Author: Samuel Grguric

Now that we’ve been in Korea over a month and have started working during the week, we try to make it a point to go on at least one adventure every the weekend. We don’t necessarily have to go out of town or go far, just try something new that we haven’t tried before, do something unexpected. This weekend’s adventure was finding a jjimjilbang to unwind from the stress that was a fairly long week. It was, indeed, an adventure that I was not expecting. A jjimjilbang (jim-jeel-bong) is a public bathhouse where everyone can go to rejuvenate and basically cleanse themselves. Honestly, I only needed the sauna, but figured I’d try something new if I could.

When we first arrived we paid  6,000 won (roughly $6 USD) and a very nice ahjumma gave us a key and a couple of towels. Now, if you’ve ever seen a Korean drama you’ll know that in those jjimjilbangs they’ll get fairly large towels that they can wrap into an adorable set of Princess Leia buns on top of their head to cover their hair, also called a ‘Sheep Head’. Our towels were on the small side so they were not really ‘Sheep Head’ ready, and they were certainly too small to use on your body so I suggest you take a towel with you from home. Turns out our keys corresponded with lockers downstairs for our shoes, and then we were sent upstairs to the actual bath house/sauna portion. Here’s where it got really interesting, really fast. As soon as walked in we gave our receipt slips to another nice lady at another desk and then ran smack into a fully naked ahjumma going to her locker. Yes, fully naked, and she was not the only one. It’s separated male and female on two totally different floors, so no worries there, but it was still quite a shock to walk in and just see nakedness full on in the face. We put our things in our second locker, which was much larger than the first, and then, towels wrapped around us, proceeded into the actual bathhouse portion.

Again, more nakedness, but at this point I was adjusted. It was a surprise, but eventually you just start to accept it as fact: you are surrounded by naked people who don’t seem to care that everyone else is naked, so why should you? At first, we were super confused. There were a long row of showers along one wall, two larger warm baths and two smaller ones, and then a HUGE cold bath that looked like a pool. Next to the showers was the sauna and what we assumed was the cold room where you went to cool off. After several minutes of perplexed looks and adjusting to the staring, a strict ahjumma came over and informed us that we had to shower and get clean before we did anything.

In the showers.

With no doors.

Yup, just out to the whole wide world of strangers. Here’s where we decided if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. I mean, what were we supposed to do? So we stripped down like everyone else and after a few minutes of slight embarrassment and a lot more awkwardness, we were deemed clean enough to do whatever we liked. We spent a few minutes in the sauna first which felt like a Texas summer and had me feeling right as rain in the first 30 seconds, then out again for another shower because we were so sweaty, into the baths (which are just like huge jacuzzis), and into the cold, pool-style bath. After I finally got adjusted to the cold, I felt amazing. I have literally never felt so light or able to conquer the world in my life. We’ve often wondered how Koreans get their skin so nice looking and smooth, and we know have the answer. It not only felt amazing, but our skin LOOKED healthier from less than an hour of time!

One of my favorite things about Korea is whole communal every atmosphere is here. The group there was very mixed, from older grandmothers down to tiny children with their moms. Even though we got stared at quite a bit more than usual, once they were done being fascinated with us it was like we were just accepted into the fold. That would almost never be accepted so widely in America, but here it’s as normal as showering at your own house except your skin looks better in the end. If you’re worried about being awkward, don’t. You will feel awkward at first, and that’s fine. Honestly, the experience is worth it. If nothing else, think of how awesome your face will look when you’re done!

With our first payday just around the corner, I thought I’d address one of the many things that anyone asks about when they decide to come to Korea: How much money does it cost? If you’re coming through the EPIK program, $1000 is the magic number to bring with you to South Korea. You have to get here, then you don’t get paid for roughly a month after that, and you’ll want as much financial backing as possible during that time you have no paycheck. For many, this isn’t a problem. But for some like me, working 2 and 3 minimum wage jobs before I left the States, this was not a simple “Save up $1000 in your free time” process. Of course, I feel like the more money you can bring with you the better. You never know what kind of emergency funds you might need or what you might need to unexpectedly spend money once you’re here. However, I will say that when I heard that number I almost pulled out of the process completely because I just knew I’d never be able to come up with that kind of money. I’m here to tell you that it is possible and if money is your number one reason for not coming to Korea, maybe reconsider.

Like I said, I was working multiple jobs that didn’t pay very much all so I could get to Korea. It was hard work for about 9 months, and in the end I still only managed to come to Korea with about $700 USD. This may not sound like a huge amount behind $1000, I mean it is only $300. But that $300, if you’re not frugal, can make a world of difference, especially when you’re abroad. Still, I’ve actually done quite well with the chunk of money I brought with me. I’ve been here about a month and I’m finally down to the dregs of my bank account. Still, I’ve managed to do and see ALOT with the bit that I did have. I’ve been to 4 cities, shopped in 3, bought things for my apartment, gone out more than a dozen times to enjoy festivities and still had money for several taxis. I think it might be possible to have come here with less than I did to be honest. I may have been pushing it, but it seems like no matter how much  money people brought with them we are all down to our last leg. Of course, everyone is different, but I feel like the average foreigner coming to Korea doesn’t necessarily have to bring $1000 with them, even if you have NOTHING in your apartment when you get to your city. Purchasing your phone and possibly food may drain your bank account the  quickest, but my co-worker’s phones cost them about $200 and it’s actually been cheaper for me to go out than purchase food for home. Strange, I know, but real.

Now my story’s only one of literally hundreds just this year so your experience may differ. Still, if I had decided just because I didn’t have the money to come, I would have seriously regretted it for the rest of my life. It was a struggle, but now that I’m here every penny I saved, scrimped and spent is absolutely worth it 10 times over. Don’t give up, you can do it! And imagine how relieved and proud of yourself you’ll feel when it happens at last:)

Though we’ve only been here a few short weeks, already there are a million things I’m going to miss when I eventually get back to the States. Be warned, most of these have to do with food as I have a killer appetite and for the most part enjoy all things edible. But, there are still things outside of the realm of my stomach that are amazing about South Korea. Also, this list is only short for time’s sake. I could go on all day about the things that make me smile on a daily basis, but today we’re going to stick to the basics.

1. Delivery: In Korea, there is no delivery fee. I’ll go ahead and repeat that again: NO. DELIVERY. FEE. And, bonus points, they deliver anywhere. Guys, I have heard of people getting on top of MOUNTAINS and having food delivered to them, I kid you not. Even McDonald’s delivers, which, to an American, is kind of like dying and going to Heaven. In America there is not only a delivery fee, but often also a delivery minimum, which means the delivery man is not coming to you unless he thinks it’s absolutely worth their time. This is often the case with Chinese restaurants who will have something like a $10 minimum, oh, and you ALSO have to be in range of their delivery to get your food. Long story short, delivery in Korea ROCKS!

2.  Safety: Minus the somewhat, erm…free driving skills many cars and taxis seem to have on the road, I have yet to feel unsafe while here in Korea. This could be because I’m in a smaller city, but I’ve heard similar reports in larger cities of not having any trouble at all. I’ve walked down the street at 11 at night more than once, in two completely different cities here, and never once felt like I was going to be kidnapped at a moment’s notice. Again, as a rather small American female, this is a rare feeling to say the least. I daresay I’m more relaxed even in those situations where it’s nearly pitch black and I’m braving the cold to get home because not many people tend to be out after a certain time on a weeknight (or weekend for that matter) so it’s very refreshing not to be in so much of a hurry. Either way, I won’t say “Completely relax your guard, what’s the worst that could happen here???”, I’m just saying it’s much easier to breathe when you’re not constantly thinking about who you might have to karate chop in the neck to save your purse.

3. Coffee Shops: Let me tell you, if there is one thing I absolutely commend Korea on it is their love for coffee. I had heard about the many coffee shops that were available before I came to Korea, but you don’t realize until you see literally a dozen within a 5 block radius that you fully appreciate how popular coffee is. And it’s not just whole coffee shops either. There’s a coffee vending machine (VENDING MACHINE) no more than 50 feet from our apartment, at least 3 actual coffee shops just on our street and then a bajillion (it’s a real word, hush) different types and packages of regular, instant, or all inclusive coffee (these are the packets with the sugar, cream and coffee all in one pouch) available at any small convenience or corner store. Don’t even sget me started on Lotte and E-Mart. In the states I had maybe 4 cups of coffee a week depending on when and how long I was at work. Here I’ve had up to 4 cups in one DAY at work. I have literally started consuming the caffeine like it’s water, partly because of it’s availability, partly because I’m always partially exhausted at certain times during the day. I’ve started to slowly ween myself down to 1 a day before I have a coffee drip attached to me…

4. Prices: Maybe this is because I’m completely exhausted from paying at the very least $8 everytime I went out to eat anywhere in America or spent enough money on extracurricular activities to fund a small bank, but the amount of money I spend in Korea is literally nothing compared to what I would pay in America for even the smallest items. Everything ranges from reasonably priced to absolute skepticism over how cheap something is. Just as an example, Soju, the number one drink in Asia and also the world, is literally only a dollar. A 19% proof bottle of alcohol is ONE DOLLAR AND FIFTY CENTS. We easily polish over about half a dozen of these anytime we get together with friends to hang out, and that’s not even at dinner. I have a couple here in my city who told me they only spent $6 on an entire meal for the TWO of them. That is only slightly rare. Food portions, including your side items, are pretty sizable for the biggest eaters. It doesn’t even stop with food. I bought a pair of fuzzy, pink sweatpants for $3 at E-Mart and about died. A pair of slacks for a male friend of mine (who is fairly tall and a little bulky) cost him about $30. I easily pay upwards of $45 for good, business slacks back home. Suffice it to say, we spend a lot more because we think everything’s so cheap, but we always feel better because we have more than what we would have!

5. The People: Hands down the people of South Korea are my favorite part of the country. I have yet to meet one who was mean just for the sake of being mean. They go absolutely out of their way to help us as foreigners. Though they are constantly moving at the speed of light and can seem too brisk to interact with, they are absolutely willing to help you even if they can’t understand you. I’ve asked for directions or other random questions more than once to absolute strangers on the street and, even if it’s all in Korean, are more than happy to point me in the right direction, or even walk me there in one case! Basically you’ll never find a nicer group of people to briskly tell you that the chicken you’re looking at is too expensive and you should get “that batch over there”.

If you’re already in or are planning to come and teach in South Korea you’ve probably heard all the stories about how you’ll more than likely have to go out with your Principal or Co-Teachers (or both) for a Welcome Meal type dinner, possibly some Noraebang (PROBABLY some Noraebang) and, the most important part, have copious amounts of soju. Interacting socially outside of school is a large part of Korean culture so you can get to know one another, and after experiencing it first hand I am all for the idea. It’s best to be able to relax around the people you’ll be spending an entire year with, and nothing helps more with breaking that barrier internationally than alcohol.

Our “Welcoming Dinner” included our entire staff, even our Center’s Director who is actually housed in the Chungbuk Office of Education. All 8 EPIK and Native Korean co-teachers, along with our Supervisor, Head Teacher and several others went to have Korean BBQ together. Admittedly, I was very nervous. As with most things in Korea, there is a certain protocol to your behavior at meal times, especially with your higher-ups in attendance. I could list all the millions of unspoken rules and expectations, but I’ll just tell you the common few: Never pour your drink for yourself as someone else is supposed to fill it, never let your counterparts go with an empty glass, if you’re taking a shot, turn a little to the side, and always accept your drink (or food) with two hands. I literally just gave you three of what feels like millions, but for the most part those were my most pressing fears.

I was actually a little disappointed (but certainly relieved) when all of the teachers were seated at one long table together. I was actually the furthest away from our Director so he didn’t get a chance to check out my absolutely sub-par chopstick skills…The atmosphere at our table was much more casual since they weren’t expecting us to know every bit of table etiquette. Instead, it felt much more like a family dinner where you finally get to move up from the Kids Table and sit at the Adult Table. One of our co-teachers graciously showed us how to cook all of our samgyeopsal (pork), then how to make a samgyeopsal sandwich with our side dishes, even made sure our pieces were cooked all the way through before handing them over to us. He also helped us to pick up things with our chopsticks when we were having trouble (we’re not very good with chopsticks yet but we’re practicing diligently!) The others were constantly making sure we didn’t need anything to eat or drink, sending pieces of meat down the table to those of us on the other end. They are not too much older than us, 3 of them 29 years old in Western age, but it’s hard not to see them as older siblings, borderline adopted parents at times. This was definitely an example of our burgeoning relationship.

The soju also helped.

Drinking was the one thing I was slightly nervous about. Soju is notorious for sneaking up on you when you least expect it, and because it doesn’t really taste like anything, you don’t really notice that you’re kicking it back until you’ve emptied a whole bottle. We didn’t get as crazy as some other Welcoming Dinner’s that I’ve heard about, just took a few shots. Still, those few shots were all most of us needed to loosen up a bit and be able to speak to each other without fear of saying the wrong thing. And you certainly don’t have to actually take the shot, you can just sip it. Most of our co-teachers, especially the female ones, were surprised when we tossed ours back. I will go ahead and say that two of us are Texas (Yee-haw!) so when we’re handed a shot we’re expected to take it and love it no matter what it is. This is apparently not always the case in Korea, thank goodness.

We’re also going hiking this afternoon with our office staff, a much less formal environment and it’s something that Chungbuk is famous for. While at first I was very anxious, I now look forward to all of our staff social events. I want everyone to be comfortable with each other, especially since we are in such an intimate setting and I’m sure climbing a mountain together will do just that!