Today, I experienced a kind of Korean traditional ritual. All of the teachers in my school gathered outside to "Bow to the Pig". This ceremony is supposed to bring good fortune...or protection from evil. The details are a little hazy for me, but I will describe what happened. We all go outside and there is a place set aside in the parking lot with a picnic blanket and a table. On the table is...a boiled pig's head. The principal read something in Korean, then put a 10,000 Won bill into the pig's mouth (like a $10 bill) then bowed on the ground twice to the pig. Then a few other teachers did the same thing, all the while the money went into the pig's mouth or the pig's nostrils. I looked at the pig's head with horror/fascination, then quickly realized that since I was in Korea, the chances that we would have to eat the pig's head were pretty good.
Before I describe the events to follow, I will stop to remind you of Korean customs.
1) You always eat the food you are given
2) To refuse food is considered a very big insult
3) Koreans love kimchi which is ridiculously spicy fermented cabbage and/or radish and they eat it with everything.
4) A Korean "dessert" is called "ddok" and is a chewey, bland rice goo that they call "cake". Occasaionally, like today, it is covered in black beans.
(NOTE: it is quite apparent by my, uh, tone of font, that the ddok and the kimchi are not my favourite korean foods. I've had to swallow them on many occasions. I thought I was getting better at it. I was wrong...)
So, all that being said, you can imagine the events to follow.
I walk into a room with all the teachers. Sitting on the tables were plates of DDOK, KIMCHI, APPLES and.... SLICED, BOILED PIG'S HEAD. I'm handed a pair of chopsticks and motioned to dig in. I gingerly pick up a piece of pig skin... (are y'all cowering in your seats with anticipation?). I put the pig skin in my mouth and chew.
I have never had my gag reflex stimulated as instantaneously or as violently.
Let me describe the experience to you in detail. It was, infact, boiled skin that I was eating. It had three distinct layers. the two outer layers were pinkish and rubbery and the inner layer was white and slightly crunchy. Those of you who know my food habits are aware of the complex I have about food textures, so you can imagine the culinary experience I was having. Thankfully, I had enough control to chew and swallow, but that one piece was it for me. UNTIL (oh yes) the principal motions me over to eat with him. He gestures to the pig, kimchi and ddok in a "help yourself" kind of way. And help myself I did. Oh mercy.
I better get extra protection from evil after that.
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5 comments:
And you're judging me and my forcing myself to drink a mere cup of coffee? My dear, my dear, I think there might be a pot calling a kettle black? Personally, I sleep quite well on my bed of lies, it has less springs jabbing me in odd places than the one the residence gave me.
I know your pain. My parents eat the random stuff that you are meant to throw away. I had to eat pig ear once, and the sensation of the pig skin and stubly hair still cause nightmares.
*hug*
oh man. i gag if i eat an overripe banana. or unchewable squid. but PIG SKIN?
*shudders* screw polite society... i don't know if i could have done it...
maybe this is all just an elaborate scheme that Koreans pull off to make foreigners eat crazy shit. They're all laughing at you right now :P
most likely. I'm sure they laugh at me for many things. Mostly when I'm reading from the "overheardatwestern" blog and start laughing maniacally in the teachers room. Then they all look at me and giggle...like they are watching a caged animal at the zoo do something cute. "Aww, look! The polar bear it playing with the beach ball!! That's soooo cute!!"
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