Mulloskeys Adventures Abroad

We regret that this post is from so far back, but for reasons explained in the previous post you will just have to suck it up and deal with it.

During December we continued to have memorable times with our dear friends and Korean life-mates Jordan and Katie. We have decided to dedicate a full post to them and our 5 months together through summer, fall and winter after their final departure next month.

For this post, we will focus specifically on my mother’s visit and activities in and around Christmas in Korea.

And what is Christmas in Seoul without a visit to Meyong-dong? Crowded as ever, we found ourselves at home in this alley of mass consumerism, neon Santas, and broken English renditions of our favourite carols. More on Meyong-dong Christmas chaos here.

One of my mother’s best friends, Julie, also has a daughter teaching in Korea. This was the perfect chance for my mom, Julie and her other 2 daughters to make their way across the Pacific.

With only a 2 days off to show them around Seoul one must go with the obvious choices: Geyongbukgung Palance,  Insa-dong (ancient cobble stone alley of many treasures), temples galore, and, of course, Dr. Fish.

Our first stop was the palace. It was a beautiful brisk day and all were in good spirits. The guards with the taped on goatees (there’s no way that facial hair is real) once again serve to greet camera-happy foreigners.

Next stop, Jogyesa temple. I love this place because it is right in the downtown core, acting as a tiny sanctuary for Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. Our timing was perfect… having arrived right in the middle of a ceremony. This gave my guests a truly cool Asian experience.  I felt like a great tour guide until they started asking questions I had know idea about; like ‘who is that big gold guy?’

Next stop, Dr. Fish (see previous outing with the Breech family here). This is where a special type of tiny fish eats the dead skin off your body. Due to an expose about questionable hygiene of these places, they have almost all shut down across Korea (now open everywhere in Thailand). We have only had pleasant experiences in the past and I chose not to share potential concerns with my guests. Shock of all shocks, my mother loved it!!!  I was so impressed. She didn’t take her feet out for a second. Julie’s daughters on the other hand lost major street cred for their lackluster efforts and loud shrieks that head everyone in the place staring at us.

As I explained to our guests, Christmas traditions in Korea are much different than those at home. For one, it’s not even a day off for most Koreans. Second, it is considered a ‘couples’ or friends’ holiday’, not a family one. Last and most important, there is less focus on gift exchange as cake eating remains the activity of choice. It seems everyone goes out and buys a cake. Every store, bakery, variety store and telecom store is selling cakes. The competition is so high that random mascots are hired to lure in the sweet-tooths (teeth?).

I consider myself above that kind of photo op.  Unless we are at the grocery store and there is a live Power Ranger show. Then all bets are off. Merry Christmas to me!

Christmas Day. What a great treat to have family and friends from home to make us feel less far away. We had our traditional make shift brunch and Love Actually/Star Wars marathon. Exchanging gifts is a new thing for Erin and I. We agreed to keep the budget low and make it just for fun. Apparently, I was the only one who listened. (She protests to this day that she kept to the under $30 budget). Keep in mind that in 4 months Erin and I were only apart for about 3 hours (terrible for some, my idea of bliss). How much can I get in that time? Well how about real Diet Coke (only available in 1 foreign market in Seoul), a blue hat and some hideous pink velour gloves (I think I was drunk when I bought them). The piece de resistance: a handmade necklace from Insa-dong that turned out to be the SAME one I bought her 2 years earlier – all wrapped in tin foil. Our guests were howling at my expense. Notice both necklaces here.

No problem right? Turns out Erin had ordered my gifts back in August. Of course they were the most thoughtful gifts ever (definitely over budget) and quite effective at making look like a complete douche in front of my mom, Julie’s family, and Jorkat. First is the Phish sweater that I have yet to take off.

If you have read this blog or know me at all, you will recall my obsession with trains. When I was an elementary school student I spent every recess watching trains go buy, losing friends by boring them with each countless minute detail I recited about each train. Twice a week, from grade 1 to grade 8, our class would go to the library for reading time. There we would sign out a book and sit for half an hour or so. There was only one book I would ever get. It was an old book (c. 1937 it turns out) with charcoal illustrations about an engine that runs away and the townspeople go to find it and bring it back. When I graduated high school, I went to visit my former elementary school and some of my teachers. While there, I found my way to the library. I managed to find the old book way in the back. The sign out card on the inside cover still had my name from top to bottom. Though I mentioned it only a handful of times during the last 7 years, and with vague details, Erin found the book. She had me open my most treasured long-lost childhood relic in front of everyone – gee thanks.  I maintain that the emotional outburst that followed was due to an excessive amount of champagne and OJ.

Thank you Erin. I cannot believe did that for me. I hope you enjoyed your diet coke, blue hat and a second copy of the same necklace.

I would like to finish this post on a light note. So here is a van picking up students at our apartment building to the ‘Popcorn Art Institute’. The door opened to load the youngsters… Popcorn was suddenly not how we read it.