Yeosu Christmas Party / Oyster Dinner

Modeling our X-mas sweaters.


Hello blogosphere. Dave here. I really thought I'd crank out a few more blogs in December, but we got pretty busy. We are three work days from leaving Yeosu for a week. I've been really busy working on various things outside of work. Planning, web development, etc, so this time has been flying by. We haven't even started packing for Vietnam yet, but we are only bringing one bag and one backpack between us, so we will be traveling quite light. I think that we'll buy a lot of cheap stuff in Vietnam, and maybe even a second bag if we get enough! We have to use backpacks because everyone travels by motorbike in 'Nam, so luggage does not fit that system well. By looking forward to this trip I think both Megan and I overcame the burn out we had been experiencing at the start of the month. When you talk to other teachers, everyone goes through it. You get sick of the teaching hours, the students, the often confusing (by Western standards) communication of superiors, and other random problems that come up. This vacation is really coming at the perfect time. Jeff has said that it will be like a reset switch has been hit, and you can roll through work for another few months. I am looking forward to that.


동침 Dong Chim!!

This weekend was the Yeosu (foreigner) Christmas Party. Megan and I decided to find some nice Christmas sweaters to wear. They actually turned out pretty well, but I had to cut the turtle neck off of my sweater with a scissors! The party was at the same place as the Halloween party - "Ebada". Some people in town set up a really cool deal with a local orphanage. The "cover charge" for the party was either a gift for the kids, or a donation. A lot of people were also going to the Orphanage on Christmas day to give the presents and play games with the kids, but for obvious reasons we couldn't make it. We sang some Christmas carols, and had some delicious egg nog. I never knew egg nog was so good! I provided the party music again, and I think that went pretty well... As far as satisfying the tastes of people from 5/6 countries can go.



This evening we took a short trip out to Man-sang-ri beach to have a meal of FRESH oysters. They catch them in the morning, and serve them in the evening. Jeff paid for the entire Kim family to eat out. That was really nice of him. The oysters tasted GREAT. Basically the server puts a big plate of oysters over a flame on your table, and you just take them and eat them. You wear a handsome white glove to grab the boiling hot oyster, and then pry it open (if it is still closed) with a knife and scrape it out. I had raw oysters before which were OK, but cooked are great. It also speaks volumes to how my food pallet has increased. When I first got here I don't think there would be much of a chance that I'd try a food like that. I would NEVER had considered it back at home. Nowadays I didn't even give it a second thought - because it's so good!! I think my tastes have changed just a bit from when I've left. I mean I even (sort of) like Kimchi now and Megan loves it!



Well, we have a few pictures from both the oysters and the Christmas party, so check them out. I am looking forward to warm weather, and hopefully checking out some interesting sites while we are in Nam, so expect some blogging!

Merry Christmas everyone. We miss you so much! I hope to hear from each and everyone who reads the blog!! Trust me, even a one or two sentence comment or email makes our day.

Happy Holidays - enjoy the pictures!!!