A Letter for You: April 2015

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

School lunch

Dear Mom and Dad,

     I'm sure you've heard in the news about the whole national school lunch debate etc, etc. Well, I thought I'd add my 2 cents and show some pictures of my school lunches here. I eat my lunch at school and I will say it is quite good. At least, if you like Korean food or trying new things, which I do. Maybe it's not for everyone and that's fine, but the lunches here are filling and satisfying. You don't go hungry, if you eat. And, at least in elementary school, you can get seconds. In middle school you serve yourself most things and so you take what you want the first time. Although there are some who definitely head back when their favorites are served. ^^

     That being said, there is this one observation. The amount of food that is thrown away really is staggering. Students, usually in the middle school, (and teachers) who take (or are served) massive amounts of food and can't finish it, or (because of certain expectations) take food that they really don't want just to avoid comment, cause an enormous amount of waste. However, there is never any complaint about not getting enough to eat. And the majority of the food is cooked on site, or purchased fresh/freshly made. Also, most of the rice is not just plain rice but often has other grains mixed in. Black or brown rice, beans, barley and other grains are most common.

   All lunches consist of rice, soup, and kimchi of some kind, plus three or four 반찬- banchan, or side dishes.    Delish!! Ok, here goes some pictures!

top left clw: spicy pork, spinach with seaweed, kimchi, apple,samgyetang (chicken and ginger soup) and rice

top left clw: samgyup (pork belly) spicy eggplant, kimchi, soy sauce boiled potatoes, spicy radish and bean sprout soup, rice

top left clw: spicy stewed fish with radish, smoked duck, kimchi, sugared tomato, squash leaf and tofu soup, rice

top left clw: galbi (pork rib) spicy steamed broccoli, kimchi, boiled potato, spicy nakji (octopus) and radish soup, rice

Spring and Cherry blossoms!

Dear Mom and Dad!

Spring is here! At last! It's been a cold winter here, although I know it doesn't compare to the winter that you guys had. But still, cold is cold and I'm not a fan! So when the cherry blossoms (벚꽃 ~ bot kote) and and plum flowers (매화 ~ maehwa), pears (배 ~ bae) and apples (사과 ~ sagwa) start blooming, I'm a happy camper. And I have a wonderful Korean friend who feels the same way. She visits my city on the weekends and we'll jump in her car and go for a drive through the country side to check out the flowers in spring time. When we started it was a little too early, but we've gone every week since and have gotten to see some really fantastic views all over the south western half of Korea. It even seemed that on some days we could actually see the flowers blooming throughout the day!

And pictures too! Lots and lots of pictures. It seems that all of Korea comes out to see the flowers at their height and impromptu festivals pop up in towns all over the country following the blooming season as it creeps north. Traffic jams for flowers! I can think of no better reason for a traffic jam! We had great times; some days overcast, some sunny, some cool and windy, some rather warm, but they were all fun! And even better with great company along the way. We would pack a picnic lunch and stop along the way, enjoying the fresh air and chatting about anything and everything. And as the plums faded, then came the cherries; and as the cherries faded then came the azaleas. This time of year for a little over a month, Korea is splashed with color from delicate white and pink, to vibrant rose and fuchsia, with dots of yellow forsythia all over. I love spring! It's almost as if Mother Nature is apologizing for her bad behavior and promising she'll behave for a while. At least until summertime!! Here are some of the pictures we've taken this spring! Enjoy!