TICKETS ARE BOUGHT!!!
We will be arriving at O'hare on Saturday January 24th at noon. (Our plane leaves Incheon at 11 on Saturday but we are 13 hours ahead, so that works out). We will be leaving Saturday February 7th at 11am.
Cannot wait to see all of you and introduce you to the boyfriend. <3
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Kimchi making...
This weekend was interesting. I made kimchi with the boyfriends mother. She is leaving for work related stuff on Wednesday (going to Thailand) and wanted to make kimchi before she left. And because I am her "daughter-in-law," it is my duty to make kimchi with her. Because this is the 1950's and only women do the cooking and cleaning. It is "our duty and we should take pride in it." According to her. Ha. She would be flabbergasted by the fact that her son is the one who (9 times out of 10) cooks us dinner and does the dishes after. We split the housework, like it should be. No one person gets off easy in our relationship but I will pay this role because I kind of like the boyfriend. Not worth making a fuss over, because at home it doesn't work like that and the boyfriend knows it. He is great.
Anyways, making kimchi. So, because it was my first time making kimchi I got relegated to the cleaning of vegetables and stirring of pots. There is a lot going on when you are making kimchi. You have various pots of liquids that go together and make the sauce for the kimchi. Then you have the cabbage that needs to be cut down to size. And the various veggies that need washed, three times because that is how the "mother-in-law" likes it done. Once everything is washed and cut, you mix the sauces together and then put in the veggies. No cabbage yet. Because this is a hard part, the boyfriend did it. You basically knead the veggies and sauce together. I guess you have to see it to understand but it is similar to when you knead bread. Best way to describe it. After the sauce thing is done you get down to putting it in the cabbage and storing it. That takes up most of the time. You sit on the floor and separate each leaf of the cabbage and put the sauce concoction into it. Once all the cabbage is done, you are finished.
It really wasn't that bad of an experience and didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would. About 5 or 6 hours total. The "mother-in-law" is happy that I can now make kimchi for the boyfriend. And she taught me how to cook this pork thing too. Because we all know I cook. Ha.
On a serious note. The "mother-in-law" isn't that bad, she means well but sometimes her draconian thinking is a bit much for me and the boyfriend. I understand that her heart is in the right place and she is doing things this way because of how she was raised and Korean culture. I am thankful that the boyfriend does not support this line of thinking and actually helps. To each their own.
Anyways, making kimchi. So, because it was my first time making kimchi I got relegated to the cleaning of vegetables and stirring of pots. There is a lot going on when you are making kimchi. You have various pots of liquids that go together and make the sauce for the kimchi. Then you have the cabbage that needs to be cut down to size. And the various veggies that need washed, three times because that is how the "mother-in-law" likes it done. Once everything is washed and cut, you mix the sauces together and then put in the veggies. No cabbage yet. Because this is a hard part, the boyfriend did it. You basically knead the veggies and sauce together. I guess you have to see it to understand but it is similar to when you knead bread. Best way to describe it. After the sauce thing is done you get down to putting it in the cabbage and storing it. That takes up most of the time. You sit on the floor and separate each leaf of the cabbage and put the sauce concoction into it. Once all the cabbage is done, you are finished.
It really wasn't that bad of an experience and didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would. About 5 or 6 hours total. The "mother-in-law" is happy that I can now make kimchi for the boyfriend. And she taught me how to cook this pork thing too. Because we all know I cook. Ha.
On a serious note. The "mother-in-law" isn't that bad, she means well but sometimes her draconian thinking is a bit much for me and the boyfriend. I understand that her heart is in the right place and she is doing things this way because of how she was raised and Korean culture. I am thankful that the boyfriend does not support this line of thinking and actually helps. To each their own.
Monday, December 15, 2014
East Sea and beyond...
This past weekend, I went to the East Sea with my boyfriend and his parents. It was our first trip together and I was kind of scared. It was only supposed to be a one day trip but turned into the whole weekend. On Saturday, we went for a hike in Sokcho and then went to a nice sauna after. It was lovely. We ate lots of fresh seafood and enjoyed the day. Sunday we drove home and I cooked them all lunch (because they think I am the one who should cook and not JiHoon; nevermind the fact that that isn't how it works in our relationship but whatever to their oldtimey ways and patriarchy).
Some parts of the trip were great but I have to say it was draining. His parents are so conservative and his mom is a bit idk. Both of us got told to exercise more, even though we told them we work out before work every morning. I was told that I need to only cook Korean food because everything else is bad for your health and only Korean food is healthy (which is hilarious because a lot of Korean food is high in sodium). Korea is the best country in the world because our people work so hard and no other country works as hard as Korean people (not taking into account that most of the baby boomer generation were hard workers too. Most countries can say this to some extent and it came off as rude and disrespectful) You should kick the cat out of the house, they are dirty and no good animals (even though JiHoon loves the cat and the cat is clean). "You must understand I am Korean." It was insane what she decided to nit-pick.
Now, I understand that in many ways what she was doing was VERY Korean of her and that she was only acting like a Korean from her generation but seriously. I bend over backwards to try and not rock the boat but I am to my limit. She needs to understand that I am American and sometimes, I make American food or do American things. AND KIMCHI DOESN'T GO WITH PASTA!!!
She also decided that next weekend we would make kimchi together because she leaves for Thailand and wants to make kimchi with me. I had no say in this plan and had to reschedule plans I had already made with my friends. Super annoying and over it. I will be nice to her but sometimes it really drives me crazy because she is so conservative and nationalistic. So over it.
Anyways, here are the nice parts of the weekend. Some pictures from the hike and the fish markets we went to. That was the fun part of the weekend. Just some minor issues with his mother.
Some parts of the trip were great but I have to say it was draining. His parents are so conservative and his mom is a bit idk. Both of us got told to exercise more, even though we told them we work out before work every morning. I was told that I need to only cook Korean food because everything else is bad for your health and only Korean food is healthy (which is hilarious because a lot of Korean food is high in sodium). Korea is the best country in the world because our people work so hard and no other country works as hard as Korean people (not taking into account that most of the baby boomer generation were hard workers too. Most countries can say this to some extent and it came off as rude and disrespectful) You should kick the cat out of the house, they are dirty and no good animals (even though JiHoon loves the cat and the cat is clean). "You must understand I am Korean." It was insane what she decided to nit-pick.
Now, I understand that in many ways what she was doing was VERY Korean of her and that she was only acting like a Korean from her generation but seriously. I bend over backwards to try and not rock the boat but I am to my limit. She needs to understand that I am American and sometimes, I make American food or do American things. AND KIMCHI DOESN'T GO WITH PASTA!!!
She also decided that next weekend we would make kimchi together because she leaves for Thailand and wants to make kimchi with me. I had no say in this plan and had to reschedule plans I had already made with my friends. Super annoying and over it. I will be nice to her but sometimes it really drives me crazy because she is so conservative and nationalistic. So over it.
Anyways, here are the nice parts of the weekend. Some pictures from the hike and the fish markets we went to. That was the fun part of the weekend. Just some minor issues with his mother.
The fresh fish markets:
The Mountain "Hike":
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Homecoming Cont...
As most of you have heard, I am coming home January 24th to February 7th (with the boyfriend). Though it is the second week of December, I feel like time is going by so slowly. Before I announced that I was coming home, time seemed to speed by but now that I am looking forward to something, it seems to be dragging on. Needless to say, January 24th cannot get here fast enough! I miss your faces!!!
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Homecoming...
Originally I was planning on coming home during my summer vacation (2015) but somethings happened and I am no longer coming then. I am now going to come back to America for a visit this winter. The boyfriend is also coming. We will be in the US from January 24th to February 7th. See you all soon!!!
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Horrible December
It is day 3 in December and it has not been a good month so far. The boyfriend had a flat tire coming back from Wonju. It ruined the tire completely. Some sort of rode or something got stuck in the tire and ruined it. Today, he got in a car accident outside of his work. The guy stopped in front of him on the curved road and JiHoon hit him because he couldn't stop because of the snow. Needless to say the boyfriend is having a hard time right now. Just no good. Hopefully the rest of the month gets better...here is hoping.
Here are some photos of the tire and accident. Boo.
Here are some photos of the tire and accident. Boo.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)