A Weekend in Nonsan

Culture Street

A weekend in Canada is very different from a weekend in Korea. In Canada, my weekends were usually very lazy. I'd sleep in, watch TV in my PJ's until noon, slowly get ready and by 1:00 p.m. I was usually ready to go out wherever I needed to go. Mike's, on the other hand, were usually all business. He'd get up, go to work, come home and then get ready to do the same thing the next day. In Korea, our weekends are our time to explore, do some shopping and try new things.

It is hard to say what most Koreans do on weekends. Based on our observations we can say a few things with certainty.

Inside the market - total chaos

Every Saturday, everyone and their brother goes to their local open air markets to buy fresh produce, meat, fish and socialize with their neighbours. Old ladies sit at the stalls snacking on some kind of meat on a stick, rice cakes (not the Quaker kind we are used to in Canada) and kimchi, all of it covered in some form of garlic hot sauce. Next to them are children running up and down the aisles of the market, dodging men on scooters and carts delivering an assortment of goods. Further down the aisle are shoppers collecting the items on their grocery lists which usually include an array of cabbage-type vegetables, over-sized bags of onions, various meat not commonly seen at your local Zehrs store, and gathering leafy greens and nuts from bulk bins in the middle of the market. Surrounding this organized chaos are alley ways filled with teenage girls and boys shopping for clothing while seizing the opportunity to savour "street-meat" and confectionery items. Looking around this little part of the world we now call home, 3 weeks ago it would have been hard to believe that a place like this actually existed.

Entrance to the market

Just stopping for a snack

A typical meat stall in the market

On Sunday, Nonsan seems like a completely different city. The busy and chaotic streets turn into desolate walkways where pedestrians are free to cross the street without fear of being run down by a taxi. That is, until 2:00 p.m. when church-goers have returned to their usual business of getting where they need to go as quickly as possible. Sunday for us means walking around the city, finding new places to visit. Sometimes it also means taking the train to Daejeon for some retail therapy at Costco. However, if you aren't mindful of the dates, Sunday may mean taking the train to Daejeon to go to Costco only to turn back around once you find out it is closed on the second and fourth Sunday of the month, as was the case for us this past Sunday. Starting now, Sunday will no longer mean Costco trips... As the sun goes down and the last few hours of the weekend hang in the air, families gather for dinners at restaurants and homes where stories of their days are retold with a sense of melancholy for the return to the work-week. We know this because we have a sneak peek into approximately 300 kitchens from the comfort of our balcony. As they sit cross-legged on the floor, we watch and wonder: what are they cooking, what part of the animal are they eating...what animal are they eating, did it have a name?

This little piggy went to the market....

Dinner with the foreigners

This past weekend was our second in Korea. Overall it was a nice and relaxing weekend. Thanks to the wonderful advancements of technology, we were able to connect with foreigners, most of whom are fellow teachers, at a welcome dinner they held for us. They took us to a typical Korean restaurant where shoes are removed immediately upon entering. We were then taken to a room in the back of the restaurant where low tables are surrounded by pillows. This is where we sat while eating - yes, on the floor. The low tables each had a BBQ pit sunk into the middle of it surrounded by an array of condiments, side dishes and utensils. The food of choice that was samgyupsal, which is pork belly meat. Basically, it is western style bacon that hasn't been cured. It is then placed on the grill with whole cloves of garlic and eaten with spicy sauce, a sesame oil dipping sauce, kimchi and various other condiments. This is followed by at least one shot of soju which is a cheap Korean liquor, similar to vodka. And when I say cheap, I mean it is cheap. For a 4L jug, you will have to fork out a hefty 5,000 won - approximately $5 Canadian. The Koreans (and foreigners) love their soju. More will come on food and drink in Korea shortly. But for now, let us say this.. I don't think anyone goes hungry in Korea. Or has to eat alone. No matter where you are from or where you are going, someone is always around to keep you company and you better believe food is always involved. We have been very fortunate to meet some really great people in Korea and we can't wait to keep you updated with more stories.

Our first night out in Korea