One More Time, Baby!

Last night was a special night. A very special night.

Earlier in the week I was invited to a welcome dinner for the new foreign language teachers. I was told that the principle was so impressed with our first impression that she wanted to host an official dinner to welcome us to Korea. So, in true Korean fashion, an upscale sushi restaurant was chosen.

What an event! The dinner began at 5:30 and didn't finish until after 9. Even before the any of the food was brought to the table, soju bottles appeared and the principle along with the two vice principles of the schools offered up welcoming speeches and toasts. Unfortunately they were all in Korean but I guessed they were directed at us due to the continuous stares in our direction, and the mumbling of our names in the speeches. Either way, I was extremely impressed with the formalities exhibited by all of the teachers and administrators, who, while solemn in the dictates of tradition, were cheerful to the occasion and made us feel openly welcome to their group.

The group out for sushi

Then the food began...octopus, pocheon (a spicy Korean flat bread with vegetables), snails, cabbage salad, fried sweet potatoes, paper-thin slices of shrimp on rice balls, raw skate drowned in sweet pepper relish, a whole cooked fish we all picked off of with our chopsticks, and rice soup. The sushi was next, with heaps of raw fish, more than I could even count. Asking what much of it was, the Koreans were unable to translate most of the pieces, but were able to tell me: live sea worm, live earshell, salmon, innumerable types of whitefish, and a plate of oddballs, none of which I could identify but all of which I sampled. Then came the seaweed cones, which were leaves of seaweed stuffed with rice, cucumber, caviar, and hot pepper. These were followed by a version of seafood kimchi soup served over rice. The meal finished with a cold tea with hints of cinnamon and parsimmon.

Throughout the meal, shots of soju were taken. This tradition was somewhat confusing for me. On one hand, I wanted to be polite

Adam serving my oppa (brother)

and thus didn't want to refuse their offers, but by the end I could feel the effects, and, as a woman, realized it's extremely inappropriate for women to show signs of drunkenness in public. While the men kept drinking, I began to politely refuse all of the offers to pour me more. This became a pefect position from which to observe the effects of soju on Korean men. As the meal kept progressing, they began slapping each other and singing American song lyrics as a form of entertainment. Imagine a straight-edge English teacher popping to his feet to serenade us with Britney Spears, "One More Time, Baby!" All of the lyrics were wrong, but in the end it was even funnier to hear American pop lyrics butchered mercilessly in Korean accents.

Overall, the meal was an absolute blast and circus all rolled into one. Despite the language barrier encountered with a few of the administrators, many laughs and smiles were shared. I'm beginning to understand the meaning behind the statement that offering a smile is speaking in the universal language that all people can understand. Evidence and examples of the traditions of Korea were numerous, and although I didn't understand all of them, went along with as much as I could, hoping that soon I will understand. But really, when surrounded by welcoming smiles, how can one possibly feel anything but content?

I'm learning!

After countless bottles of soju

One More Time, Baby!

Seoul, South Korea