A Mid-Winter Vacation: On the Road and In the Breweries

While it may seem the Harringtons only made their way to Montana to drink fine beer (such as those from 406 Brewing, or Draught Works, or Tamarack's) the truth is they made the long haul in order to see their dearest Korean friends one of whom was in Montana for a month of study the other of whom, her husband, was in for just a short visit, so the Harrington duo requested a couple of personal days and set out to see these two gems. You may remember the couple from THT events such as visiting Beartree Park, learning to Play Go-Stop at the Farm, watching the kickin' good show Jump, Sleepovers, trips to the DMZ and Final Farewells at the Airport. Needless to say, this is a couple which the Harringtons have many fond memories with and whom they cherish greatly. So, while Montana provides great beer, for a time, the state also housed some great friends.

Having survived some less than perfect driving conditions and a sample of beers at 406 Brewing, the Harrington duo was ready to meet up with the dear Koreans for whom they had made the long, crazy haul. Upon pulling into Missoula, the couple headed to the University campus to pick-up Hyunhee. Having exchanged hugs and words of greeting, the little trio was en route to the airport in order to retrieve Hak-cheol who had spent a lovely day or two exploring San Francisco. 

Upon reuniting with the entire crew, it was off to enjoy some fine American beer, food and of course chatting. The couples first made their way to Draught Works where they shared a double sampler followed by a few pints. As the representatives of good American brews, the Harringtons pushed and prodded the Korean couple to enjoy the fine flavors which can (and should) exist in a pint of beer. Hakcheol came around quickly in terms of enjoying quality libations, while Hyunhee would take a bit longer, always hindered by her inability to get much further than a half-pint. All jokes and teasing aside, the couples raised their glasses to being reunited at last and began plotting the course of the evening, dinner plans and the following days that they would all spend together.

With both Hyunhee and Hakcheol feeling a bit jet-lagged and the Harrington duo fading fast from many hours on the road, the crew decided dinner, followed by sleeping arrangements was to be the order for the evening. They made their way across to town to one of the breweries which also served food, Tamarack's, and set to chowing down, catching up and preparing to find their bed for the night.

As part of a Korean government program to improve English ability, Hyunhee would be staying on the University campus. Fortunately, thanks to expat friends in Korea who otherwise call Missoula home, the Harringtons and Hakcheol had been set up with a local Missoulan and made their way toward his apartment where they showed up too late to meet their host and eagerly made their beds on couches, chairs and floors - all ready for a nice night of sleep and a day of exploring and enjoying Montana to come.

Stories from the Couch: Room-mate for a Week

Every once in a while, a Couchsurfer comes along that melds into your daily life so flawlessly, easily and flexibly that as his plans change and his car needs repairs you don't even hesitate to welcome him to continue on with crashing the floor, dumpster diving and being "that guy" who would fit a sitcom so perfectly well. For the Harringtons, that Couchsurfer arrived early in September and spent about a week joining the couple for all manner of activities from dumpster diving, dinner in 519 Kitchen, attending fundraisers (with nearly endless supplies of micro-brews, bluegrass music and Laramie CS'ers), attending Homecoming parades and games, rescuing friends who were lost in the woods and complimenting tons and tons of dumpstergourmet delicacies.

Ross was truly the type of guest that every host (or at least the Harrington hosts) love to meet. He was able to chat about just about anything whether deep or entertaining, thought-provoking or laugh-inducing. He shared honey from out East, shared his efforts in diving and washed dishes day after day. He joyfully went out on his own every once in a while, leaving the Harringtons to take care of any other needs they may have had. Not at all imposing and entirely gracious, Ross was a great way to break into CS hosting on the US return.

Our Last Galma Guest: Kittens, Coffee and Go-Stop

In May, the Harrington's made a quick yet enjoyable weekend trip to Tokyo, Japan were a dear friend was teaching English and being visited by additional dear friends. Mid-August, that same friend-who-teaches-English-in-Japan made her way to Daejeon, South Korea to crash the Harrington's couch and get a feel for the country they so dearly love.

 After conquering some poorly given directions and finding her way to Galma Station, Mandy enjoyed her first evening in South Korea around a game of Redneck Life with a handful of foreigners whom the Harrington's count among their dearest friends.

Considering Melissa had two more days of obligatory summer camp instruction, Mandy enjoyed her first morning in the land of the Morning Calm sleeping in, wandering and awaiting the return of Melissa. Upon the return of the hostess, the girls decided to explore a few wonders of Dunsan-dong and within moments found themselves entering one of Daejeon's 'Cat Cafe's'.

Here, guests pay a flat rate to enjoy a complimentary drink (coffee, tea, lemonade, etc.) and the company of any cats which can be convinced to be social. Mandy and Melissa spent a majority of their visit calling out 'Here kitty, kitty' and waving random toys in the air while other customers put down some cash to purchase some cat treats and therefore be swarmed by these sweet little bundles of warmth and cuteness.

Stories from the Couch: Baseball Mania

On Sunday, April 22nd, the Harrington's loaded up the car and headed north toward Cheongju, the current home of Daejeon's Hanwha Eagles while the home stadium is under construction.  And while the Harrington's love a good game of baseball on a Sunday afternoon as much as any Apple-pie fed Americans, their main purpose in attending this specific game was due in large part to the CouchSurfer they picked up at the bus terminal before heading to Cheongju.

Waka is relatively new to CouchSurfing, but not to the sport of baseball. On the contrary, Waka is

Stories from the Couch: Meet-ups and Cherry Blossoms

For months upon months, the Harrington's went without any CouchSurfing experiences except those they semi-orchestrated in Vietnam, but hosting opportunities were beginning to look like a thing of the past.  However, with the arrival of Tugca and Onur, the Harrington's received additional CouchRequests and were surprised at having to consider turning down a request just to ensure they had enough time to clean their home and enjoy each other's company. Fortunately, turning down a request doesn't always mean you don't get to experience CouchSurfing, it more accurately means you don't have to clean your home.  A recent request (which in truth the Harrington's didn't even have an opportunity to turn down since another lovely CouchSurfing couple beat them to the acceptance part of the CouchRequest) turned into a meet-up that introduced a pleasant set of CouchSurfers under the softly lit Cherry Blossoms of Chungnam University.

Stories from the Couch: Ppuri Park and Other Things

Having enjoyed the first couple days of hosting and a night out on the town, the Harrington's and their guests were happy to awake on Wednesday morning and take things slow due to the national holiday, honoring the election. 

The day began with a fabulous Turkish style breakfast prepared by Onur. The dish was a simple yet extraordinary combination of onions, chilies, tomatoes, seasoning and eggs which was then scooped up onto a piece of bread before finding it's way to eager taste buds. With a hearty, happy start to the day, the crew cleaned up and packed up and prepared for an enjoyable outing to Daejeon's Ppuri Park.

Located in the southern parts of the city, Ppuri Park is perfectly situated between the river and a small hill. The park is significant in size and allows for guests to view various markers of historical Korean family names as well as take in a variety of foliage...when it has bloomed anyway. Additionally, the park showcases

Stories from the Couch: Batting and Beverages

Following Easter Dinner on the 8th of April, the Harrington's welcomed into their home a lovely CouchSurfing couple: Tugca and Onur. Tugca and Onur hail from the great nation of Turkey but are currently working on doctorate work in the field of astronomy in Northern Ireland. The couple made their way to South Korea after Tugca won a free ticket from Turkish Airlines. The two enjoyed nearly a week of living life in Daejeon and spent 4 of those days, 5 of those nights with the Harrington duo.

After a bit of a trial finding the Harrington's abode on Easter night, the couple finally arrived, dropped off their luggage and headed out to dinner with their previous hosts. Upon their return, Melissa and the couple chatted a little covering the basics of being CS guests in the Harrington home before everybody was off to dream sweet dreams of new friendships and insights only possible through CouchSurfing.org

The following day, Tugca and Onur explored Daejeon's KASI observatory with a previous colleague while the Harrington's made their way to their respective schools.  A bit exhausted from all that Monday's entail, the crew opted to stay in on Monday evening taking time to get to know each other and their respective cultures over a bowl of Kimchi Chigae.

Fortunately, the following day left everyone more energetic and ready for a night out on the town, especially considering the mid-week holiday in lieu of Korea's National Election Day. So it was, on Tuesday night, the foursome met up with Aaron and made their way to a typical Korean restaurant to enjoy everything from kimbap to bibimbap, from mandu to sujaebe. Stuffed to the brim, the group then made their way to meet up with James at the Dunsan batting cages where Tugca, Onur and even Melissa made their first attempts at swinging a bat and even...

Thawing in Vietnam: Stories from the Couch

Having enjoyed lunch in Can Tho and managed to snag a bus heading for Long Xuyen, the Harrington duo crammed into the little gray bus which proceeded to fly down the narrow streets connecting one delta town to the next. Along the way, anyone who looked like they may need a ride to the next town was hollered at from one of the men riding the bus, being offered a ride to their destination. This created a bit of a rotation in the seating arrangements but did little to disturb the Harrington's crammed in the back with their day packs in their laps.

A bit exhausted from their early morning walk and full tourist days, the Harrington's walked from the bus stop to a small cafe to refuel before checking into a hotel. Using hotel wi-fi the couple checked their CouchSurfing messages in time to see that a couple of Long Xuyen hosts were ready and willing to meet up for dinner so long as the Harrington's made a call to let the CSers know the couple was in town. So, after a short nap and some time catching up on soccer, the couple found themselves at the front door of the hotel being handed motorbike helmets and being directed as to which bike they should climb aboard for a night tour of the city.



The rest of the evening was enjoyed taking in the sights of a city at night from the back of a motorbike with a couple of stops to enjoy the generous, interesting and friendly company of these CS superstar hosts. The night began with a delicious bowl of lemongrass fish with noodles and sugar cane juice followed by a run around town and topped off with strong coffee and tamarind juice. All the while the Harrington's were blown away by the incredible generosity of these four friends who were not only showing them the town and offering their friendship and knowledge of the land, but were extending Vietnamese style hospitality in offering to purchase meals and drinks. Every act was more than the couple would have dared to dream, little did they know the following day would be simply a continuation of this supreme hospitality.

Waking up, the Harrington's made an executive decision to enjoy a double breakfast morning, hitting up their complimentary breakfast of bread and coffee before hopping on the back of motorbikes for a second breakfast of Vietnamese beef pho. Fully loaded with food and energy the Harrington's enjoyed the day with 2 of the 4 CS/friends they had met the previous night. With flexible jobs in the city, Nam and Nguyen were able to treat the Harrington couple to a trip across the river to Tiger Island where the couple learned about Vietnam's political history, particularly of the 2nd President who lived many years on Tiger Island. The grounds of the president's childhood home and nearby museum were well tended yet extremely quiet and peaceful on a Monday afternoon and definitely left the Harrington's feeling as though they'd had a particularly unique experience.

With hotel reservations on an island awaiting the couple, they reluctantly said good-bye to their fabulous new friends after a fantastic lunch of various tofu dishes and another generous outpouring of hospitality as the two morning tour guides took the Harrington's to the bus stop in the next city and made sure the couple had the proper bus tickets to get to Rach Gia and then to the Island the following day.

With nothing but fondness for Long Xuyen and the ability of CouchSurfing to bring people together, the Harrington's enjoyed a more comfortable, yet lengthy bus ride to Rach Gia, their jumping off point for Phu Quoc, Island.

Thawing in Vietnam: Floating Markets and Local Buses

After an early morning stroll, strong coffee, some bread and fruit, the Harrington's ond other guests at the 'homestay' began part 2 of their 2-day tour option. The day's schedule highlighted an hour or so at the region's largest floating market followed by a visit to a rice noodle factory and rice packaging factory.

Boats were quickly loaded and after a bit of waiting to be reunited with the portion of the group that opted for hotel accommodation, the Harrington's made it into the floating market which specialized in produce. For those looking for a particular fruit or vegetable, all that was required was turning your eye to the sky to see what produce each boat had rigged to a bamboo pole therefore declaring what they had available. The tour guide explained this concept as well as the commitment each of these families makes to spend a majority of their days living on the water, afloat.

Quickly tempted to purchase an entire pineapple for less than a dollar, the Harrington duo savored the fresh pineapple which oddly enough had been imported from China (ode to globalization). Having taken in the sights of produce boats as well as the noodle soup selling boats and coffee shop boats, the group was transferred down the river a bit to check out a couple of factories producing some of the areas staple dishes: rice noodles and rice itself.
Watching the production of both rice products was fascinating and enlightening as the Harrington's took note of the inherent sustainability. For example, in the process of making rice paper, husks from the rice are used to stoke the fire while the grain itself is boiled down into a milky, soupy mixture, spread out on a steaming board and moved onto a bamboo rack to dry. Meanwhile, as the husks burn, ash is the natural outcome which in turn becomes part of the fertilization process to grow the rice and produce the noodles for the next year's crops. Perhaps the farming at a localized level has always been sustainable, and the desire for such now only comes out of a recognition that non-localized farming is inherently unsustainable...but alas, this is not aimed at farming and food production practices.

Having finished the promised tours of the day, the Harrington's were taken into the city of Can Tho where they said a few good-byes and separated from the tour group which would soon be returning to Ho Chi Minh City. After grabbing a bowl of Beef Pho and a beer the couple hailed a taxi and made their way to the city bus stop. Upon setting foot down at the bus stop, the couple was quickly deemed worthy to pay the foreigner tax, and paid an extra 1US$ each to board a crowded gray bus to Long Xuyen where they would enjoy a restful afternoon and extraordinary CouchSurfing Hospitality.

The Misadventures of Taiwan: Wrong Train

Having slept through fireworks and the constant patter of rain the Harrington's woke up in Pete's studio and lazily prepared for yet another day in the rain.  Seeing as Pete was also enjoying a break from work he agreed to join the Harrington couple on their exploration of a town a few miles north on the coast of Taiwan.  Little did Pete know that the Harrington's were carving out a trip of misadventures and today would be no exception.

En route to the train station, which had been determined as the best bet for getting to the desired destination of Chiufen, Taiwan, the crew grabbed some breakfast pastries and morning drinks before conquering the train ticketing machine, asking for guidance as to which platform the train would depart from and promptly boarding the train which was ready and waiting.

Not more than 30 minutes later the trio heard that the upcoming station was in fact Taipei, which unfortunately was not to be one of the cities through which the Harrington's should pass from Keelung to Chiufen.  So, realizing they had somehow boarded the wrong train (with the help of a train station employee) they disembarked, asked for help by showing their ticket and were soon back on the train with a carton of milk tea and a few more minutes of shelter from the rain.

Train debacle conquered, the trio heard the appropriate station being called over the intercom and prepared to disembark.  With empty milk tea containers in hand, Mike decided it would be more comfortable to hang on to these disposable items if they were to be crushed. So, like a man, he crushed the milk tea containers just in time to discover that a small amount of milk tea was waiting for such a time as this to escape from the straws and fly into the face of an unknowing, sleeping, Taiwanese passenger.  Horrified by his actions and lack of tissue to help the now, woman in distress, Mike kindly offered candies and apologies for this unfortunate blunder.  Meanwhile, Melissa stood by laughing through clenched teeth realizing that each outburst just cast her in an ever darkening light as an unsympathetic jerk of a foreigner.

Reigning in laughter and double checking the station name the crew disembarked and began trekking through the crowded rainy streets of Chiufen.  Lined with food vendors and shops specializing in tea, ocarinas, artwork, soap and other speciality items the streets provided an abundance of visual and olfactory stimuli. Wanting to get out of the rain and enjoy another aspect of the small town the trio ducked into a coffee/tea shop, sat down at a table offering a seaside and mountain view before ordering a tea service to enjoy together.  The next few hours we spent enjoying a total of 7 rounds of oolong tea before it became apparent that the rains were not letting up and since dark was settling in it was high time to head back toward Keelung for another round of street food fare and watching a bit of Godzilla before drifting off to sleep.

The Misadventures of Taiwan: Zero Visibility

One thing the Harrington's did not fail to engage in while gallivanting around Taiwan was sleeping in. So upon finally dragging themselves out of bed the couple made their way to their recently (obviously) discovered breakfast joint which served up some amazing concoction that resembled a ham and cheese filled crepe with delectable, salty and spicy dipping sauces and served alongside a cup of hot milk tea, all for under 5US$. Bellies filled and time ticking away the couple headed down the line to Taipei Main Station where they were set to meet up with their CS host for the next two nights, Pete.

Pete had recently set foot in Taiwan as an English teacher and although he was living in a small studio apartment, the Harrington's were excited to meet this California lad who exposed on his CS profile a love for World of Warcraft and more importantly, for country music. Additionally, Pete resides in a small town just north of Taipei that boasts the most famous of all street food markets which is impossible to pass up if you go by the name of Melissa Harrington.

From subway station to bus station, the Harrington's and Pete made their way to Keelung, deposited their luggage in Pete's studio and hit the rainy streets in search of foods and things to do. Initially overwhelmed by the volume of people and dining choices the Harrington's were soon snacking on candy coated strawberries and making note of other dishes to be sampled at a later time. However, owing to the rain the trio opted to step into Sushi Express for 30NTD (~1US$) a plate sushi. Once inside the group was thrilled to see a fully stocked conveyor belt of a wide variety of sushi, sashimi, beers, sakes, cheesecakes and some veggies making their way past each booth and seat waiting to be chosen by the diners. With a deep seaded love for sushi, it didn't take Mike long to polish off a good stack of plates, but at a dollar a pop it was of no consequence.

Recognizing that the rain was not about to let up and the city of Taipei may provide a slightly dryer night-time location the crew reboarded a bus and found themselves in the city 30 minutes later. Quickly, they made their way to Taipei 101, the world's 2nd largest building and took the world's fastest elevator (88 floors in just over or under 30 seconds!) to take in the city views. Prior to entering the elevator, the trio was warned that visibility from the top was unimpressive to say the least, regardless, they made the trek and enjoyed the foggy view nonetheless. Aside from the view, the Harrington's enjoyed meeting the Damper Babies and learning about and seeing Taipei 101's 660 metric ton wind damper (really, a lot more awesome than it may sound, just click on that Damper Babies link to see CUTENESS and Awesomeness! Highly recommend the 'Wind Damper Functioning Film' ^.^)

From city views above, the trio made their way back to ground level and enjoyed an evening of meandering the streets amongst the hip and trendy of Ximen district before grabbing a quick drink and making their way back to Keelung for a restful nights sleep, filled yet again with the sound of fireworks and the constant drizzle of rain, Taiwan winter 2012, a rainy one to be sure!

"You're sleeping on his sofa."

Today's headline comes straight from the mouth of an elementary student attending Galma Elementary school. Galma Elementary school now has the honor of receiving English instruction from native teacher, Aaron Fitzgerald. The student who put this sentence together just happens to be the son of a temporary teacher working at Nameson Middle School, the school of none other than Michael Teacher. So it was, that an elementary student discovered his own, Mr. Fitz was sleeping on the sofa of a middle school English teacher his mother just began working alongside at Nameson.

And so it is, our readers now may have an inkling of understanding, that the Harrington household held more than the Harrington man, woman and Lady since the end of August. Late August through early September saw the additional arrival of the Harrington's dear friend Aaron while he house hunted and awaited the arrival of a mattress amongst other amenities.

So, for a couple of weeks the Harrington's enjoyed the ramblings, pickings, punnings, and all out shenanigans of Mr. Fitz and were beyond thrilled when he chose an apartment a mere block away...let regular dinner gatherings commence!

Stories from the Couch: The One we Forgot to Tell

On May 15th the Harrington's were host to three lovely souls, 2 from England and one from Canada. The three are/were English teachers in the southern Korean town of Suncheon. The trio made their way to Daejeon for the infamous Barefoot Marathon (which may or may not be a full marathon). The Barefoot race occurs on a mountain near Daejeon that is famous for it's natural red clay which is, as with most things in Korea, good for your health. (Perhaps next year the Harrington's will provide a first hand account of this race so readers have a better understanding regarding this unique event of the city and country in which the Harrington's reside).

Continuing on, the three guests, Charlotte, Sarah and Dave arrived Saturday evening offered great conversation, assisted in preparing a large and delicious pasta salad, gave their 'expert' opinion on Mike's Alcoholic Apple Cider and got a good night's rest prior to heading out in the morning for their race to victory.

Although the time was short and this story lost in the archives the Harrington's enjoyed their evening with this trio and hope they've enjoyed much success in making their own cider. 

Stories from the Couch: June 23 - 25

(As we begin to fill out this post, a realization is hitting...there have been CS guests whom we have not blogged about! Minor Crisis...will work to correct the problem in due time, for now, the story of the Harrington's most recent guests).

Sometimes the Harrington's aren't really that great at hosting. Such as the weeks when they're both planning English Summer Camps, Melissa's doubled up on the Master's courses and friends are leaving the ROK peninsula. Nonetheless, when someone comes a-knockin' (or requestin') the Harrington's nearly always say ... "Well, sure. We may not be able to give our full time and attention, but crash here anyway"...and so it was that the Harrington's hosted over the course of three days:

June 23 - 24: Racheli from Israel - Touring East Asia

June 24 - 25: Mark born in Manchester, living in Tawian 20+ years - en route to visit his mum

Racheli arrived first, by bus and impressively made it within just a few minutes of the Harrington's Galma home. Racheli and Melissa stopped at the grocers on the bottom of the hill, picked up some veggies and trekked up the hill, in monsoon rains, to prepare a bit of dinner and begin the lovely chats that are guaranteed when hosting CouchSurfer's. On the menu for the night was Black Bean Hummus Wraps with fresh Veggies and chatting about Racheli's previous travels around China and Taiwan as well as mapping out a plan for the next days Racheli adventures (Harrington's would be working, of course).

The following night, the Harrington's and guest Racheli welcomed in yet another CS soul, Mark. Mark is a champion on the bike (and on foot and occasionally in the water). However, at this leg in his journey the bike was giving him fits and he was carrying the beast in a large size duffle bag. Regardless of such hardships, Mark arrived ready to chat and make multiple attempts to bring Lady Annyeong into his good graces (he won some, he lost a few...she's apparently fickle at times). In addition to chatting and friendship building, Mark got to work in 519 Kitchen, a much welcomed 'intrusion' for the Mrs. as she was starving and exhausted and slightly fed up with cooking while trying to complete course work. The first night, Mark made 'three-cups tofu' in similar fashion as 'three cups chicken'. The following morning, it was a thick Taiwanese Pancake that the Mrs. has been trying to recreate on a regular basis since...



It's delicious. Anyway, following breakfast, the CouchSurfers headed their separate ways - Racheli off to Nonsan, Mark off for a run. The Harrington's hunkered down and got to work on various odds and ends for those camps and courses mentioned previously. Upon Mark's return, the three made their way to Weizen-haus for all you can drink brews and all you can eat buffet for 18,000 won (5:00-10:00 - not a bad deal at all!) as well as to say good-bye to some dear folks heading home to Colorado after nearly a year in the ROK. The night ended with all folks hitting the hay and sleeping well until morning when Mark once again served up another Taiwanese style pancake - this time more crepe-like and filled with sauteed veggies.

Regardless of what was on their to-do list, the Harrington's always enjoy the company of CouchSurfers, hearing their stories, learning new things and having someone else prepare the food for a change is an added bonus. (Now, to work on remembering who of our CS hosts we The Harrington Times have failed to write about...)

Stories from the Couch: February 2nd-4th 2011

Thanks to the Lunar/Chinese New Year, the Harrington's had the great pleasure of relaxing at home for an entire week with next to no obligations. One obligation that the Harrington's took one with great enthusiasm and joy was to host a couple of CouchSurfers for two nights while they enjoyed a couple of days skiing at nearby Muju Resort. The couple currently resides in Shanghai working in architecture however their homelands were Italy and Turkey. Upon their arrival, the Harrington's ushered the couple to old downtown (Eunhang-dong) for some street food snacking and a Korean bar experience.

With a group of Guest English Teachers the Harrington's and their CouchSurfers enjoyed baguettes filled with sauted cabbage, beef, peppers, mustard and other sauces, bulgogi burgers and chicken on skewers. From street side stands to underground shopping centers, the crew made their way toward the waffle and juice stands to 'top off' their street dining experience. Bellies full, the crew began meandering the streets in pursuit of a nice bar atmosphere to drink a bit of beer and soju. The bar they entered (pictured above) had a glittery, fantastical, arctic atmosphere akin to drinking in an ice cave. The bar also required patrons to order food, not just beverages (something that happens more often than the Harrington's would like). Regardless, the group ordered and were soon enjoying a gorgeous fruit platter, fries, muscles, snails, and cajun-like chicken.

Having done a bit of damage in an underground ice cave, the Harrington's with CouchSurfers in tow returned to their apartment and turned in for a good nights sleep. The next couple of days the CouchSurfers hit the slopes while Mike and Melissa hit books, TV, and cookie dough.

After two great days skiing, the CouchSurfers returned and were eager to try a favorite Korean food of the Harrington's sam-gyeop-sal, thick sliced pork, grilled with kimchi placed in a lettuce wrap, shoved in the mouth to be thoroughly enjoyed. Upon finishing the meal, the four made their way to In-D bar to enjoy a cocktail and conversations about travelling, skiing, eating, and being.

Prior to making their final departure from Daejeon, the CS couple made their way to Expo park before continuing on to Iksan for the continuation of their Korean tour. As always, the Harrington's loved hosting these CouchSurfers and continue to be thrilled that their couch (floor space) is receiving good and semi-constant use.

Stories from the Couch: January 19th

After two enjoyable nights with CS host in Chuncheon, the Harrington's prepared for a night with yet another CS host yet this time in Gangnueng, South Korea. Having spent the day at the beach, wandering the museum, drinking coffee and choco, and hitching their first ride, the Harrington's were happy to call a little place in the countryside home for the night. So it was, on January 19th, the couple loaded into the SUV belonging to their host Chris, and made their way from Gangnueng Bus Terminal to Chris's country side home.

Unlike many foreigners in Korea, Chris has hooked himself up with not only a vehicle (a large one at that) but also some sweet digs 10-15 minutes 'outside of town'. He lives amongst the farmers of his communities, wakes up to gorgeous views of rice paddies and mountains and has a full size range/oven combo. Melissa and Mike both had to work hard not to show too much envy for this CS host who hails from Florida and has been working in Korea for 3 years.

Chris was exactly what the Harrington's were looking for in a host on this particular night. Not too anxious or uptight and completely comfortable sitting around chatting about his Korean experiences, recent holiday celebrations, how he managed to land in such sweet digs, the back-stories regarding his three dogs, the back-story regarding the Harrington's dog-to-be, etc. With little warning, 11:00 rolled around and the trio realized they'd best head off to bed.

Morning came as faithfully as always, this time with a troop of small dogs to rouse Mike from his slumber and kick start his day and his wifes day taking the Seaside Train to Samcheok. Before making their way to the train station however, Mike and Melissa were taken into town by CS host Chris, grabbed a bite to eat at Tous Les Jours bakery and a few snacks at a grocery before awaiting the departure of their train, a story yet to be told.

Good Morning Sunshine

Stories (and Sights) from the Couch: January 17th - 19th

On January 17th after meeting a sweet dog, the Harrington's boarded a bus and made their way to Chuncheon. Upon arrival, the couple spent some time relaxing and meandering in the local E-Mart conveniently attached to the Chuncheon Bus Terminal. The reason for waiting at the bus terminal of course was so to be well stationed for meeting up with their CouchSurfing host, Juno. Often at The Harrington Times we report on the guests received by the Harrington's, however, on a few occassions we have the pleasure of telling the reverse story, when the Harrington's become guests, this is one such occassion.

Meeting up with Juno the Harrington's bustled about in the grocery department of E-Mart keeping pace with this fast walking Korean host who was eager to provide the couple a western-style breakfast of toast, jam and yogurt. With their goods purchased, Juno kindly offered to take the Harrington's to an overlook of the city as the night lights began to shine through the coming darkness. From the hillside the Harrington's and CouchSurfing host gazed out on a city of about 300,000 people and could sense they'd made a wise decision in travelling north for their first week of vacation.

Following the splendid view, the trio made their way toward Juno's home to grab the first of a few fabulous Chuncheon meals, Chuncheon being famous for food, the dinner did not disappoint. The evening was spent chatting with Juno and his wife about previous travels, careers, pets, snacking on oranges, playing with cats and eventually dozing off into a deep slumber.

Drama Museum



Incredibly awesome pics to take at the Drama Museum and have emailed to photo-ees.




On the morning of the 18th Juno dropped the couple off at the local Drama Museum while he headed off to work. The Harrington's enjoyed meandering the museum and city streets before making their way to a lunch stop in Myeong-dong, Dalk-galbi Street. Following a food affair of great proportions it was off to Angel-in-Us Coffee for a quick email check and MAED reading and assignments for Melissa. Having checked his email, Mike was free to explore the city and found a great many treasures from a group of football (soccer) players to a lovely lake scene.



Afternoon Coffee for the MAED student



Soccer/Football



Around Chuncheon: City of Lakes


The two Harrington's reconnected just before the dinner hour to meet their host at the provincial museum where they were oportune to see a fabulous sunset and some artifacts of Korean history before enjoying the fine and delectable fare of Chuncheon one last time. The evening of the 18th ended in much the same as the 17th and took the Harrington's right into the morning of the 19th when they'd again hit the road.



Gangwon-do Provincial Museum



Stories from the Couch:December 5th

The Harrington Times makes every effort to provide frequent and regular updates regarding the life and times of the Harrington's, however an occasional week or month will pass so quickly that we at The Harrington Times find ourselves recalling moments in the life of the Harrington's which have gone un-recorded. Such is the case with the Harrington's most recent CouchSurfer.

Hailing from Jeju-do, the 'Hawaii' of Korea, Bora Kim arrived at the Harrington's '519' home the evening of December the 5th, 2010. Bora is a Korean High School student who amazed the Harrington's (particularly Melissa, as Mike had many work-related obligations to complete while Bora was in town) with her energy and pursuit of a full and incredible life. With high school tests out of the way, Bora asked her teachers if she could take 2 weeks to travel around her country of South Korea so that she could be well prepared to travel the world and fulfill her life dream. With an extraordinary amount of spunk and independence for a Korean woman, Bora hit up Daejeon in full force and with great energy.

While Mike and Melissa worked, Bora explored, the highlight of her Daejeon experience being her first ever trip to a zoo. Upon Melissa's return home the girls headed to old down-town to grab dinner and enjoy the fountains and light show in the river. The hosting experience again left the Harrington's with nothing but good vibes and good thoughts regarding the CouchSurfing project. Having the opportunity to meet numerous wonderful souls and learn from their energy, culture, character are of increasing and immeasurable value in the Harrington's household.

Stories from the Couch: October 24th - 27th

Prior to the arrival of the Austrian CouchSurfer the Harrington's with the help of the Mullen's directed Olivier and Samira to meet up for pizza and Catan in Songchon-Dong before eventually making their way back to the Harrington's place in Galma-dong.

This couple hail from France and provided the Harrington's and others more than a few good stories, good vibes and good conversation. Each has served many years alongside NGO's and within various Humanitarian efforts on the African continent. Their hearts are good.

And now, the French couple is undertaking an impressive world tour that may inspire the Harrington's to take on yet another world tour. From France they have been riding trains, boats, buses and hitching a ride; never once since the beginning of their trip have they been on or plan to be on a plane. They've crossed Europe and Russia, made their way to South Korea and were heading toward Japan for a short stay before they'd boat on over to China and begin travelling through East and Southeast Asia with hopes to eventually arrive in Australia, find a little work and if all goes according to plan, slowly make their way by boat to the Americas, South and North. Epic and Beautiful. The Harrington's are fully inspired, one of many reasons they adore hosting CouchSurfers.

Many nights the Harrington's were a bit busy or the couple was trying to save on some cash so chose often to cook in the Galma-dong kitchen.  However, on their last night, the foursome made their way to a couple of Korean Bars to enjoy Pineapple Soju and Cass as well as take a photo or two with the giant teddy bear which shared a booth with the couples.

Stories from the Couch: October 24th - 25th

On Sunday, October 24th, 2010 the Harrington's welcomed their first CouchSurfer(s) into their Daejeon Home.  This is the account of one of the three CouchSurfers who made himself at home with the Harrington's.

As is common with travelling, Andrea's plans didn't all pan out exactly as anticipated, therefore rather than arrive on Monday night, he came on Sunday.  What that meant Andrea was that he had to first make his way across Daejeon to spend some time at the Mullens' home before returning to '519' Galma-dong.  And, common to CouchSurfers, he was more than flexibile in working within the Harrington's Sunday night plan.

After a game of Catan, a few sips of Soju and much conversation as Daejeon friends met and mingled not only with Andrea, but also with our darling French CouchSurfers.



Monday, the Harrington's made their way to work and wished their Surfers a pleasant day in Daejeon.  Andrea took the day to explore a local Asian market offering some great stories and food recommendations to the Harrington's upon their return home.  With only one day left in South Korea before returning to Austria, Andrea wanted to eat some of Korea's best, the Harrington's knew just the place!

Loaded up on the 113 the trio made their way to Gung-dong near Chungnam University wound their way through the streets and lights and settled into their all-time favorite pork restaurant.  A fellow EPIK Teacher, Paul met the trio and the four enjoyed saucy pork with garlic, onions and kimchi in a lettuce wrap before ordering the highlight of any meal at 'Ssada Pork Villiage', the rice!  Rice at this pork restaurant is what keeps the Harrington's coming back 2 - 3 times per month on average.  The rice is first mixed with the left over pork sauce, kimchi and bean sprouts - once the perfect mix is created a well is created in the rice, a cup of cheese is thrown in, tin foil encloses the rice dish, cheese melts and within minutes diners are discovering a cheese volcano and fighting to have the most ooey, gooey goodness in their rice bowl.  The perfect final meal in Korea.