Short Shorts

Supermarket Sweep

Well, almost... I did win some fried chicken... :) I was shopping at E-Mart (kinda like a Korean Wal-Mart but smaller) with Mi Hyang and her children when they pulled me away from the hamper aisle, dragged me across the store, and stuck me in line for some shopping games. With close to 50 people watching my every move, I was set before two climatic challenges: horse shoe toss and darts. I failed pitifully at the horse shoes but did well enough with the darts to win 4th place! Woohoo! Looks like chicken for dinner!

Raising the Titanic

I finally purchase a swim membership after pining for one all last month and today was my first day swimming. Now, I've always considered myself a decent swimmer but I realized this morning that perhaps this ship was meant to sink. I felt like such a fool. Even the old ladies were swimming laps around me! An hour later, sopping wet, fatigued, and completely dehydrated, I hung my head in shame and made my way towards the exit, focusing on the only redeeming aspect of my swimming adventure: I did purchase the membership on my own without any Korean teacher's help. Maybe tomorrow will be better.

Are those magic mushrooms?

Mi Hyang woke me up at 4:00 AM Sunday and took me to the mountains to go pick mushrooms. Apparently there are these special mushrooms that grow in our region and are really expensive--like $30-$70 each--and Mi Hyang wanted to go pick some. She said that we had to go early in order to beat the other mushroom hunters. I really wasn't so excited about digging through mulch in the dark, looking for mushrooms when I don't even eat them, but I went along because I realize there are somethings you just have to do in order to assimilate to new cultures... The things I do to fit in... Good thing they knew what they were looking for because I sure didn't. The only mushrooms I found were bad ones. Mi Hyang told me that if you eat them, you'll die. Nice, huh? It wasn't until after we climbed the mountain in the dark and rain that Mi Hyang told me there is probably only 10 mushrooms on the whole mountain... argh. I wouldn't have gone had I known our odds weren't favorable. Eventually Mi Hyang and I gave up the search, sat on a rock, and talked about boys instead. :) She's hilarious. I just love her. Her husband and his friends wandered off somewhere and were out of hearing range, so Mi Hyang and I had to find our own way back--but I did most of the work. Mi Hyang was completely lost. Good thing I have a great sense of direction. We climbed that mountain in the dark and I still found our way back--without flashlights even! I'm so proud of myself.

Friends of a Feather

I've finally started making friends outside of my co-teachers and the other foreigners. I've been officially invited to join the Muchang Cool Club--a group of 20/30-somethings (mostly single and work in some way at Muchang HS) who get together once a month for dinner and drinking. They brought me along Monday night where I found myself the object of much curiosity. I've been sick so I didn't want to eat food and then throw-up later and I really don't drink, which left the others quite confused and feeling a little awkward. Koreans pretty much expect you to pig out whenever you get together. Even when I am hungry they tell me I don't eat enough! There were four guys and three girls of which the girls made great conversation partners while the guys tried to push their limits. One man is married and kept putting his head on my shoulder, another guy confessed his love for me, and still another offered to shake my hand while gazing lovingly at me and then refused to give me back my hand. It's been rumored online that Korean men don't like American women... I think I have to oppose that. Western women watch out!! A couple more drinks and I'm sure I would have had a marriage proposal or two!