Kimchi

This evening as I was sitting at dinner, I realized how many little cultural differences there are here that I have become accustomed to.

One being: 

Kimchi.

It is an essential side dish to every meal. I cannot imagine having a meal without it. Breakfast, lunch, dinner..if it is not there, the meal is simply, incomplete.

So what is Kimchi? It is a traditional Korean dish typically made from mainly fermented cabbage and red pepper. Two months ago, when I landed in Korea, I could not stand the food. It was disgusting - like trying to eat cold, chewy, and spicy..well, fermented cabbage.

But now, after eating it daily, three times a day, I actually enjoy the substance. I choose to eat it with my meal. I choose to mix it with my rice or eat it alongside my fishcakes. This evening I was disappointed when I finished it, and I even wished I had gotten more as I had gone through the food line. I probably wouldn't go insofar as to say I like it, but I definitely don't dislike it. I also probably won't eat it daily while I an dining in my dorm when I return to America in the fall, but that doesn't mean I won't have random cravings of it occasionally either. Mmm!

Yes, this is what I was thinking about during dinner this evening. Kimchi is just one example of a cultural difference I have gotten fairly used to.

Others?

Chicken. What is chicken? Does it exist in Korea? Not really. This evening they served chicken at the campus cafeteria and it was a luxury! I exclaimed, "Is that chicken!?" when I saw it. You don't realize what you are missing until someone suddenly serves it to you. I think it was the third time I had eaten chicken in two months. I have gotten fairly used to my fishcakes, pork, squid, and mystery meat instead.

Me holding up a fishcake from my fishcake soup. :)

Another difference: Paper towels. Why have paper towels when you can dry your hands on toilet paper, that conveniently shreds all over your wet hands!? I remember that on my first day in Korea after washing my hands in a campus restroom, I went to get paper towels and the dispenser was empty. I made a hasty conclusion that they simply hadn't filled them yet since school was not in session. Little did I know that they never filled them. Nor did the rest of Korea. Now I am accustomed to going back into a stall to dry my hands on toilet paper, or simply walking out with wet hands.

What is my point? There are some things in another culture that you get used to without even thinking about it. But when I do think about it, I really miss chicken, and I really miss paper towels too. I have simply just gotten used to living life without them, and living life with kimchi instead.

Kimchi (right) with picked radish (left), which likewise is served at almsot every meal.
I kinda, sorta, really, might actually like that too now. :)