Tuesday Nights with Girls and the Lady

Tuesday nights, the Harrington's continue to make their way to the OEC Coffee house just out of Galma exit #2 for some of Daejeon's best hot/iced choco and green tea lattes -- not to mention, a fabulous and kind Barista! But it's not just choco and green tea and sweet friends that lure the couple to the coffee shop on Tuesday nights, it's the prospect of spending some time with a few Middle School girls, playing Uno and chatting. Special bonus, now that the weather is warm (vergeing on swealtering), the couple can bring Lady Annyeong along and sit with her outside of the coffee shop. Not only do they get to enjoy the Lady's company, but the Middle School girls are all to eager to help the Lady maintain her 'girlish' figure by running her around and wearing her down!

100 and Some Bottles of Beer on the Wall (and on the floor)

The Brewing Operations continue and are in full swing at '519' Galma! Mike Harrington took a trip to a local recycling center, hoping to grab 30 bottles for his next bottling session and came home with a hundred and some odd bottles! He's worked out a deal for trading home made brews for the bottles...however, the recycling center folks really liked the beer and wanted more, stating they would pay for it. Turns out, they meant they would pay for the beer by offering more bottles - the Harrington's should have guessed as much!

For now, 519 Galma is filled to the brink with bottles filled with an 'award-winning' Belgium (no joke!), a Nut Brown Ale, a Wheat, a recently bottled Pilsner and an IPA in the brew tank. Go Big or Go Home, that's what the Man Harrington always says ^_^

Should you find yourself in the city of Daejeon and craving a 'better-than-Cass/Hite/Max' beer take yourself on over to Beer for Babies a Facebook Page and start placing some orders! (all proceeds to benefit the adoption of friends of the Harrington's living in the good ole US of A).

Chopsticks: Not just for Ramen and Kimbap!

Always wanting this 'home' to feel a little more like a home the Mrs. is always looking for ways to spruce things up and create a more home-like atmosphere without spending much cash. (Let's face it, the Harrington's will probably never spend much cash to create a more home-like atmosphere). However, following the arrival of a super-sweet gift that serves as a constant reminder of their 'forever' home - 519, the Mrs. was even more encouraged to spruce up the 'brick wall' (read: brick wall papered wall) with some photos in 'frames'... And when living in the land of Kimchi what better to make frames with than left over chopsticks and twine from winter camps?

Would the Mrs. had a bit more foresight, she likely would have painted the chopsticks so as to prevent them from blending into the brick wall - regardless, chopstick picture frames are not a difficult craft to take on at all! Simply collect some disposable chopsticks and twine or string of choice. Wrap the chopsticks criss-cross with twine using the non-stuck-together-end to 'squeeze' the twine. Continue until you have a nice little square frame. The Mrs. just taped photos to the frames as the frames will likely not make their way to the states upon the Harrington's ending their time in Korea, whereas the photos will for sure accompany the couple back home.

Now, go out and enjoy some kimbap or sesame chicken and put those chopsticks to use!

Sports Day at Nameson Middle School

If readers want a story to go with these photos, they'll have to petition the male editor of The Harrington Times. You can petition him by leaving your pleading, desparate-for-more remarks in the comments box.

Sports Day at Bongam Elementary School

Sports Day is quite the phenomena. Filled with songs, dancing, saluting, synchronized stretching and a wide variety of relays the day is a day that students can kick-back a little and enjoy life as a child, as opposed to a student. Highlights of Sports Day at Bongam Elementary school include:

• Kindergarten students paired with their parents rolling a giant ball down the field.
• Melissa Teacher being paired up with the one foreigner (Chinese) student as his 'step-in' parent for two relay races:
• Race #1: Pair up with another family, each individual grab a corner of a sheet, carry a large ball to a mid-way point, set down ball and sheet, scurry through small tunnel like thing, run back to ball and sheet, run back to start point.
• Race #2: Child sacrifice one shoe. All shoes scattered in the middle of the field, adult carry child to center of field and find child's shoe - both run back to starting point.
• (Please Note: Student is approximately the same size as Melissa Teacher)
• Mother's competing for Fabric Softener by keeping the hula-hoop in motion.
• Father's competing for Toothpaste in a game of singles hacky-'golden-pom-pom'-sack.
• All students gathering in the field, hula-hoops in hand to conduct a song and dance routine.
• Kindergarten students and their teachers busting out a K-Pop Routine with white gloves and matching yellow shirts and white socks pulled up to the knees.

Days such as these are always welcome when one has been teaching in South Korea for a few months (or longer). It's great to see the students outside of the classroom environment having a good time competing and performing for each other, their parents and themselves.

It's not all Adventures and Cute Children: Issues of Safety

This was never intended to be a series. There was never a desire or expectation that this place should be filled with stories of pain and ugliness. Nor is there a desire to sugar-coat what composes the full spectrum of an international-living experience. There are countless opportunities to see new things, enjoy adventures, interact with sweet children and so much more. Then, there are a handful of opportunities to be broken down, vulnerable, exposed, and violated.

The first time The Harrington Times addressed one of the more difficult aspects of living abroad was following the third death the Harrington's faced while living abroad. This next difficult aspect occurred on Friday, May 27th later after Mike had left the country. That evening a Korean man followed Mrs. Harrington (quite stealthily) to her door and was merrily flashing his man parts and a ridiculous grin when she turned to close the door and get Lady back inside. Shocked and unprepared for such an encounter, the Mrs. slammed the door and frantically called some friends who were quick to offer their presence and a safe place to vent and be upset. The time while the Man was out of the house was particularly trying as Mrs. Harrington feared a possible second-sighting of this man.

The encounter has left the Lady of the house thinking and reflecting about a number of things, most which do not fit the theme of this blog. However, one is the expectations that so many people bring with them to South Korea - specifically the expectation of being safe. Being flashed outside one's home may not constitute the highest threat on safety but surely raises questions regarding what is a culturally appropriate response. On nearly any given day, safety in South Korea is a sure thing, regardless, women and others who choose to travel to South Korea should maintain a sense of awareness regarding their surroundings and what to do in case of emergency or uncomfortable encounter.

The following provides links and information regarding safety in Korea, emergency protocol, a few legal matters and articles detailing a few of these not so welcome incidents.

• Police Number: 112
• Safety in South Korea (full-detailed record from the UK)
• Legality of Pepper Spray
• Short article: "Burberry Man" Arrested Near Elementary School
• Account of a more serious incident - reveals some of the legal processes involved in such incident
  
  

A side note to friends and family back home: Melissa is safe leaving and returning from her home. She would have accessed her ninja-like skills were it not for a heavy bag of groceries in her hands. However, such skills may have caused a bigger issue as self-defense may not be seen in the same vein as it is stateside. The Man has returned home and there is no need to worry endlessly about their safety and comfort, although prayers of such are always welcome. Our home/building is one of five in a neighborhood of 30-40 that has a locking front entrance as well as a key-coded personal door. The Harrington's are definitely safe and don't expect to face any additional problems such as this. Family and friends, remain calm and confident that the couple is in a safe place.

In the Kitchen: May 2011

Striaght from 519 Kitchen come the 'Top 5' Recipes of the month of May - for more check out http://www.519kitchen.blogspot.com/

5. Baba-Ganoush Hummus Pasta - this a recipe revisit from the days of abundant 'second-hand' eggplants. Delicious with fresh eggplants as well, take a trip to any of Korea's (Daejeon's) international markets or check out Korea's online grocers to snag ingredients such as chickpeas and tahini.

4. Kimchi Fried Rice - A bit tight on cash after enjoying a fun and exciting weekend in Seoul, left the Lady of the house siding with Korean foods as a more 'affordable' at home option than such exotic treats as Baba-Ganoush Hummus Pasta.

3. Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread - Simply...amazing. Worth buying an oven and sitting around for a morning/afternoon at home while the yeast does it's business.

2. Bulgogi Cheese Steak Sandwich - another take on Korean food...but with a bit of 'western' flare!

1. Chocolate Peanut Butter Rolls - Delectable. End. of. Story. (Also worth investing in an oven and time for yeast to rise)