Hidden Gem

I've said before that the food in the restaurants here is cheap (you can buy a decent dinner for less than $5!) but my roommate Connie and I have found something even better: one of the school's cafeterias. This may sound really dull, but it is actually really exciting! :)

This cafeteria is located on campus in a building right next to the one where we have our last class (Korean Language class, so Connie, myself, and our other friend Anna are in it together). It is set up buffet-ish style, where there is a long line of plate of food (one section with plates of rice, then plates of chicken....). So basically you just walk down the line and pick up what you would like to eat. There is great selection: always 2 kinds of rice, kimchi, other various veggies, 2 types of meat plates, 2 types of soup or stew, plus more! This is what I had today:

Curry chicken, brown rice (that looks purple), kimchi vegetables, pickled red radishes, and egg soup.

Now make sure you are sitting down because here's the kicker: it was only 1850 won (less than $1.75)!!!!!! So amazing! Connie said that she heard from someone else that the food is subsidized by the university so it is really cheap for the students.

These are also some of the Korean foods that I am really liking (excluding the chicken because that is Indian food, but still yummy):

• Kimchi Vegetables (gakdugi or gahk-doo-kee): this has the same flavour and spiciness as regular kimchi, but is made with radishes instead of cabbage
• Pickled Red Radishes: I don't really know how to described the flavour, but it is salty, sweet, and sour all at the same time. There is also a yellow kind you see sometimes too which tastes just the same.
• Egg Soup: This is a really simple soup. All it is is scrambled eggs in an egg broth. Sometimes there is also green onions on top. Simple, but surprisingly delicious.

These are all very typical Korean foods that have become staples in my diet and I love it. :) Especially when it is so cheap! Connie, Anna, and I are thinking we might start coming regularly to this cafeteria after class Monday to Thursday, and then only go out to the restaurants on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. That gives us the chance to save money (while eating good foods) and still have the chance to get out there and try a lot of restaurants (of which Seoul has plenty).

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Another exciting thing this week is that my Korean Language class is progressing past learning consonants and vowels. I am now able to read sentences at a slow-moderate pace and introduce myself (joh reum Kayla ye yo). It is pretty funny because to convert my name into the Korean alphabet system it would look like this: 캐일아 and sound like this Kay-i-ra (with the 'r' sound more like a cross between an 'r' and a 'l'). I think if I want to convert Vanderwees to the Korean way it would sound like "Ban-de-we-se" haha.

My Korean language textbook and workbook.

I can read these! Yay!

Lesson and exercise about introducing yourself.

So as you can tell not a lot of adventuring has gone on, but I thought I would still share about my campus life. :)

Stay warm in all that snow you got in Winnipeg (suckers). Love you!