Drinking with my Principal a.k.a The English Center welcome dinner

I am currently avoiding making more lesson plans. I have my open lesson this Friday and I'm dreading it. All English teachers in S. Korea go through this pain; at least once a semester the class is open to parents, teachers, and administrators. But enough about that, lets talk about something happy.

I went out drinking with my Principal and co-teachers and it was really fun.

Not the best quality but you get the idea. Co-teachers and me in front of the restaurant. You had to take off your shoes to enter. 

Closer picture of the teachers. Sorry for the graininess. Not my camera :(

In actuality, the English Center hosted a welcome dinner for the new teachers (me and Chia). All day at school we were told that this dinner was a really big deal. The Principal was taking everyone to a really fancy and expensive traditional Korean restaurant ("he must really really like you guys!"-my co-teacher). We were warned to be on our best behavior, that we might have to give small speeches, and that we should try everything in our might to get (even more) in our Principal's good graces (he seems really great so that was already a goal).

Chia and I sat in the center and right across from the Principal. While he doesn't speak English, the other teachers were able to quickly translate what he said to us and our responses. He was incredibly friendly and wanted us to try every food. He supposedly likes us a lot because he cut up food for us and placed it on our place. This was a really big deal to the other teachers. We also used our new Korean manners and made sure to pour the Principal Soju. I may have already mentioned this but people don't really pour their own drinks in Korea- it's expected that someone younger will pour it for them. We jumped on the chance to show the Principal our good manners and made sure his glass was full. Speaking of Soju- I had been feeling sick all day with a cold and had no plans on drinking that evening but...peer pressure?

I enjoyed a few glasses of beer and Makgeolli (Korean rice wine) with the Principal and was rewarded with being told that the Principal liked people more if they were drinkers. Perfect. I was going to fit right in at this school.

In the end, it was a great night with fantastic company and delicious food. It should also be noted that the meal felt never ending. A woman was constantly bringing out plate after plate of new foods to try; bamboo shoots, fish, shrimp, duck, sweet potato, kimchi, octopus, chicken soup, and things that I didn't recognize but would eat again.  

Really fresh fish and different sides 

Nearing the end of the meal. From the left: rice in black tea water, white kimchi, kimchi, raw garlic with kimchi sauce, duck and fish to eat with the rice soup thing.

Yes, I ate this. It's just as chewy as it looks.

Some of my co-teachers

Soju and beer- this was maybe a third of what was brought to the table?

After our wonderful welcoming feast I went home and went to bed really early. Turns out that although the alcohol might have been good for me socially, it wasn't great for my health. My cold took a turn for the worst.

Yet, I'm healthy now. Still happy. The end.

Peace.