Beaches, Dancing, and Bullfighting

I've decided that the size of Korea is perfect. It's perfect, because a day trip consistently brings new and exciting adventures. Last weekend consisted of a walk on the beach, followed by dancing at a club in Busan called Foxy (yes, it was REAL dancing to hiphop and reggae music). The following day it was off to the countryside for a Korean bullfighting festival in Cheongdo. While there were no matadors, instead the bulls just locked horns and butted heads for ten minute bouts of testosterone, it definitely offered something I've never seen before. Variety is something I just can't seem to get enough of, and Korea seems to be providing.

Hot Dogs with Whip Cream Juseyo

I believe I've mentioned that Korea's take on Western food is never exactly what Western food was meant to be. From pickles with pizza, to duc (rice cakes) in spaghetti, there's always an interesting twist. This weekend's culinary surprise was particularly unique.

Elizabeth and I ventured to Gyeongju (the capital of Korea during the Shilla dynasty). I'd been to Gyeongju once before to visit Shilla Millenium Park. At the park I saw a pretty cool water and land show, and was able to make some pretty fantastic jewelry- yes MAKE and buy. This visit proved a little bit less fun. We walked around ancient tombs (large hills) and saw the oldest observatory in the east (the pictures make it look bigger), but yet our dinner made it still worth the trip.

On our quest for samgipsal (bbq pork belly), we encountered a waffle house. A "combination waffle" and a blurry looking picture caught our eye. We decided to share in this curiosity. Little could we have expected the "combination".  We were given a waffle with chocolate sauce and powdered sugar. On the waffle were two large pieces of canadian bacon (or maybe Korean bacon ::shruggs::); three hot dogs; a fried egg; a salad consisting of lettuce, strawberries, bananas, and salad dressing; whipcream; and sweet pickles. 

Below are the pictures of the meal. Bon Appetit!

The Flight of the Canadians

I've read many horror stories about the Korean experience, but only recently did I have any practical experience with them. At the beginning of March, the new school year began bringing Kid's Club four new teachers. Three teachers arrived on a Monday, and the school forced them into a painful day of jet lagged work just after they'd gotten off of the plane. The school was disorganized and chaotic, but it quickly got worse. Two days after arriving, the couple from Canada made a midnight run back to the magical land of maple leaves-without leaving so much as a note. 

I'm rather angry with the whole situation, as it's stripped me of any and all breaks. The school didn't handle things well, and the Canadians handled things worse. I now know that midnight runs aren't myths, and that employers really will force people into a full day of labor right off an airplane. I've also learned that there are some things it's better not to experience first hand.