November 12

For just over month I’ve called Jeju home and everything is still fantastic. This weekend ranked high among those I’ve had here so far, though I suppose that is to be expected - things just keep getting better. After having Saturday morning to myself, Chan-Yeup’s family picked me up and I accompanied them to a fish festival on the West side of the island. Though our original plan was to participate in a contest to catch fish by hand, the line was a bit long, so we opted to go fishing at sea. Before we cast away, I tried some raw fish which had come directly from the ocean, and as the token white dude at the event, I was interviewed by two enthusiastic news anchors. As the squid boat slowed to a halt we cast our lines, and as the bubbles cleared, I was amazed that I could see the floor of the sea. While I’m not much of a sea fisherman, I did manage to catch one fish. San-gung (Chan-Yeup’s father) on the other hand, caught three fish. He sat wearing the same easy smile that he had since the moment they picked me up. As I slowly pick up Korean, I’ll be eager to learn what I can from this fantastic fellow.

After returning to Seogwipo, Shelby and I caught the 516 bus and made our way to Iho beach. 30-40 foreigners had gathered for the annual, Guy Fox bonfire. I had a great time meeting new people, but eventually found a spot next to the fire and just looked up at the stars. The fire roared on for eight hours or so, and then there were only five of us who remained. Rob, a young man from Britain, introduced himself to me and offered me a place to stay.

We set off across a barren field and hailed a cab, that was cruising by on an otherwise deserted street. Rob directed the driver to his place where I said goodnight and set off in search of a Jim Jel Bong... (I have no idea to spell korean words in English). After several failed attempts to ask for directions, I found three ladies who were willing to help me find my way. As luck would have it, we were standing directly in front of a Jim Jel Bong when I approached them. I made my way upstairs and left everything I had in a locker vowing not to return until I got some quality sleep and shed the consequences of drinking Soju and Heineken. A Jim Jel Bong is a large public bath and a perfect place to call home for a night. The rest of the world melted away as I hoped from bath to bath, some quite frigid, and others nearly too hot. After a quick visit to the Sauna and a quart of water I was ready for sleep. I made my way down to the common area where there were rooms of men, rooms of women, and couples with their families cuddling everywhere between. The air is perfect - it is not too warm, yet you don’t need a blanket to keep yourself comfortable.

Feeling fully rested, I woke six hours later to a much different scene. Friends and family sat talking and eating breakfast - or was it lunch? I was in no hurry to head back to reality so I spent a solid two hours relaxing in this tub or that. Each of the Saunas are unique. Some are quite plane and elegant in their simplicity, while others are ornate with geodes dripping off every visible surface. One room was nearly 100 degrees Celsius! The most intense room was the Kiln (as in an oven used for firing ceramics). As I entered two women sat in silence and I nearly burned my hand when I closed the door which had a wooden handle! I sat for seconds before my eyes were drawn to the time-lapse video on my arm - sweat poured from my skin. I made it for a minute before I fled, leaving behind the two women who sat calm and quiet. I could go on about Jim Jel Bongs forever.

After an afternoon of wandering the streets of Jeju City, I made my way back to Seogwipo. Tommy had asked me out for dinner and I met him and the rest of the group at a seafood restaurant. Tommy’s sister and her husband (apa!) sat to one side, while Dennis (the pill from my 5:00 class) and his mother sat to the other. Once you get him out of the classroom, Dennis’ behavior is pretty standard for a young boy (I was probably a bit more crazy myself at times), still I couldn’t help but wonder if this dinner was some sort of peace offering on his parents’ behalf. Out came the first course. Spools of rice noodles were stacked high and topped with an assortment of raw fish. I had long sense overcome any fear of raw fish, but I was not prepared for their neighbors. In one bowl, several large clams moved about as half a crab lay on its back next door. Front and center, tentacles (think octopus or squid) lay clutching to their plate as they wiggled about. Figuring the tentacles to be scariest of the lot, I chose to go for one of them first. Fortunately their grip on the plate was stronger than their attempts to grab my checks or tongue. The clam turned out to be the most difficult dish, but after several failed attempts to sedate the damn thing with Soju, I just swallowed my fear and the clam. Stating that this particular clam is similar to Viagra, my Korean father once again reminded me of the value of seafood for men. I reminded him that I don’t have a girlfriend nor do I have a need to lie awake at two in the morning. Ohhhhhhhhhh Korea, I love you.