a peek into a Filipino-Korean household in Seoul

Huli man pwede pa ring ihabol.

Kuha ang litratong ‘to sa isang marathon na sinalihan ng aking asawa, eksaktong alas-dose ng tanghali. Natuwa ako sa sanga-sangang mga saranggola na pinapalipad ng isang mama. Nakatali naman pala sa isang poste. Sana ngayong 2009 ay sama-sama tayong lumipad para maabot ang ating mga mithiin.

I started a Korean food blog earlier this year but my busy schedule wouldn’t permit me to post regularly. Rather than have a separate blog for Korean food, I’d just add a “korean cooking” category on this blog.

If I’d introduce a non-Korean to Korean foods, one of the dishes that comes to mind would be “samgyeopsal” (삼겹살) which means “three layer skin” or simply unseasoned bacon grilled or seared and wrapped in lettuce leaf.

Samgyeopsal is literally not for those with weak hearts. With all the bacon fats, it’s loaded with bad cholesterol so it shouldn’t be an everyday fare. Koreans eat samgyeopsal with soju (소주), a traditional liquor in green bottles.

To prepare samgyeopsal at home, you’ll need thinly sliced and unseasoned bacon. There are special pans sold in Korea for preparing samgyeopsal however a non-stick pan will do. I prefer to use non-stick woks to prevent the fats from splattering all over my kitchen walls. Fry the bacons until cooked. Remember to drain the fats in between frying.

Wash lettuce leaves (other edible leaves for wrapping will do) well. Add a drop or two of sesame to the last water (optional but it adds more flavor).

If you prefer, you can prepare a dipping sauce for samgyeopsal with a tablespoon of sesame oil, a teaspoon of salt and black pepper. Thinly slice garlic segments. Spoon some seasoned bean paste sauce or ssam jang (쌈장) in a sauce plate.

To eat, put a lettuce leaf on your palm, add the cooked pork belly, garlic and sauce. Add kimchi if you prefer. Wrap and eat.

I’m almost done with my TESOL course. I only have one presentation left on Tuesday and I’d be done with the 5-month certificate course that took a lot of my time. As early as November, I’ve been receiving calls for job interviews. Two schools have actually hired me, despite my inexperience in teaching English. I really like both schools (and my classmates told me that they’re two of the best franchises) but “hagwon” schedule means going to work at 2PM and getting off at 10PM! The schedule is just impossible for me since I also have a toddler to take care of. One of the schools even told me that I could work part-time if I want, but the schedule they suggested is still until 8PM. There is a daycare center near our apartment that takes care of kids until 10PM but I thought that I wouldn’t really have quality time with my son on weekdays with that schedule.

I’d really like to go back to work but my son is still my priority. I wouldn’t be able to earn as much as I could but that’s fine. We can always earn the money later but time is something that you can never get back, right?

Ano kaya pinagkakaguluhan ng mga taong ito? Eksayted ang mga taga-siyudad pag nakakakita ng mga bibe na lumalangoy. Palibhasa lutong bibe lang ang nakikita karaniwan dito sa siyudad. Kuha sa “Cheonggyecheon” sa Seoul.

Ang “kimchi” ay kilalang-kilala bilang isa sa mga pagkaing Koreano. Hindi kumpleto ang kainan kung wala nito sa hapag-kainan. Kaya naman kahit “spaghetti” na pagkain ng mga taga-kanluran (?) ang nakahanda, hindi mawawala ang kimchi. Ang larawang ito ay kuha noong kami ay namasyal sa Everland, isang theme park sa Korea.

Habang kami ay namamasyal noong Linggo, ika-12 ng Oktubre, natiyempuhan namin ang isang tradisyunal na kasal na ginaganap noong hapon ding yaon. Ang mga bagong kasal ay isang koreana at isang dayuhan na piniling magpakasal sa isang pampublikong lugar. Hayan at marami tuloy ang naki-isyoso at isa na ako roon. Maraming seremonyas ang tradisyunal na kasal at medyo mabagal ang mga galaw nila. Walang palitan ng singsing at walang halikan na naganap! Sa panahon ngayon, “bagong kasal” nga kaya talaga? LOL!

We were visiting the Namsan Hanok Village last Sunday afternoon when we chanced upon a couple getting married the traditional way. The newlyweds, a Korean and a Canadian, chose to get married in a very public place therefore attracting numerous spectators - including me! The traditional Korean wedding has a lot of ceremonies in it and is done in a very slow fashion. The newlyweds didn’t exchange rings nor did they kiss!

Have you found your true love? Are you still dreaming of that Prince Charming who will sweep you off your feet? Or are you a guy who’s still looking for that perfect dream girl? Several months ago I spent one lovely dinner with some close friends and an Italian guy. The guy was the boyfriend (now the husband) of a friend. The purpose of the dinner was to introduce the Italian to us. Believe it or not they met online!

When my friend said that she’d marry the Italian, I was really skeptical. How can you fall in love with someone you met while surfing the Internet?! Then it dawned on me that love sometimes happen unexpectedly and it isn’t really how couples meet that matters. What matters is how the relationship blooms. As skeptical as I was at first, I now believe that K (my friend’s initial) had found her true love. They’ve been together for more than year now and are now planning to start a family.

I know that there are hundreds, thousands or millions of other couples who have met each other online. One such place is True.com, an online dating site. One great thing about online dating sites is that you could find your most compatible match by browsing the profiles. If you haven’t found your Prince or Princess, start your search for free.

There are millions of other singles looking for their one true love. Who knows if you could find that special person online? He or she could be a member of True.com - you should be a member too. Signing-up is easy and FREE!

I’ve had this since I was young. I’ve always been fascinated by things we consider old. Here’s a 50 centavo paper money that was used by my mother when she was a 3rd grader during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines.

Do you have a favorite Bible story? When I was younger, I used to attend Sunday school religiously. I also attended Catholic schools from grade school until I finished college. I love reading Bible stories. Although they were written hundreds or thousands of years ago, the stories still ring true in this modern age. One of my favorite stories is the story of an adulterer. People were throwing stones at her when Jesus came and asked “whoever is without sin among you, let them cast the first stone.” The thing is it’s easier to notice other people’s mistakes than our own. It is easier to judge others than ourselves, but the truth is nobody has the right to judge other people. And if a mistake had been make, forgiveness should be given and a new life should be hoped for.

You can find out more about Bible stories and Theater Church by attending the first annual Theater Church Conference in Silver Spring, MD on October 22 and 23. This event is brought to you by CineMeetings & Events, an events management company that has a wide range of products and services (audio visual, catering, promotional tools, meeting accessories and more) to make your event a success.

Find out more about the Theater Church Conference and how CineMeetings & Events can help plan your own event!

It has been a long time since my last entry for Litratong Pinoy. I’ve been busy with my studies! Anyway, here’s my entry for this week on the theme of “Luma Na.”

Pagpasensyahan na po at matagal-tagal na rin na panahon mula ng ako’y nakasali sa Litratong Pinoy. Ako po ay sobrang busy sa aking pagbabalik-eskwela bilang isang mag-aaral. Eto po ang aking lahok sa linggong ito. Ang piso na nasa itaas ay galing sa aking tiyahin, kapatid ng tatay ko. Binigyan niya ang aking ama ng isang pitaka na puno ng mga lumang pera. At ako ang nagmana noon. Sayang lang at hindi tinatanggap sa tindahan. Pambili man lang ng kape!