First Hwesik

While I became well-respected at the school I have just left, my early days there were less than promising; for example, my welcoming hwesik (roughly, business dinner) was about two weeks in. And we had boiled octopus, even though I made it clear to my handler that's one of just a few foods I don't like. By contrast, my new school had a delicious hwesik for me last Thursday--my first day.


A pork restaurant, just about my favorite, with three varieties, expertly tended by dudes in funny hats. Turns out, it was "Christmas in August".


Now some food pr0n:


We did go to e-cha (second round), a quirky place nearby, which had three things on the menu: French fries, fried cheese sticks, and beer.


Yep. Potato House.

Anyway, I was informed this was "man's dinner", and all ten of the male employees came out (except the principal--who is leaving) and most of them made it to Gamja jib. I feel well-welcomed to Geumyang-cho!

Street Scenes XIV: My New Neighborhood

I took up residence this week in a postage stamp of a place at Hyochang Park, immediately adjacent to Sookmyung Women's University. So far, my new school seems great (stay tuned for more later), and I went wandering for a bit in the cooler weather of Saturday. Here are some things I saw:


That last pic above is a pedestrian tunnel on the way to Sookdae station on line 4. My nearest station, though, is Hyochang Park on line 6--where the odd motorcycle was. It is three stops from Itaewon, where I took the photo below of Yongsan (meaning: dragon hill) as clear as I've ever seen it from Seoul Pub.