Red vs. Blue

My fourth week in Korea has been very eventful! The biggest highlight would be the annual sports festival between Korea University (red) and Yonsei University (blue). It actually ended in a tie, but I will get to that shortly.

The beginning of the week consisted of attending (and falling asleep already!) in classes. I ate kimchi cheese (김치 치즈) 비빔밥 on Monday (strange but nevertheless tasty), CIEE people ate free 갈비 on Tuesday and DMC people ate 삼겹살 on Wednesday. Side question - if anyone is bothered by the random Korean I like to throw in please tell me - I figured you could learn along with me, at least the important food terminology! Everything I do not translate I have previously mentioned in my blog.

The more interesting things occurred starting Thursday, which so happened to be my 22nd birthday! I had a lot of fun celebrating here in Korea. For lunch I ate seaweed soup (미역국) because it is associated with birth and long life in Korea. After Korean class (my team lost a game due to our collective stupidity) friends and I went to eat 자장면 because it is customary for Filipinos to eat noodles for long life. After being stuffed with Chinese food we went to sing our hearts out at 노래방. At Love Story (how cheesy is that!) we were put into this very swanky room complete with red vinyl furniture, a night view of Seoul, disco lights, and a pole. I sang a bunch of English songs, attempted a few Korean ones including HUG by 동방신기 (if the song is slow enough I can read the lyrics), and did surprisingly well on a Japanese one (READY STEADY GO!!!). Back at the DMC we massacred a delicious Wild Monkey Cake (chocolate and banana ice cream). Good times. :)

Friday was the beginning of the Yon-ko sports festival! With the mentors club - my buddy was not there :( - the international students went to watch baseball, basketball, and ice hockey. I personally went to baseball and ice hockey. Both games were so much fun!!! At Yon-ko it is more about cheering than watching your team play, to be perfectly honest. Both sides had these genki cheerleaders made up of guys and girls who apparently had limitless amounts of energy. These people led the crowd in doing crazy yet coordinated dances, such as the "One Night Only" dance that consisted of hip thrusts and pointing and waving your index finger around. I had such a good time imitating yet miserably failing at the dances, which was really the point of Yon-ko - to show your Yonsei team spirit through participation. Dinner was Korean BBQ!


Saturday was rugby and soccer. I'm not a sports fan but the soccer game was pretty intense for two teams who both really failed at playing. Both sides kept on missing shots given to them as well as easy passes. Oh well! Yonsei won the basketball and ice hockey games, Korea won the baseball and soccer games, and they tied the rugby game. Good way to end the sports festival with feelings of camaraderie all around! We went back to campus, ate a free dinner, and then attended a free concert! Big acts at the concert included 4minute (don't really know their stuff but cool nonetheless), the Yonsei cheering squad, and Psy (had no idea who he was until I googled it afterward).

Sunday I attended a Korean mass at Seodaemun (I was told it would be in English but I was able to sing along at some parts!) and ate some 비빔냉면 before discovering my new love for the bus system. I then spent the rest of the day catching up on Facebook and emails (I GOT TICKETS TO THE 2009 ASIA SONG FESTIVAL YAY!!!) and eating dinner with a friend I have always wanted to get to know better. Overall the past week was pretty exhausting (it's those crazy dances!) but definitely enjoyable.