I've been pretty busy over the holidays, so I apologize for not posting my activities as quickly as usual. Christmas in Korea is not celebrated by Koreans like we do back home. It is merely a 1 day vacation where families usually go to church together and that's about it. They may have dinner together, but gift exchange isn't popular, and neither are a lot of the traditions like back home ie; baking cookies, playing games, making hot chocolate, decorating the tree, etc.
Snow in Sanbon!
Christmas Eve was a normal workday and I've just been showing movies in class since it is the end of the year and the students have an attention spans of a gnats.
For Christmas Eve dinner, Hwayoung and I met with friends at a popular restaurant called Gecko's in the Itaewon section of Seoul. Itaewon (being a popular place for westerners due to the military base close-by) has a lot of restaurants that cater to foreigners. We had bought tickets for an all-you-can-eat Christmas buffet dinner. It was really well done, and we were lucky that basically no one else took advantage of the advertisement for the party. We had the whole buffet to ourselves! Naturally, we overdid it with the portions. They had everything I could ask for: Turkey, chicken, steak, gravy, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, pasta, grilled veggies, sausages, sauerkraut, salmon, salad, chili, pies and cakes. A fat kids dream!
Christmas Eve Dinner at Gecko's
On Christmas Day Hwayoung and I exchanged gifts. She got me a wonderful shirt (which actually fits me), and I got her a scarf along with some other small gifts that have special meaning to us. Socks - because her feet are always cold. Roasted Peanuts - one of her favorite snacks. Green tea - her favorite drink. and Jeju Island Chocolates - her weakness (like most women!)
Our gifts... and Hwayoung's first Christmas gift EVER!
I didn't make plans for Christmas Day so we decided to go ice-skating and see the Seoul Light Festival near city hall in Gwanghwamun Square. When we arrived, it started to snow! It was also blistering windy as well as over-crowded. I imagine the experience would have just been people running into on another on a cold, dark, sheet of ice with sharp blades on their feet! I'm kind of glad we didn't do it.
That night I called home to wake everyone up bright and early (since we're 14 hours ahead, it was very very early on the 26th for me). My family enjoyed the gifts I sent home and thanks to Skype, I got to see that they had about a foot if snow covering the front yard. Nothing beats a white Christmas!
On Saturday, Hwayoung and I hosted a Christmas Day +1 Pot Luck Party for a bunch of friends. We cooked all morning making Korean dishes such as Pajeon (Onion Pancake) and Japchae (A delicious noodle dish), I also made fajitas and deviled eggs. We enjoyed other good food and drinks (except due to lasek surgey I shouldn't drink until next week). We finished the night by going to a club in nearby Anyang for drinks and dancing.
Binah and Chang - 2 of Hwayoungs friends
I miss being home around holidays. Seeing family is now a treat rather than an obligation, which I think I'm beginning to appreciate more now that I'm so far away.. Don't get ahead of yourselves..... that doesn't mean I want to see you everyday!!
Happy Holidays!
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