Kimchi, not for me

We have a system here in the office so that everyone has a specific day that they have to go down and get lunch and bring it upstairs for us to eat. (I did mention before that the school provides lunch for us everyday, right?) Anyway, given that I'm one of those spoiled westerners who are unwilling to break out of my culture, especially when it comes to food, every day is pretty much hit or miss. I try to keep a noodle cup here (ramen noodles are HUGE here - sold in every little convenience store, even the ones about the size of a closet) on the days that I don't eat what the school provides. Wednesdays are my day - but I only have to take the dishes and food back downstairs (the guy I'm paired up with has to go downstairs and get it). I was waiting upstairs when he brought it in and uncovered it...it looked good, but perhaps a little questionable. Donovan asked what it was and the reply was "Octopus." Thank God for the little niggle in my brain this morning that made me buy a noodle cup when I stopped to buy an umbrella on my way to school today.

Last night some of the foreign teachers got together and we watched a movie entitled Napoleon Dynamite. Anyone seen it? If I remember correctly, it's from the makers of the movie Best in Show. It was humorous - and yet also scary because I know some people like Napoleon. However, we ate Papa John's pizza - which was beyond delicious (and they have the garlic sauce stuff here, though it was different and tasted more like it belonged on popcorn than on pizza). We got bulgogi pizza - bulgogi is a type of Korean food (obviously) and it's kinda like beef stew - but not like any kind I've ever had before in my life. It's more soup-like than stew-like, and I've only had it once, but it was HEAVENLY. Anyway, the pizza was delightful, as was the movie and the company. So far the best pizza I've had here was from a Wal-Mart. Isn't that a bit strange? Last Friday Kylie, Donovan, and I went to a Pizza Hut. Only, it was a Pizza Hut Plus. Translation: more expensive, and WAY fancier than any Pizza hut I've ever been to before. The pizza was good, but not amazing, but the atmosphere - because of how bizarre it was to me - made the experience worth it (worth it = translation, it was very expensive). On my way to church though, I have seen a regular Pizza Hut, so maybe one day I'll try that and see how that works for me.

I'm a bit embarrased at this point at how much I've talked about food. It's just that so much of it here is not so good (in my opinion only, of course) and finding food that is familiar and good (either/or) is quite exciting. Anyway, I should go and actually do some work now - though I'm already quite ahead with my lesson plans. I'm sure I'll finish and have time to post more of my meaningless (but endearing, right?) ramblings.