Amy's Audacious Adventures: A new surprise every day...

No one can accuse the Koreans (at least those that I have had the pleasure of coming in contact with) of being stingy. Thus far on both trips to the market I have been given something. The first trip was a 3 pack of Kleenex Tissue (the big boxes too!) and a tube (for lack of better word) of bean curd (which I will not likely eat...). Annie, as I have mentioned previously, bought me plenty of groceries and items for my house before I even arrived as well as a house plant and continuously bringing me items from her house. She even made rice cakes for me upon my welcome. These are not the rice cakes us Americans are used to, they are made with (quite obviously) rice and red beans. They are almost rubbery in texture and lack in taste... very bland, but the gesture was so very nice. Not to mention the party she gave me yesterday. Today I was given some "pastries" by one of the other ladies in my office.

Garlic Biscuit

For those not following me on Facebook, you missed out on a couple of my more fun posts of today. One being lunch we had today. The usual items which come as no surprise: Kimchi (there are oodles of different types), rice, a dish of some sort and a broth/stew with fish of some sort. The biggest laugh (to me anyway) came when I was served spaghetti with red sauce. Really? REAAALLYYY?! Spaghetti?! Wow, yeah ok sure why not. the fact that I bought pasta and Ragu/ Prego yesterday just made it that much funnier to me. Oh right, did I mention that I had to eat it with chopsticks??? Yeah... CHOPSTICKS! And I didn't spill ONE drop! Trust me I am impressed with myself. ;) It was actually pretty tasty though much sweeter than what I am used to and a nice bit of spicy heat. Then there was this odd garlic biscuit thing that tasted as though it had been doused in powdered sugar and garlic... I tossed it.

Again all of the birthday wishes were wonderful. Thank you to everyone. It really does help knowing that half a world away (quite literally) ya'll are thinking of me. Today was my first walk to and from school. I believe the temp as I was walking home was right around 85f and such a dry heat too.... That is said with as much sarcasm as sweat from every fiber of my being... Never had a better cold shower. I have a feeling that I will be experiencing quite a few of those! haha :)

Don't get me wrong, I am not being negative, just passing along the experiences I am having. Even today I had students coming up to me saying happy birthday. One truly does feel like a celebrity as a Westerner here. As I was walking home, the boys from the school across the road from my school were hanging out and about a dozen surrounded me saying hello, asking where I was from, and trying to use as much English as they could. It really impresses me that these people try so hard to learn about us (again over generalization, just the people I have been in contact with and seems to hold true for many others in my position.)

On a sad note, BAB left my apartment today... I hope he makes it out there. lol :P

Cheers to you my friends and family. I love you all!