Cheonan, Korea Rep.

Happy Easter everyone!

I’ve spent my morning cleaning this place…I have cleaned inside the fridge and put the deodoriser in there and it still smells – any tips? I’m sure there is something to do with bicarb that takes fridge smells away? The cupboards are also all clean now so I can start arranging my stuff properly. Yonok kindly donated some plates, bowls, cups etc. to me so I have some more things.

Shopping for cutlery was quite a difficult thing and something I hadn’t anticipated. You don’t get sets of knives, forks, spoons & teaspoons here! I was lucky enough to find one pack containing a knife, fork and spoon at E-mart. The only “cutlery” sets they sell here are made up of metal chopsticks and spoons. They also have chopsticks for babies which are SO clever and so cute! They have little hoops to put their fingers in and are connected at the top so you just push them together. Apparently it is a 3-step system where the child learns first with 3 fingers, then 2, then only 1 in the hoop and eventually can use grown up chopsticks.

I have to put in the “directions” on my steak knife & fork set for your reading pleasure J

1. Make full use of these knives and folks in a pair set in the open air.

2. This article is a sharp-edged tool. The great care must be taken in handling. You may get hurt or it may invite physical damage.

3. This article is used to slice and stick into steak. Don’t use for another purpose.

4. Do not touch the edge of a knife and top of a folk with hand and finger.

5. Keep away from the fire. It may suffer a burn and deform.

6. One of the rivets of this handle is riveted in, but others are only for decorating. Don’t use by force. It may damage or you may get hurt.

There were 2 inventions that I found really funny. One is a pair of slippers with mop material underneath so you can wear them and mop with your feet! The other was a round rubber ring (like the brim of a wide-brimmed hat) which you put on your baby’s head when it gets shampooed and all the foam stays on top and doesn’t go in their eyes. The picture on the front is the funniest thing! Apparently they really do use them too.

What a stroke of luck it was meeting Joel at the traffic lights yesterday! I went to the language exchange tonight at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and met quite a few other people. Some are foreigners like me and others are Koreans who want to practice their conversational English. Everyone who I have come into contact with so far has been extremely friendly. One of the girls, Juliet, is going to lend me her Korean for beginners book which they all say is the best one. A Korean guy, Wonkyung, recommended some good banks and cell phone companies for when I eventually get my ARC. Another girl gave me some good websites to look at, including one where you can watch Korean drama TV with English subtitles. She says it’s a good way to learn! The only downer was the coffee (I managed to order it at the counter – up until now I have been too scared to) which was disgusting. I’m not a coffee drinker at the best of times but they don’t give you milk here, so it was even more horrible than usual!

Afterwards Joel took me to the bookshop and showed me the English section. Then he took me off the main street into the narrow, vibrant, crowded little back roads. I loved them! They have such an amazing vibe. There are so many people, even late at night, and all the shops are open. Then the best bit: we went for dinner at this little “restaurant” thing on the side of the road. I can’t remember what they are called and of course still have no camera so couldn’t take a photo. Basically it’s a little stall made cosy by having four plastic side walls like you have on a caravan tent. There’s a small entrance on the side and a row of stools at a counter, facing the owners/chefs, a husband and wife team. They cook a small selection of things in front of you, mostly deep fried, battered stuff, which you eat by spearing with a toothpick. They are hooked up to electricity so they have a fridge and a TV in there and watch the soaps while they cook for you. They were so friendly too, I only wish I could converse with them! I am definitely going to make an effort to learn Korean!