10 November 2009
By Dani
In Random
So I’ve been here nearly two months, and haven’t yet figured out what to sayu about it. It’s an incredibly interesting place, with very different ideas of culture. The amount of redtape that we need to get through the first couple of weeks we were here was obscene! We had to get a medical check to ensure that we weren’t coming to infect the country with swine flu or other nasty diseases (which proved to be futile, but I’ll get to that), we had to apply to become officially registered as aliens, then sort out a mobile phone, internet, and a bank account. The bank account being the most illogical thing ever- as we are not allowed to have banks cards until three months after we opened the account. Because… foreigners might want to take out money? I’m not entirely sure where the logical lies in that little rule. The bank of course is only opened Monday to Friday from 9:30 to 4:00, which means we can’t actually use it. At all. Since we work Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 5:00. I understand that a lot of the rules have been put into place specifically because foreigners have caused problems in the past- but seriously it can be frustrating.
After our week long quarantine period (they were really serious about the swine flu- perhaps with good reason) we got to our schools, and finally started teaching on the 6th of October. The school environment is quite nice, most of my students are lovely. But I sure did get some strange looks my first week here. Even now I find that the first and second graders (I don’t teach curriculumed classes for them) stare at me like I’m from another planet. Just the other day I caught a small child backing down the hallway slowly from me, just staring with curiousity. When I said hello he turned and ran. It’s strange to be such an outsider- but seeing as Korea is such a strongly homogeneous society its hard to fit in. That plus the couple of culturally unacceptable things that I engage in, such as living with my boyfriend unmarried and having a tongue ring.
The tongue ring has turned out to be a much bigger deal than I thought it would- I have students sticking out their tongues in the middle of class and pointing. It’s actually quite comedic. Although I’ve been officially warned once that the Principal and Vice Principal would appreciate me taking it out. Obviously I have no problems with that, but it would be nice to find a retainer so I don’t lose the piercing.
Lots of new experiences, and a new way of looking at the world. All in all its been quite an interesting experience so far.
21 June 2009
By Dani
In Entrees, The Recipe Box
Happy summer solstice everyone! For dinner we had the least summery meal you could imagine. Yummy sweet potato and black bean chili and cornbread. Hey, if the weather isn’t going to behave like it’s summer why should I?
This is perfect rainy day food- and probably more appropriate for autumn.
Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili
+2 medium sweet potatoes (cut into 1 inch chunks)
+1 large spanish onion (diced)
+2 cloves garlic (diced)
+2 jalapeno peppers (diced)
+2 cans of black beans
+2 cans diced plum tomatoes (28 ounces each)
+1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
+sunflower oil
+chili flakes & chili powder to taste
Heat oil in large pot on medium-high heat. Add garlic, onion and jalapeno peppers. Cook until onions become translucent (approximately 2-3 minutes).
Add sweet potatoes, diced tomatoes, sugar and 2 teaspoons chili powder. (Less if you don’t like spicy chili). Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes or until sweet potatoes become soft.
Once potatoes have become soft, add black beans and continue to simmer, uncovered for approximately 15 minutes.
Serve in bowls, with warm cornbread.
Sweet Cornbread
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup corn-meal
1 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 egg
Pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 400 F or 200 C. Mix milk and cornmeal in bowl. Add dry ingredients: brown sugar, white sugar, flour and salt. Mix.
Add wet ingredients: melted butter and egg.
Pour into greased cake pan (I rub butter on the bottom/sides of the pan).
Bake until golden brown, and until fork comes out clean.
Serve warm.
Yummy.
30 May 2009
By Dani
In Knitting, Random
Sock Wars is over (for me anyways- there are loads of lucky warriors still knitting!). My target died the day before I died- so all in all it was a resounding success. My wrist starting aching from something or other about 3 days in forcing me to take a couple of days off… so I’m hoping next year I’ll get two kills in! Maybe more, since I’ll hopefully be shipping from Korea- and postage is a major major factor in this game.
My assasin Vaedri killed me with a gorgeous pair of socks in Lana Grossa Meilenweit Mega Boots Stretch:
I have to admit I was a bit skeptical about the pattern, however they turned out looking great! And the colours are just amazing. I couldn’t think of a better way to die.
My weapons were knit in tofutsies, in a pretty blue-purple colour and were quite the adventure on their own. I had a small problem with the cables, and had to drop stitches back for 3 repeats of the cable- approxmiately 5 inches.
Which required an emergency run to the craft store to get a tiny crochet hook and hours of patiently rebuilding cables stitch by stitch. I, of course, had to do this not once but three times for three different strands of cables. Which I think may very well have been the root of my aching wrist.
But finally! They were done. And looked quite pretty.
I assure you my target didn’t have ginormous feet, they just look really huge because the ribbing pulls the top bit in. (I measured and re-measured and got my mum to try them on on her size 7′s).
And that was Sock Wars. It was a blast!
Socks
22 May 2009
By Dani
In Knitting, Random
My ‘vegan swap’ swap partner has a ton of gorgeous hats in her ravelry projects list, including a mad hatter hat, which I just need an excuse to try and mimic (halloween anyone?). Her hats inspired me to dig out a picture and share this knit.
A couple of summers ago I spent about a month travelling around Scandinavia, and found the most adorable cartoon personality in Finland: Moomin. Apparently Moomin was even big in the UK, as Señor Caracol used to watch it as a little kid. In fact it inspired him to request a Snuffkin Hat.
So, I cast on in noro (his choice!), and knit and tinked and ripped and finally felted, and I think it turned out just great.
What do you think?
Finland, nostalgia
21 May 2009
By Dani
In The Recipe Box
This is one of my favourite quick and cheap dishes. We threw it together last night because just happened to have all of the ingredients on hand (another reason I love it so much!).
1 Large Spanish Onion (roughly chopped)
2 Tomatoes (roughly chopped)
Spices to taste (paprika, cayenne pepper, chili powder, etc.)
1 Can Black Beans
1 Can Sweet Corn
6 Flour Tortillas
1 Cup Cheddar Cheese
Veg Oil for Cooking
Heat oil in medium sauce pan, and saute onions until they become slightly translucent. Add spices- this time I used approximately 2 tbsps of Tex Mex, a yummy mix of most of the Red Spices.
Stir in until onions are lightly coated in spice. Add tomatoes, beans and corn. Cook until all is heated through.
Lightly oil baking sheet- lay tortillas flat on baking sheet, fill half of each tortilla with filling. Lightly cover with cheese and fold over.
Very lightly brush top of folded tortillas with oil, place in oven on High Broil until browned on the top.
Top with salsa (and sour cream if desired).
Enjoy!
It’s not beautiful food but it sure is delicious!
entree, mexican
