ARKK No. 1: I Love the Lunch Ladies!

Date: 11/2/2010
ARKK

So, I love the lunch ladies here at school.  I haven't actually spoken to them, but I can tell that they have heard of me.

During my "All About Maggie Bingo Game" I have been sprouting the virtues of pasta in my classes.  Every class I have said about 3 times that I love Italian food, especially pasta.  I love pasta!  Well, last thursday, spaghetti showed up on the lunch line.  I kid you not!  Spaghetti!  Granted...It didn't taste like spaghetti and the noodles were regular Asian noodles, but you can tell they tried.  For my first week at the new school--it made me feel very welcomed.

But by today, I had gotten used to getting very (VERY) small portion of food at lunch, smiling and eating, not really tasting, and then ending up back at my desk where I could munch on an apple or a Dr. You bar--the only power bar that I've found in Korea.  This was enough to hold me over until dinner.  I'm not staying that I go hungry, but my eating experience has not been the best while here.

Well, I get to lunch today and I prepare myself for another regular, small portion of a little bit of everything.  A typical Korean lunch usually has at least one thing that I freak out about (internally).  A couple days ago it was a fish soup--like, the whole fish.  Guts, brains, eyes, skin, and bones--all of it.  I made the mistake of looking at my neighbor teacher, and she just happening to be taking a bite of the reproductive parts of a fish.  You may wonder how I know what the reproductive parts of a fish look like--but remember back to 7th grade science class?  Yes? Well then you must remember dissecting a pig or fish.  Coming back? Yes.  Well, I remember my 7th grade science teacher telling me that she would never eat Ramen again after seeing the insides of a fish--beecause they are just like the reproductive parts.  So I know what the reproductive parts of a fish look like--and my fellow teacher is taking a big chunk out of said parts.  I wasn't very hungry after that.  Yesterday the scary item was kimchee anchovies.  Yah....enough said.

So I get into my lunch room today and am preparing myself, until I come up to the teacher's buffet line and see something I did not expect.  FRIED CHICKEN!!!!  Along side some kimchee, there was a salad  (with tomatoes and some zucchini) and FRIED CHICKEN!  With a honey mustard dressing!? Really!  I'm in love.  The soup was not fish soup--but dumpling soup.  And the rice wasn't just plain sticky rice, it was some kind of simple Bibimbap.  Remember the "All About Maggie Bingo?"  Answer number 8: What is Maggie's favorite Korean food?  BIBIMBAP!

Holy cow, I could have given each lunch lady a hug.  I absolutely stuffed myself silly.  I went back and got a huge helping of 2nds.  I had almost a normal meal--Salad, fried chicken, bibimbap, and a dumpling soup that was really quiet good!

I asked Ms Kim, who happened to be sitting next to me, if this was a normal lunch.  She smiled and said no.  She said, "I think they did this for you....like the spaghetti."

So my first ARKK is dedicated to the fabulous ladies in the lunch room.  Ms Kim even asked if I could have some chicken, and the ladies gave me a bowl of chicken to take home for dinner.  Can we talk about some pretty cool people?  I know i won't get these kind of gifts for long--and I am developing a Korean palate--but really, while they last, they are fabulous.