It's really strange to be a native to a country where you look like a foreigner, and to be a foreigner in a country where you look like everyone else. It's even more hilarious when the natives ask the foreigner for directions. I've gotten really good at making that confused I'm-not-from-here-even-though-I-look-like-I-Am look and saying, "모르겠습니다." [Translation: Dunno]
On Tuesday, I ate lunch with my family at a restaurant that serves a meal called Han Jung-Shik aka the Never Ending Meal. Seriously, I only eat well with my relatives. [Oh, and I can only afford to eat fruit with relatives. You Californians that can get a gigantic box of cherries at Costco for $8 ... take advantage of it for me, because here, a small bag of cherries costs nearly $20. Not joking.]
Okay so back to my story, the meal consisted of 8 banchan (side-dishes) style dishes that came out in waves. I think in total there must have been close to 40 dishes - small dishes, but nevertheless, 40 dishes. And at the end, rice and soup came out. It was excellent. :) And it was nice to have most of my mom's side of the family (in Seoul) together... Grandma, Grandpa, 2 Aunts, 2 Uncles, and 4 cousins. My next good meal should be sometime next week, when my aunt visits from LA. We're all supposed to go for Japanese buffet, much to the delight of my younger, growing boy cousins.
I LOVE having a big family. I wish it was like this all the time. :(
School is ...whatever. It could be much better, but the explanation behind that would probably require a dissertation on Korean culture and it's negative effects on the Korean educational system. I won't even go there. I'll just end up getting grumpy.
