Content in Court!

I have to admit that I am a curiously busy creature. Taekwondo, Music, Soccer, UNESCO presentations, avid reading, blogging, attempts at learning foreign languages, struggling to write a decent children's book in time before the coming millennium, and not to mention my job, are all activities that I partake in with some frequency during my weekly routine. Sometimes I marvel at the fact that I am able to eat-and sleep to boot! Yet, Despite my ability to survive under these relatively hectic circumstances, I must emphasize that it comes with some difficulty.


Oftentimes I will have the notion that what I am doing is rewarding, and my actions are helping me grow as a human. Moreover I find that all of the activities I do are endearing, and the mere actions of doing these things are gratifying. Who wouldn't like to to learn a martial art? What person would frown upon the good, honest exercise of kicking a soccer ball around? Wouldn't any normal person want to get that book idea on paper? Maybe my music, and blogging makes me a bit of a narcissist, but nonetheless I enjoy it and therefore continue with it. The only hurdle I face week in and week out of doing all of the things I enjoy of course is the hurdle of time. Time is one of life's great enemy's.


Since there is only so much of this precious thing called time, which Warren Buffet couldn't even afford to purchase, then we need to make the most of it. In order to do the things we want in life, we initially need to be ace time managers. It isn't easy for anyone, especially someone like myself-who also believes excess sleep is a healthy pursuit that should also be practiced by everyone. In addition I also believe in taking the time to eat at least one decent meal in a day. For this reason alone; it's good that I live in Korea. Now you might turn your nose up and say tut tut at what I am about to impart to you, but in Korea they actually have really tasty food courts, which offer cheap, healthy options.


From many years of experience of being an American, I have learned that one of the quintessential things about life in America is that there is a readily available supply of convenient cheap food. Like Koreans, American lives are proven to be just as busy, if not busier. So to attempt to shave off a few minutes, many of us Yanks will eat greasy fast food. It's the same cheap, greasy fast food that is offered daily at countless food courts across America. If you venture to a shopping mall in America you will see for yourself the array of time saving, calorie adding options that are readily available. Hot dogs on sticks with french fries, pizza slices with enough grease to clog several arteries, fried chicken, with fried cheesy sticks, and even more fried, cheesy type dishes. Despite the fact that this stuff ironically tastes pretty darn good, I think it is no secret that if you eat this kind of garbage every day, it will kill you. What's the use of saving time, if you are going to spend those remaining days in a hospital bed? Coincidentally, in Korea, their food courts have healthy time saving options. You'll spend more time doing the things you want, while eating quick healthy meals.



For example, at Kim's Club, which is conveniently located next to my apartment building, offers at least three or four dishes where the majority of the calories will be in the rice. In less than five minutes you can have a semi-spicy kinchi jigae (which is like a kimchi stew) for less than four dollars. You could also enjoy a semi-sweet bulgogi stew, which is like a beef stew. If you like spicy, or even really frigging spicy, sample the fiery tofu stew at about the same price. By the way your eyes aren't deceiving you. I really did say tofu. Tofu is astonishingly healthy, and it's readily available in many dishes in all food courts across Korea.



In Suncheon, I can immediately name four establishments that have food courts. It's not a large city, but there are plenty of dining options. Kim's Club is my top choice because it's the most accessible to me, and moreover I think the industrious cooks there give more of a personal touch to the dishes. Kim's Club is smaller and is frequented by less customers. Home Plus, E-Mart, and Home Ever all have food courts as well, but are busier, so the cooks there seem to just lash out meals faster with out paying too much attention to the details. Anyway, Each food court does has it's own unique atmosphere, yet the bottom line; like any food court is to save time. So if you come to Korea, and you find yourself in a food court here's some tips to make your order more successful.



First of all, you won't be approached by a waiter. This is fast food rules, so if you can't wait, no one will wait on you. You have to go to the main counter, which is usually located in front of where the informal seating area is. There is a large array of convenient displays of all the food dishes that offer help for anyone unable to read in Hangul. Once you have made your selection point at your dish, hand over your money and keep your receipt. The clerk will then inform you where to pick up your food. There are usually four or five restaurants in the food court area, and each one prepares a different style of food. On your receipt will be a little number. This will be the number of your order. Once your number comes up, go over and retrieve your food. Remember to say thank you too to the gracious hardworking woman who prepared it. If you get thirsty, just grab a metal cup from the water cooler, and pour yourself all the water you can drink. You'll need it, if the food's spicy.



So if you are a busy soul like myself, and you feel like you are always running from one point to another, remember that eating fast food indeed will save time. A stitch in time does save nine, but a stitch in time eating unhealthy fast food will require stitches to re-attach your broken buttons. If you aren't in Korea, and you are lured by unhealthy food courts then for your own health resist the temptation and find a supermarket.

A Harvest Moon

When I crawled out of bed from an uninterrupted twelve hour slumber on Sunday morning, I realized that the day seemed curiously silent. Despite the fact that Suncheon is a relatively small Korean city, it can be as noisy and as bustling as any large Western city. This is because Korea is simply full of life. Suncehon is like any other Korean city; that is, it's full of buzz twenty four hours a day. Cars like to toot their horns freely at all hours, sellers like to announce their products on giant loud speakers in the wee morning hours, and even a few late night revelers add to a normal mix of the outside atmosphere that deprives me of my beauty sleep. I have to say I was a little taken aback that I got so much sleep. I took a minute to make some coffee to wake myself up. Then I enjoyed the peace and quiet, and realized that this day was so quiet because it was Chuseok. For those of you not living here, Chuseok is a holiday.

It's celebrated during the full moon in the eighth month of the Korean lunar calendar. The holiday is actually observed for three days, but the first day is the most celebrated. Koreans typically travel to their hometowns and reunite with their families. Then they all travel to their ancestors' graves, which are giant mounds built on top of the earth, and then covered in grass. This is done in the morning. The family then brings out food as an offering to the deceased, after they bow and pay their respects. The families might picnic at the site as well, and later will pitch in to help tidy up the area around the grave site.

After this the family will return home and enjoy a feast. Chuseok is also sort of a harvest holiday. With most things in Korea food is important, and with a harvest holiday on top of everything, food is even more vital. The quintessential food is Song peon, which is a Korean style rice cake. These take hours to make, but are very tasty. They have a gummy texture to them, which might be strange for any newbie to Korea, but if you've lived here as long as an old pro like myself then they are appreciated. Moreover, Korea used to be a really poor country, so this was one time where people would enjoy food that they might not have had the luxury to taste at another time. These days, the country is economically stable, but regardless a nice meat dish would typically be served as well as some glass noodles, with plenty of spicy side dishes. In the evening Koreans might also take a walk to enjoy the harvest moon shining in the sky.

I think it's a nice holiday to have. It's essentially a day to honor deceased family members, and to celebrate the harvest in one holiday. Also, It's a time for overworked Koreans to take a break from their busy lives and see their families, as well as old friends. The bottom line is that this holiday is about family; living and dead. After they pay their respects, Koreans will have the next day off too. Which is splendid, because it gives them a little extra time to enjoy being together with their families before they fight the traffic back to their residential town.

I am trying to recall if we have any similar holiday in America, and I must admit, I am drawing a blank. We honor our country, God, fathers, mothers, soldiers, teachers, civil rights leaders, presidents, etc, but do Americans have a holiday to honor our families, the people that biologically made us? It would be nice to have one of these days too. Not to get too sidetracked, but I think we can have our own little Chuseok in America too, and it might even go over well.

One thing that I would enjoy at least would be the obvious; having a Monday off work. Who doesn't appreciate a work-less Monday? Doesn't everyone want another day where one isn't required to be someplace at a specific time, or have to face up to consequences. Who wouldn't like another Monday where you didn't need to worry about shaving and wearing a wrinkled shirt? Who wouldn't mind seeing a friend or family member over a long lunch, instead of looking at your watch while inhaling an Arby's Chicken Sandwich before getting back to the office? Regardless, I will tell you what I think. Time might be money, but time spent with friends and family is like gold, and we all could use a little time for that.

Koreans do Chicken Better

If you are an American, then of course you are aware that KFC says they do chicken right. Their crispy, greasy chicken has even exported itself to various other parts of the world as well. At least we know they do capitalism right. These days Colonel Sanders, has become a ubiquitous fast food symbol internationally. When I lived in the Czech Republic, the fast food franchise was cleaning up by opening up a group of restaurants along metro stops in Prague. A couple years later, when I came to Korea I noticed KFC is even making dents in larger cities like Seoul and Gwangju. Nowadays, in my opinion it's a pity. Despite the fact that I can occasionally grab a chicken sandwich(which means a meal with actual bread,) I have to say KFC pales in comparison to the plethora of chicken establishments that exist in every town in South Korea.

It might not sound too appealing to hear that Korea has a lot of chicken restaurants. I understand chicken isn't that important. It isn't always healthy either. In these health conscious, calorie counting times, chicken might not be the most attractive thing to write about. What is interesting for me though, is that one king-size box of chicken in Korea at fourteen dollars can stuff two extremely hungry people beyond capacity. It gets even better too. You can order fried, grilled, boneless, wings, legs, or thighs. In addition, you get a selection of delicious sauces, that KFC will never match. It's making me hungry already.

After you get your chicken, you will also notice that you will get a nice selection of side dishes too; usually a few radishes, and if you're lucky ice-cream, or a bottle of Pepsi. It's always nice to receive something extra for free. If you order chicken, like most things you order in Korea, there will always be something extra. My three favorite establishments are Gupne Chicken, NE Ne(which means YES YES,) Chicken, and Mexican chicken. Gupne specializes in grilled chicken, and they always give you free Pepsi. NE NE gives you ice-cream, and a huge selection of sauces, and finally Mexican Chicken will test your spice tolerance.

To test the popularity of chicken with Koreans, I have asked many of my students which they prefer; chicken, or pizza. What high school student doesn't like pizza? I can tell you all of my students will happily devour pizza. They have no problem eating cheesy crust slices at Pizza Hut or Mr. Pizza. However, if they have to choose, they wouldn't even think twice of ordering chicken. I think they unanimously chose chicken. For your information, I have over a six hundred students. That's a lot of chicken.

We all know it isn't healthy. Vegetarians aside (sorry if I offend any of you,) who doesn't like eating chicken? I guess a little is okay, right? The problem with me though, is that I have my top three chicken restaurant numbers saved in my phone. Each place has caller Id too, so they know where I live and where to deliver. So my situation can be dangerous. It's not just me though, because it's no secret that Koreans do pretty decent chicken.