four months in Korea...

It seems that I have forgotten I have a blog.  Woops! Here's a quick recap of the past 3 (or so) months-- I was sick for an entire month. It was miserable. I cried a little bit, I have to admit.

I've settled in to life here pretty well.  There are still times that I feel like I haven't quite found my place yet, but I have moved enough times in my life to know that it just takes time.  Regardless, I am really enjoying my time here. So much so that I have neglected to blog.

Truly, I kept having ideas to post, but I kept putting it off and then I felt overwhelmed by the things I should be writing here.

Instead of trying to fill you in on what life has been like in Korea for the past 4 months, I have decided to give myself a challenge of sorts.  I'm going to try to post a picture/post at least once a week.  I don't take pictures of everyday life very often, but I think some of these things are the most interesting. They have become normal to me, but I know they definitely aren't to those of you who have never been to Korea, or Asia in general.

Without further ado.....

There is a lovely market just a few blocks from my apartment. It is full of little shops selling anything from fingernail polish to matching lingerie (for another post).  The majority of stands sell fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish.  It does take a few times of going to the market to get used to the pungent smell of fish, both live and dead, but by now I don't even notice it.

What struck me the most about having a large fresh food market this close to my apartment was how normal it is for Koreans to shop in this way. In the States, there is a large movement towards buying local.  After working at the Farms, the reality of where we get our food from and how much better it can be when grown locally really came to the forefront of my thoughts.  Many times, however, it is not easy to get good quality local produce, meat, or dairy for an affordable price. 

I have to say, I love this aspect of Korea.  The produce is local, it's much cheaper than in the grocery store, and it has so far always been good quality.  It is only a short walk from my apartment, and I get good practice with my extremely limited Korean skills. Everyone wins! Especially the ajosshi that I always buy potatoes from.