Lunar New Year Pt. I - Dinner with the Boss

Well Lunar Near Year has come and gone so apparently I'm a year older here in Korea. With my new age being 24 I feel like I rather missed out on that whole 23 thing. . .odd how they calculate age here, silly me still believing I was 22 and all!

We kicked off our New Year holiday Sunday evening at Anna's home with a home cooked meal. While we initially thought that the invitation was extended just to us, which would have been only slightly awkward, we were pleased to learn that others would be joining as well.

Terry Teacher, who recently moved up from Daechi and now lives in my building, met Nate and I downstairs a little after six to head towards Anna's place only a few minutes down the road. Luckily we were able to find it without a problem and got inside before we froze to death.

It was such a wonderfully refreshing experience to spend a couple hours in a real 'home,' decorated, comfortable and alive with the freshness of A-Young's husband's indoor botany experiments!

For dinner we were served a plate of fried cutlet, rice and curry at the small dinning/main room table. While I am admittedly not the biggest fan of curry, especially its smell, I managed to muscle through it anyways, enjoying the homecooked (though clearly from a packet) flavor. As side dishes we were given the options of kimchi (homemade of course), chapchae (which is a delicious oriental noodle salad), bulgogi (sweetend beef chunks), and a green salad with strawberry dressing.

By the time Terry, Nate, and I had finished eating, Julie (Princess) and Moon Young had arrived with husbands in tow. Also accompanying Moon Young was her two year old daughter, Harem. An interesting name for a young girl. . .

While the little one immediately ran off to the playroom with Anna's daughter Rachel, I eventually caught up with the kids and got in on some pretty fun finger painting. The little thing didn't stop running in circles until well past three in the morning which reminded me so much of little cousin Christina when she was young.

As I commented on how cute her daughter was, Moon Young humbly replied in good Korean fashion, "I know, just like her mother." Later we were informed however that it is unfortunate for Harem to look so 'American beautiful' (as she has large eyes). Not sure what that means but, it sounds like backhanded racism? Which is confusing in that all I've come to learn in Korea is that 'western style' faces are more beautiful. . . but for children? I guess not!?

While showing us pictures of her travels, Anna also unabashedly commented on her happy single days. Pointing to picture of her with her husband informing us that she was no longer happy. Ummm, sorry to hear that, not sure how to respond, he seems like a pretty good guy though!

Two small tables, with only a foot or so of floor clearance, were set up on the floor in front of the tv for Moon Young, Julie and Co. to dine at. Once everybody had finished eating we were invited to join them on the floor for snacks and drinks. What started out as a quaint little cocktail party escalated quickly, as one would imagine a Korean get together would.

To be honest, I was at first thinking that we might be let go early as we had informed our hosts that we had a 5:40am bus to catch the next morning to head out to Phoenix Park for our 'ski/snowboard trip.' This did not turn out to be the case.

After about half a glass of wine Anna checked the bottle to see how much we were drinking as she noted that I had begun to turn red. While I wanted to, I refrained from informing her that was in fact not only incredibly awkward (sitting at her dining table without food while the other guests ate on the floor) but I was also sweltering hot in a sweater! Though the room's temperature issue was mentioned a number of times throughout the night, I don't recall anything ever being done to adjust it. Even after the pointing where other Korean guests were commenting on it and Nate had to remove an outer layer to stay sane! Oh well!

Once plopped on the floor we didn't move again until everyone had literally cleaned the house out of drinks, including the bottle of scotch we had picked up for Anna at Christmas! Though we at first fretted over the quality of wine we brought over as a gift, it turned out not to be a problem as unempty glasses were refilled with any ole' bottle! If you mixing then you can't be too picky I guess!

In between the numerous bottles of wine scattered across the table I picked my way through a wide array of snacks. I tried everything but the large quiche like pastry that was devoured by the women before I could get a bite. I did however dig in deep to the beef jerky pieces, boiled oysters (which I was told that I would not like, as all Koreans seem to assume that they have our foreign diets tagged down, especially the part about, 'oh no, too spicy for you'), cheese wedges (which had literally liquefied because the room was so hot), and of course, a chocolate ice cream cake that Nate and I had helped Terry pick out.

My only regret? That I didn't eat the last piece of the cake that simply sat on the table and melted as the night went on. I figured I'd leave it for someone else as I had already consumed more than a couple enormous chunks of ice cream cake!

Eventually, Nate and Mr. Lee (no, not that Mr. Lee, Anna's husband Mr. Lee, they just don't take eachother's names here as people are accustomed to in the west) headed out in to the cold night to pick up round two of drinks from a nearby GS. While the boys took off I got in some time on the piano with the little ones, who managed to show me a thing or two as it's been quite some times since I've banged on the keys!

As we made our way through round two and the snacks started to dwindle, everybody began helping in the clean up. In no time the place had returned to the quite, Aunt Terry-like little living room that we were so impressed by upon arrival. Oh, as for the houses lay out, the floor area of the main room isn't much more than mind and is somewhat similar in shape. The 'kitchen' is recessed a bit which gives it a little more room but other than that, not enormous. However, unlike Doota, Anna's place actually has separate living and sleeping quarters. In the largest room, Rachel, her daughter, sleeps with Grandma who comes in during the weekdays. The bathroom is small but nice as the shower is separated from the sink and other fixtures. Just inside the front door Anna and her husband share a bed on the floor that takes up so much of the room that the door does not even open all the way. . . .and that's about it! Though small, it really is an extremely cozy and homey place that I would trade for in a heartbeat over my Doota pad!

When the floors were shined and dishes cleared, we all bundled up to head out in the cold. I found it odd that Anna had accompanied us as her husband had long ago passed out face first in his daughter's bed. I mentioned it to Nate who made it apparent that we weren't being accompanied home but rather to a norebong. . .oh, seriously!?

So, at around two in the morning, with a ten and two year old in tow, we dinner guests, led by Anna, made our way towards the Disney Princess themed norebong just down the block from Doota. After some horrendously sung Beatles, a Tupac song that never gets old, and a Four Non-Blondes finale, we were eventually released from our hostess' grasp and allowed to go home. Though the kids had started to complain slightly by this point, mostly at the loud noises, they showed no real signs of tiring. I guess the whole nightlife thing is embraced at a very, very young age here!

We turned in to Dootavill a little after 3:30am, just enough time to finish packing for the ski trip, settle down for an hour nap, wake up again at 5:00am, call to wake Nate up, grab some water and chips from the GS, catch a cab to Nowon Station and run, yes, literally run after the Good Bus shuttle to Phoenix Park!