It is not me and my friends that drink a lot. My stories are only mostly about drinking/going out, because they're the tales worth remembering and sharing. I have a document file full of PPTs to remind me of past lessons, no need writing about them here (although, if one is truly spectular I will share it with you).
But back to the point! Drinking. Drinking is a cultural thing! So by that token I am engaging in a very traditional, highly practiced, cultural aspect.
Case in point:
Wednesday (April 6th) after playing volleyball my co-teacher asks me if I would like to go with her and Andrew to look at textbooks. I did have plans that evening, but being that I have not seen a single English textbook, have zero direction for my after school classes, and am waiting on my books to arrive (at an undetermined, unlikely to occur date in the future), I thought it would be helpful to go along with them.
The textbook store was really interesting. The amount of variety and content of the books ranged from (A) colorful, attention grabbing, smart study resources to (Z) completely boring, no one would be interested. I, however, could only focus - and that is a stretch - on the pictures. I've been really tired the last few days and was quickly losing steam.
Tired and hungry I was ready to call it a night when my co-teacher suggested dinner. Beautiful! I'll get a good meal, fill up, and probably not have to pay. Not to sound horribly cheap, but my wallet is a little light right now. Anyways... Dinner for the three of us turned into dinner with her whole family. I got to meet my co-teacher's husband and oldest daughter (I have her youngest daughter in my 5th grade Art class, and hang out with her everyday after school when she finishes classes. We don't talk, but we point at things and make noises).
At the restaurant we barely have our shoes off and asses on the floor before her husband has ordered a bottle of soju! By the end of the night the bottle count for our table is: 5 bottles of soju, 3 bottles of beer, 2 pineapple Fantas, and 1 Coke.
Speech was beginning to slur, chopsticks were flying, and endless food kept arriving at our table! In Korea, if your soju class is empty they will keep refilling it! So after ~4 shots, I started taking faux shots - lifting my glass to my mouth, while covering it with my hand, and pretending to drink!!
So you see! It is culturally acceptable for my stories to center around nights out, because any night out, be it weekday or weekend, will have alcohol!!
Expect some crazy stories to come this weekend! It's another birthday for my group of friends, and the evening is going to be CRAZY! Saturday I got picked (against my will and desires) to attend a Korean Cultural Tour with other GETs in Busan. The weather here is currently gross... concerns of radioactive rain caused some schools to close! Perhaps, the trip will be called off and I'll be free to part-take in my own cultural activities! No, not drinking, there is a really nice Cherry Blossum Festival happening this weekend that would be nice to check out.
^Me with my co-teacher and her family. Notice the height difference. Giant :(
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