Christmas comes to Korea: Part 1

Christmas came and went suddenly.  Leading up to the 25th there were lots of opportunities for me to miss my parents, miss my friends back home, and miss the traditions we had together, but the actual day went by in the blink of an eye (we'll get to that later!).  The holiday is celebrated in Korea as a "couples day".  Since Christianity is not the primary religion, the festivities generally associated with Christmas are seen as romantic.  Koreans love cute little Reindeer antlers, donuts, and sweaters, Santa comes to the hagwons, and the kids learn to sing "Feliz Navidad" (but not always that they're actually singing Spanish!).

A couple of weeks ago I took the slow train up to Seoul and got to check out a few new places that actually led me to take a new job in the city come March, 2016.  We walked from Seoul Station (where I popped my duffel bag in a locker for the afternoon for a mere $3) up to Deoksugung Palace.  It was an incredibly sunny and warm day, and I was over-prepared for the alleged frigid weather of December in Seoul by wearing my Canadian ski jacket.  The palace itself was in the same design as other palaces and temples, and was fairly simple.  It's the kind of place I'd go to read a book in the summer, however it's not the kind of place I'd bring a visitor new to Korea if we had limited time as it's just not impressive enough straight away.  That said, for the $1 admission I'd gladly go again when I have more time.

After checking out the palace, we continued along to Insadong.  We wandered around the area near the palace and found a neighbourhood that didn't feel like Seoul, or Korea, at all!  I told my friend that I felt like we were wandering around an older street in Toronto, and suddenly we happened upon the Canadian Embassy!  I couldn't believe the coincidence of how at home I had felt in that area, and it just felt like kismet to find a beautiful area with a Canadian flag that reminded me so much of home before even seeing the Canadian coat of arms.

I had been told that Insadong was the only place in the world where "Starbucks" was written in another language.  Well, en route we saw one "스타박스", so I snapped a picture. Once in actual Insadong, we found another!  I guess I should research little travel tidbits before I go getting excited (or sharing)!  We we ravenous, so we stopped into one of the many Indian spots and had a wonderful lunch of small plates.  I took no pictures and was completely okay with it!  I'll probably head back there once I move back up to Seoul (ps. I'm moving back up to Seoul March 8th, 2016 - can you believe it?) so I'll blog about it all then!

After lunch and a walk through the artistic community of Insadong we went back to Seoul Station to pick up a friend of mine who had lived in little Hwamyeong-dong but moved up to Suwon in August.  It was so much fun to see her after months of Facebook messages.  We picked up some fruit, snacks, and wine at the LotteMart at Seoul Station (that complex is awesome!) and headed over to the house to relax for a bit before heading out to SANTACON!

Did I forget to tell you about Santacon?  Well, Santacon is a festive event in Seoul and various other cities around the world.  People dress up as Santa (in our case - reindeer because we weren't entirely sure the $5 Santa costumes at Daiso would fit).  We started the night at the Rocky Mountain Tavern, a Canadian-themed bar in Itaewon.  I ordered a Rye and Ginger (with Canadian Club and real Canada Dry Ginger Ale!) and the three of us shared a poutine.  The poutine was...$11 and absolutely atrocious.  Do not order this dish regardless of the Canadian nostalgia factor.  The frozen, McCain-style fries were garbage, and the gravy was just...confusing.  It was peppery and seemed to have a hint of curry.  I mean, we ate it...but it was...not the best.  

After the Rocky Mountain Tavern, we wandered over to the Itaewon venue of Santacon (they started in Hongdae but...we were not prepared to head over there first).  At the Wolfhound, which is eerily the same as the location in Haeundae, we found a number of Santas standing around drinking.  Really...no carols, no games, no Christmas spirit, just drinking in costume.  I really enjoyed seeing the bar all decked out, but there didn't seem to be all that much to SantaCon, so we continued along to The Grand Ole' Opry (a country bar in Itaewon named after the Nashville venue - score!).  Take a peak at the Lonely Planet map, which describes it as: "Bang in the middle of Itaewon's red-light district, this honky-tonk dive bar is an old-school GI hangout and something straight out of a movie. The original owner Mama Kim still works behind the bar and is good for a chat about Itaewon's colourful history. The Star Spangled Banner is played at the stroke of midnight, as it has been here for over 40 years". Having lived in Vancouver, this Canadian loves a good knock-off honky-tonk dive bar, and was not disappointed.  The drinks are cheap, the dancefloor is a decent size, and the servers are diligent.  Sure, it's in an area of town I wouldn't normally check out, but Korea is very, very safe and our group of friends new and old was growing.

After a great night out in Itaewon, we ventured back through the area having a decadent, protein-heavy brunch (again - didn't take pictures, sorry all!) followed by a relaxing afternoon.  By nightfall, I knew I wanted to check out the Christmas lights of Myeongdong.  The subway in Seoul is really convenient, and even though we had to transfer it felt like we went from Noksapyeong to Myeongdong in the blink of an eye.

...because every Christmas tree needs a little Psy. 

We took exit 5 or 6 (sorry...can't remember...there are signs in English everywhere, though!) and stepped out onto the main shopping street in Myeongdong.  There you'll find Western giants like H&M, Zara, and Forever 21 as well as Club Monaco (who knew they had Club Monaco in Korea?) as well as Tommy Hilfiger (Bahama? Not interested...), American Apparel, and Lacoste.  When I came to Korea I knew it would be tough for me to buy clothes.  Now, I'm not so worried about Korean sizing (see...other posts about how eating right, exercising, less stress, and sleep help with losing weight!), but it will be pretty cool to have style and clothes that don't feel like they're straight out of the 90's (or a G-Dragon music video).  Myeongdong is definitely the place to be if you have big feet in Korea or do not fit Korean conventions.

The evening was fairly warm and we walked around for at least a couple of hours.  We poked our head into a Dog Cafe but it just looked really sad.  I have a large, irrational (welll...kind of - let's remember I lived in Toronto where raccoons eat neighbourhood cats for breakfast or even just a late-night snack) fear of raccoons and apparently there are a few raccoon cafes in Hongdae and some other neighbourhoods (Raccoon Blog Post 1, Raccoon Blog Post 2, Raccoon Blog Post 3, Raccoon Blog Post 4, Raccoon Blog Post 5.), so we decided just to grab some of the fantastic street food in the area.  Once you head down the main shopping street, hang a left at the Woori Bank and you'll find a massive street lined with vendors.  There were tons of stops for chicken skewers, waffles, crepes, tteokbokki (rice cakes in a [mildly] spicy sauce), fish cakes, oysters, fruit, and shawarma wraps.  We decided on sharing shawarma (say that ten times fast), a nutella and banana crepe (my inspiration for Christmas morning in Hwamyeong!), and chocolate-covered strawberries.  Our snacks were cheap and delicious and just enhanced the beautiful background of sparkling lights and excited people, Koreans and Waygookins alike.

An early night was in order since I was taking the 5:50 AM Mugunghwa Train from Seoul right back to Hwamyeong Monday morning.  I was sad to say goodbye to what little I've seen of what I'm certain is a fantastic city.  Seoul - I can't wait to get to know you.  

My trip was just too short...

Hagwon Hell to Heaven

So, you didn't read up on living and working in Korea quite enough, you didn't research your school enough, etc. and now you're in a new country without a job or a place to live.  Great.  First things first: PANIC.

You're going to panic whether Dr. Kate tells you to or not.  If you have a place to stay (hotel, love motel, friend's place) then go there and have your freak out.  It won't help you to be crying in public in a new place where nobody can or will make sure you're okay.  Once you've gotten the initial shock out of your system, there are a few things you'll want to remember:

1. You're not alone.  This has happened before and it will happen again.

2. You have options.  You're already in the country, you already have an E2 visa (Teacher's visa - you can transfer your visa to a new school and you won't have to get new paperwork), and you have 14 days in which to find a new job.  This will be rushed, but since you're physically available to go on interviews you'll have a better chance of choosing a good school and seeing where you'll actually be living and working.

3. This is an opportunity.  Would you have wanted to work for a bad school for an entire year?  I doubt it.  If you can make it through the first 6 months it's always better to avoid financial penalties of breaking a contract, but you may have dodged a bigger bullet.  If your Hagwon Horror story has occurred during your first 6 months definitely check out your options with LOFT: Legal Office for Foreign Teachers.

4. GET YOUR LETTER OF RELEASE - this is a biggie!  Your school owns your E2 visa, so unless you get your LOR you're not going to be able to work anywhere else.  You can transfer to a D10 visa if you think you'll need longer than 14 days to find new work.  Unless you have a letter of release (or an immigration officer who takes great pity on you) you're not finding a new job.

Once the shock wears off and you've stopped considering packing up and going home, get your resume ready.  Write a new cover letter stating that you're already in the country and are ready to work immediately.  There are tons of jobs listed on Koreabridge and Dave's ESL Cafe, so email out your resume and cover letter to every posting that sounds even remotely good.  You can start judging when you've got an interview.  Don't be afraid to work with new recruiters or entertain multiple schools.  You have to look out for yourself!

There are tons of fantastic private academies (hagwons) in Korea, you just need to know where to look!  I'm definitely lucky with my school and my contract.  What you need to remember is that in every job there will be things that are not ideal.  Sure, there are more risks involved with choosing the hagwon system over public schools, but in my opinion more often than not these risks can have great rewards!

Do you have a Hagwon Horror story to share?  Tell us all the gruesome details in the comments below!

Weekend Warriors: Haeundae Smokehouse

Most people who know me would tell you I value a lazy Saturday or Sunday Funday full of sparkling conversation over a fantastic brunch, bubbles included (of course!).  In Busan, a traditional Eggs Benedict isn't exactly tough to find, but one that's done well certainly can be.

My first eggsperience was at an establishment in Gwangan which shall remain unnamed.  Unfortunately, not everyone knows how to perfectly poach an egg, and when I cut into my benny the egg whites were still clear in the middle.  After that startling experience, and the often (but not always!) lackluster continuation of getting salad at brunch spots (for fear of cold or uncooked eggs), I was told about Haeundae Smokehouse.  I had heard about it before, but having seen some photos on their Facebook page and after my friend said she had had "The Best Brunch in Busan" (even with a 2 hour wait for food!),  I knew I had to check it out.

Haeundae Smokehouse in Pale de CZ isn't tough to find if you know what you're looking for, but sadly...we didn't.  The Facebook page uses here.com which doesn't work well on mobile phones and doesn't seem to recognize any of the streets in Busan.  We ended up asking for directions and were told that we literally had just passed it.  Click on the Google Map photo I've included or this link for directions.  The restaurant ambiance is comfortable and quaint - it's a tiny restaurant, but they've managed to squeeze quite a few seats in.  One of the owners is also a florist, so the decor is very tasteful and modern.  Sitting at the bar isn't a problem - there's plenty of table space and the stools are noticeably comfortable.

Saturday mimosas! 2 for 1 @ KRW 6,000

We had been warned prior to our arrival (again - via their active Facebook page) that they were just working out the kinks of brunch service.  I expected the food to be slow, but didn't expect to be sitting at a bar drinking mimosas and being fed nibbles of corn bread, pulled pork, fresh mini rolls, and fruit salad before our vegetarian brunch dishes would arrive (uhh...score!).  In that time, we were able to chat with the owners (who have a wicked sense of hospitality - I'm not sure they knew they'd get so popular so fast!) and taste the aforementioned items.  They have a nice selection of Whisk(e)ys so I, of course, had my first Bulleit Bourbon in over 10 months and was a happy camper, indeed!

The fruit salad was a refreshing mix of pineapple wedges, apple slices, and pomegranate seeds - a welcome addition (loved the crunch factor).  The mini rolls were pretty standard, and the cornbread was a tiny bit on the dry side.  Since butter isn't exactly up to Western standards here in our wonderful beach town, I'll give that one a pass.  As a side on a dinner entree I think it probably would have soaked up jus or gravy quite well.

Photo c/o Haeundae Smokehouse's Facebook Photo Stream

You should come here for the pulled pork, if nothing else.  I've said it before and I'll say it again: Pulled Pork became a menu fad in 2008/2009 and has since been a trend at restaurants trying to keep it "hip and fresh" ever since.  This is not the case at Haeundae Smokehouse.  They have really put the "low and slow" mantra to good use.  If their brisket is anything like their pulled pork, then even though Pale de Cz is over an hour away from Hwamyeong, this might end up being my new weekend haunt.  Heck - I might come here for dinner if I can leave work early enough!  The meat has been seasoned to perfection, and the melt in your mouth pieces are tender and juicy.  I would have loved to have seen a Pulled Pork Benny on the menu, or even the option to add it as a side to the Eggs Florentine I ordered.

The Eggs Florentine: I have never had such delightful creamed spinach in all my life.  The secret is in the Camembert cream and the fact that everything is made in house from fresh ingredients (no frozen spinach here!).  With plenty of garlic and onion I was a happy camper.  Hey, I had zero make-out plans...what did I care?  The poached eggs were whipped which created a bit of a hard outer layer I wasn't 100% into as I like my poached eggs pretty classic.  Everyone else I know who has tried them says they'll never be able to go back to regular, unwhipped!  They were each served on top of a hashbrown, which I thought was an interesting choice considering the side of homefries.  I personally would have preferred a lightly toasted English muffin, but again - we're in Busan.  Has anyone even seen English muffins here?

Sam (Expat and the City) opted for the classic Eggs Benedict, which actually weren't all that classic at all since again, the whipped, poached eggs were served on hashbrowns, and caramelized onions (a TON of them) replaced the traditional ham or bacon.  She enjoyed her meal, but I think I had the winner as their Camembert creamed spinach was unbelievable.  Who knew I could ever find an improvement on Hollandaise sauce?

I always go into brunch thinking I'm going to try something different and get the sweet option.  It never changes.  I always end up going the savory route.  While Haeundae Smokehouse has a scrumptious-sounding French Toast (with Bailey's, whipped cream, and maple syrup), "The Mish Mash" sounds more my jam.  With sausage, brisket, potatoes, mish-mashed with scrambled eggs and Hollandaise sauce (can we swap that out for the spinach? *bats eyes awkwardly*), if this heart-attack on a plate lasts through their brunch test phase you know what I'll be ordering.

I'm desperate to check out their dinner menu (the entrees look phenomenal and I'm definitely already craving the bbq brisket panini wrap from the sharing menu!)

All items on the current brunch test menu are KRW 12,000, with 2 for 1 mimosas for KRW 6,000.  Keep your eyes on their Facebook page for notifications on their KRW 16,000 bottomless mimosas, and plan accordingly!

Their hours are listed on Facebook as Tue-Sun: 3:00 pm - 12:00 pm, however on site they have listed Brunch from 11 AM - 3 PM, Happy Hour (or a break as was needed once that Sunday brunch rush had ended!) from 3 PM - 6 PM, Dinner from 6 PM - 9 PM, and finally Late Nite from 9 PM until 12 AM.  What does "Late Nite" entail?  You'll have to wait and see...

Bubbles Shinsegae: Champagne taste. Beer Budget.

After a marvelous day perusing Pale de CZ in Haeundae for brunch (we'll get there - Haeundae Smokehouse needs it's own post), followed by the Andy Warhol Live Exhibit at the Busan Museum of Art, we were ready for an early night in, but weren't quite ready to call it a day.  With the help of our handy-dandy Google Maps, we discovered that while Centum City is a subway stop away, on a mild night it's actually quite a nice walk!

Shinsegae is all dolled up for Christmas.  Walking down the street to the mall it almost felt like we were back in downtown Toronto heading to check out the Christmas specials with windows all dolled up with sparkles and snowflakes...and...Star Wars?

Image c/o @sj0201choi on instagram

Image c/o @Mijungc on instagram

It seems the idea of the upcoming Star Wars movie is keeping all of Busan warm at night, mostly by light-saber and LED rather than tinsel on this year's tree.

Through the hustle and bustle of holiday shoppers we meandered, not really in the hopes of finding anything, but really just to stay out and walk for a bit.

In the underground food court area there's a massive wine shop called "Wine House".  It's incredibly overpriced (I found a bottle for KRW 12,000 that is regularly sold at LotteMart for KRW 5,000), but has a cute little wine bar attached called Bubbles.

My glass of cava was KRW 6,000 and S' champagne lemonade was KRW 5,000.  We sipped while taking a little breather and talking about Christmas and New Years plans when the lovely bartender mentioned they were having a sale on bottles.  We figured it might be nice to have a little bubbly over the holidays so we picked up a bottle of cava each for KRW 20,000 (on sale from KRW 26,000).  I'll keep my eyes peeled for PJ and Veuve, but in the moment we figured it was a deal!  Bubbles is a nice little treat and repose from the madness that is Christmas shopping.  Be sure to check it out next time you're in Centum City!