spicy rice cake] and 만두 [dumplings]!

Until next time,

Kate