Needless to say, as of my
last entry I hadn't had the greatest week. And it didn't end with my
incident; there where other issues thrust to the forefront with most of the
foreign teachers. Things were on edge and tensions ran high. But as
with most things, time has a way of covering (notice I did not say
healing) wounds. While I can not speak for the other foreigners, I
suppose I feel about as much at ease as one in my situation would given the circumstances. What's helped is the welcomed, yet sadly,
only temporary escape known as the weekend.
As fortune would have it,
my Saturday came together in spectacular fashion. We had a cold
front blow through which meant a day doomed by heavy rain, plummeting temperatures, and stiff
winds. Coincidentally at BEXCO, Busan's
extremely large convention center, there were a myriad of fairs going
on, three of which captured my interests. I got an early start
heading to BEXCO and made it there just in time for the skies to
open. Once inside, I knew that I wanted to see the International Tea
Fair, the International Food Festival, and the Organic and Health
Food Fair. Each provided endless entertainment and a much needed
escape. As if that wasn't positive enough, the fact that I wasn't
jailed in my apartment by the rain made it all the better.
At the Organic and Health
Food Fair I was exposed to every Korean claiming that their
food/supplement/drink/extract/root/tea/paste/cream was "good for
me." I've already mentioned that they're famously noted for
this but it was surely taken to an extreme here. But what do I know?
There are numerous elderly Koreans whom are still very active and so
much more flexible than I. So maybe there's something to this. I
ingested enough free samples to keep me healthy for what I estimate
to be the next 8 or 9 years.
The International Food
Festival was quite an impressive culinary exhibition. While it was
mainly geared toward restaurant owners and chefs by informing them of
the latest and greatest in cooking technologies, I was able to learn
about many different dining customs and cuisine preparations. There
was one questionable advertising attempt. In order to promote their
organic, free range chicken one company decided to set up a pen full
of the cutest, fluffiest peeping chicks. Needless to say, this
pulled on the heartstrings of every child there and didn't really
make you hungry to kill and eat these future chicken nuggets.
I then attended the
International Tea Fair armed with the proper knowledge beat into me
bestowed upon me previously by a monk. I was determined not to make
a fool of myself and the fair didn't disappoint. Again, I estimate I
consumed a gallon's worth of tea samples ranging from mistletoe and
mugwort to arrowroot and mushroom. Highlights of the fair included
endless impressive hand-made ceramics and rice cakes which I'm
gaining quite an affinity for. They are oh so mouth-watering, come
in a dizzying array of flavors, and accompany a hot cup of tea
perfectly.
There was also a small group of musicians providing
beautiful background tunes while people made their rounds.
Unbelievably enough, a trumpet player dazzled an interested crowd of
one (me) by playing "When the Saints Go Marching In."
Oddly enough my chant of "Who Dat!" went unechoed after his
performance. The highlight of the highlights was an invitation to
sit and have coffee with a family while passing their booth. They
urged their little girl who was 7 or 8 to practice her English with
me. Over the cup of coffee, I was not only offered rice cakes (!)
but a cup of tea and a 감
(one of three of the native species of persimmons). As
the minutes ticked away and the typical game of gestural charades
that I commonly use to converse went on, I was offered a free tea cup
and saucer. This was such a kind and unexpected gesture that I felt I
needed to do more than just entertain the little girl while eating
and drinking for free. I decided that I'd buy another cup to show my appreciation so back to our game of charades we went. Now maybe I
got this wrong but after 10 minutes of asking the price of various
tiny tea cups, the least expensive answer I received was 1,000,000
won. I hate to be self-referential, especially twice in the same
entry, but I've already discovered that I don't make that much money.
So...
Dear Extremely Kind Korean
Family,
While I am honored that I
was invited to sit down, fed so well, had my thirst quenched, and was
given an all-too-nice gift, I just can not afford any of your
ceramics. I am more than willing to continue the free English
tutoring with your daughter however. Perhaps over a cup of tea in my
new cup.
Heart warmed and faith
restored,
Ryan
Some younger ceramists are straying from the traditional style
favored by the monks for something more contemporary.
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