Shot shot shot shot...shot shooooot, everybody!

The intention to write every two weeks has turned into every month and I think it's enough. Frankly, my life's not too exciting and there's only so much I can tell you about Korea.

What's new on this side of the world?

• The nuclear rain is falling. Is there radiation here? I'm not positive. I've been told traces have been detected, but nothing that would harm people. Regardless, Koreans are very nervous about the situation. They have even gone so far as to cancel some classes, skip after-school classes, or just stay home.
• It is spring! The cherry blossoms have bloomed, coats can be left at home, sandals can be worn, and snow will not be seen or talked about for months! The first sign of spring I saw was on top of a large hill with Mr. Hong. We went for a hike and happened upon some azaleas. So what did we do? We ate them. Apparently the first azaleas to bloom are good to eat, however, the second ones are not. Consider yourself warned. What did it taste like? A little leafy, a little sweet, a little purple, or was it pink? Hm...I guess it tasted just how you might imagine a flower to taste. (...and no, I don't have any pictures of the cherry blossoms, sorry.)
• The buses are on strike. Only in Jeonju. Are they on strike still or again, it's hard to tell. They have been on some kind of strike here since last December.It seemed for while they were in full swing, but then today they disappeared again. I haven't found an English source that explains the whole drama of the situation, but I know it has resulted in daily marches, blockaded streets, buses held hostage,  camp outs at the bus stations, a serious lack of transportation, and way too much cab fare out of my pocket. Thank god it's warm enough now to ride my bike. 

Now, to the title of this blog, shots! 

(Title credit goes to: LMFAO ft.Lil Jon.) 

Gunbae! or Cheers!

Let's discuss Korean drinking culture. I don't want to talk about parties, clubbing, college students gone wild. I want to share with you a distinct culture that exists here. To begin, for the sake of simplification, we can generalize and say that in Western culture drinking is a social activity that is a choice. Adults tend to drink moderately now and again. When they drink to the point of passing out it is highly frowned upon. Young people can get away with wasted nights, drinking games, etc. ,but this should be abandoned when you join the "real adult world". Drinking culture in Korea is a little different...

In Korea, you drink. That is not to say that there are not people who don't drink, there definitely are, but they have to battle with a certain amount of social pressure. I have sat through a couple lectures on Korean culture and in both of them the speakers advised us, many of whom could not drink legally in the USA, to drink a little bit or at least pretend to, instead of saying no. Why is this? Drinking with someone is a way to show respect to and bond with them. This goes for friends, strangers, coworkers, basically anyone (not children, the drinking age is 18). So, if you decline it can be seen as a sign of disrespect. Likewise, if you bow out early it can also be seen as a sign of disrespect. As an English teacher in Korea, this is mostly noticed and felt at the teachers' dinners. 

I had my first teachers' dinner when I had been at my school for two to three months. We went out for sushi. Ten minutes into dinner the drinking began. Soju was opened, shots were poured, and endless rounds of toasts began. As the new person, everyone wanted to share a shot with me and ,wanting to make a good impression, I tried my damnedest to keep up. Well, I did, all the way through dinner, the norae bong (karaoke), and the after-bar. The next morning, after some quality time with my toilette, I drug myself to school. Were my coworkers hung over? Of course not, but they greeted me with warm smiles and thankfully, some pizza! Not to say that the environment was bad before, but it was definitely warmer after that evening. This is only one experience, but many of my friends have had similar teachers' dinners with similar results. There are tactful ways to get around drinking and I have since employed them. The first is to just take a sip of the shot. As long as you have some alcohol in your glass, you are safe from having it refilled. The second is act like you take the shot and then spit it into your water glass. The third of course, is to just say you don't drink. Sometimes this is not problem, sometimes it is. I heard of principal, who would not pay for a teacher's dinner (a Korean) because she wouldn't drink with everyone. This is extreme, but it is true. 

There is another side to this culture, drunk middle-aged men (ajashis). Walk down almost any street after ten at night and you are bound to see drunk ajashis stumbling to a bar, a taxi, their home, etc. You are also bound, at some point in your time here, to see them passed out cold on the street, the curb, the bus stop, in a cafe, anywhere really. (I say ajashis because the fact is, is that it is rarely or dare I say never women.) In the US this would be considered alcoholism and frowned upon. Here it's socially acceptable or at least tolerated. There has actually been a controversy lately about a blog called "Black Out Korea". The website posted pictures of random Koreans passed out in various locations. Many Koreans were upset at the foreign community for posting this and a debate ensued. It's still going on. Unfortunately you can no longer view the blog, but then again, I'm sure all of you can imagine what a man passed out on the curb looks like. 

To wrap this up, here is a list of the main Korean alcohols and etiquette that should be observed:

Alcohols:

• Soju - usually made from rice. A clear alcohol that tastes similar to vodka. (19%).
• Makgeolli - rice wine. It looks milky and is a bit sweet, yet bitter. Easy to drink, but strong.
• Mekju - Korean beer. There are three brands: Hite, Cass, and Max. It makes Miller, Budweiser, and Coors taste pretty good. 

Etiquette:

• Never pour your own drink.
• Pour and receive alcohol with two hands or with your free hand touching your forearm or stomach.
• When you cheers, make sure your glass is lower than anyone that is older than you.
• Turn away and drink when you are drinking with someone that is older than you.
• Never leave an empty glass on the table. When it's empty immediately refill it. 
• Always have food with alcohol. Even if you just ate a huge meal, order more. You should never just drink. Koreans won't and the majority of bars won't appreciate it.
• The oldest person usually pays the entire bill. This goes for drinking and eating out.