HOLIC

Over the last 6 months or so a bar called Holic has opened in downtown Gwangju. This is another bar that caters to the foreigner style. It's an actual bar, not those sit down at tables Korean bars. However, there are a few tables located at either end of the bar for those who have a small group or want to buy a bottle and have a place to sit down.

Hana DJing

One of the best parts about the bar is the owner Hana. He's a great guy and loves to become friends with his customers. You can almost always find him behind the bar as the DJ. He plays a wide variety of music and takes all requests, which is rare in Gwangju bars. Just write it down or ask and he'll be sure to play it. He also has a nice size dancing area where you can cut loose and dance like crazy.

Another nice thing is that the staff is fabulous! The Korean staff are all males but they all speak good English so you don't have to worry about things getting lost in translation. They all like to have a good time and will maybe have a drink with you at the end of the night.

They have a wide variety of drinks and shots and everything is reasonably priced. You can also purchase a bottle that comes with tonic, your choice of juice, and a little snack. Personally, I find this a better deal and if you don't finish it you can leave it there for the next time you go back.

They're open 7 days a week. And on not so busy nights he's been known to turn it into karaoke and let people sing a few songs. Those are always the best nights.

So, if you want to have fun, dance, drink, and meet some great people I recommend Holic for all.

LOCATION: From the YMCA you walk past the bus stop and past the North Face store, keep going past Loteria and it will be on the right, right after the intersection.

From the Grand Hotel you will cross the street so you're on the opposite side of the mini stop and on the same side as Bubble Bar. You will walk past Bubble Bar and past S Bar and it will be on your left.

**Update**

Holic is now closed. However, the owner has opened a new bar in the area called Vanilla Sky Lounge. It's not as foreign frequented, but it's another alternative.

Eastern English

Eastern English Academy, Hwajeong-dong Gwangju, South Korea

I worked at this Eastern English Academy for 2 years. It's a small school with only 3 other Korean teachers and about 150 students, +/- 25 students, and the director and his wife.

Location: It's located on the 3rd floor of a small building that's about a 20 minute walk from the World Cup Stadium and a 7 minute walk to Milaero21 Hospital. It's also located about 2 minute walk from the apartment building that they rent out for their foreign English teacher. The school has an office with a small kitchen used for the director and the dinner that the teachers eat together every night. There are 4 used classrooms with desks, chairs, and white boards. The foreign teacher's room doesn't have desks. The chairs are arranged in a half cicrcle around the room to make for easier conversation. It also has a projector that you can hook your laptop up to to show visuals. There is also an emty classroom that's used for studying and for the English parties. And there are 2 computer rooms. All the children use the computer programs at least once a day.

Curriculum: The foreign English teacher teaches from books called Say and Say 1,2,3 and Hello Iris 1,2,3,4,5. Those are for only Elementary school students. The middle school students don't really have a curriculum. That's for you to decide. They are also allowed occational English games and when they finish their book they're allowed a snack party, where an English movie is allowed. The children also do some presentations every once in a while where they need to learn some songs and dances as well as a story presentation. It's easy and straightforward.

Pay: They pay 2.2 million won, free plane tickets there and back, an apartment, pension, end of contract bonus and insurance. They were never once late for a paycheck. They also gave an extra week of vacation at the end of the contract along with a roundtrip plane ticket for resigning with them. They were very helpful if you have any problems and they're very reliable.

Apartment: The downer of working in Korea is the apartment size. It's a standard one room apartment big enough for a queen size bed, dressor, book case, desk, tv, and a chair. The kitchen has a double gas range with a broiler in it and a small college sized refridgerator. But there was no oven or microwave. The apatment was furnished with pots and pans, silverware, dishes, rice cooker, washing machine, sheets, blankets, pillows, and tv. The bathrooms are where things get weird. The shower head is hung right over the toilet. So, when you shower you'd have to either sit on the toilet or hold the shower head. However, most bathrooms come with some shelves on the wall so if you take a metal hanger and bend it and hook it around the shelves you can create your own shower holder. The bad thing about the bathroom is that everything gets wet, but the good thing is that everything gets wet so it's easy to clean!!

Garbage: In Korea you don't pay for garbage, you pay for the garbage bags. You need to go to your local mart to buy area-specific garbage bags. You're not supposed to put recyclables or food in your garbage. The food is to be put in a blue lidded bucket and the recyclables can be put in any bag. When you take the garbage out you just put it by the road, usually at a black and yellow striped location. They pick up the trash weekdays but not on the weekends. **Warning: Fruitflies get bad in Korea so be sure to keep up with your dishes and take out your trash often, especially in the summer.

Bills: The landlady comes about once every 2-3 months to check the water meter. When she comes she charges for water, sewer, cable, etc. Then you can pay her in cash or she has a laminated sheet that she writes the water meter for the month that has a bank account number at the top that you can just transfer the money to. The other bills, gas and electric, will be put into your mail box once a month. You then take that to the bank and use a special machine that you can the bills into and just swipe your bankbook that automatically pays them for you. You'll have to have an attendant teach you how the first time, but then it's really easy. By the way, the bank is about a 2 minute walk from the school and the apartment. You'll also have to pay for your cellphone and internet. However, it usually goes through the director so he just takes it out of your paycheck so that you don't need to worry about it. He'll show you the bill for the month and then tell you that he'll deduct it. So, the bills are very easy to take care of.

Local Amenities: So, as you've read earlier that it's about an 7-8 minute walk to a large hospital and a 20 minute walk to the World Cup as well as Lotte Outlet. It's also near a Mart & Mart, which is a grocery store that will have almost everything that you'll need. The bank is about a 2 minute walk and their are 2 bus stops near. There is also a gym located less than a block from the apartment with very friendly staff and cheap prices. The nice thing about this area is that their are a lot of places to eat and drink! The people are also very friendly around there. Kimbap Nara is good in that area and they'll deliver your food to you no problem, just show them your alien card with yhour address once and they'll have it on file to send it to you. It's also about a 5-10 minute taxi/bus ride to the bus terminal that has BK, TGI Fridays, CGV, and many other things. This is also next to E-Mart and Kumho World. It's also about 15-30 minute taxi/bus ride to downtown. A taxi costs about 5000 won to go downtown.

Downside: There aren't many foreigners in this area. So, you will most likely not bump into one in this area. There is one foreign teacher that lives on the 3rd or 4th floor of the Hwajeong Villa, that's about a block away from your apartment. This teacher is the public school teacher at the Juweol Elementary School. So, if you want to find foreigners you'll want to head downtown by bus or taxi.

Busses: Up the hill and to the left from the apartment bus stop: Downtown 59, 61 (59 will drop you off at Milleorae or the YMCA); Bus Terminal 26; World Cup 26; Pungam-dong 26, 59; McDonalds 59;
Straight out from the apartment across the street bus stop: Bus Terminal 30 or 32?

Taxi: Going downtown: Shee-nay Grlanduh Hotael or Shee-nay Y M She A.
Going back home: Hwajeong-dong Ssin-dong-ah apaht (신동아). or Hwajeong-dong Maht tay Mahtuh (Mart & Mart)

Korean Side Dishes

Spinach (Sigumchi Namul)

• Ingredients:
• 1/2 lb. of spinach
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1/2 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 1/2 Tbsp sesame salt*
• 1/2 Tbsp chopped green onion
• 1 clove finely chopped garlic
• 1 tsp sugar
• Directions:
• Blanch the spinach in boiling water for 30 seconds. (If you're using baby spinach leaves from the bag, blanch for a shorter time.) Then remove quickly and rinse in cold water. Then gently squeeze the remaining water from the spinach. Mix the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl then pour over the spinach and mix. **Note: If you don't have sesame salt you can add 1tsp of salt and 2 more tsp of soy sauce.

Chop Chae ("mixed and stirred" "vegetables")

It's name came from the fact that it was made from thinly slices vegetables. However now, the dish is mostly comprised of noodles with added vegetables.

• Ingredients:

• 8 oz. glass noodles
• 1 sweet onion, sliced into thin strips
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 pound baby spinach, blanched for 30 seconds
• 2 carrots, julienned
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped Napa cabbage
• 5 shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated if dried and then sliced
• 2 Tbsp vegetable or olive oil
• 2 Tbsp sesame oil
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• Salt to taste
• Sesame seeds (optional)
• 6 oz. beef or pork (optional)*
• Directions:
• Boil the noodles according to the package directions. Then, in a large pan heat the vegetable or olive oil and 1Tbsp sesame oil over medium heat. Saute the onion and garlic for about 1 minute. Add the rest of the vegetables and cook for about 5 minutes until they're about half-cooked. So they're still a little crispy. Turn the heat to low and add the cooked noodles, the cooked meat, soy sauce, sugar, and the remaining sesame oil. Cook it for another 2 minutes and add salt or more soy sauce if needed. Lastly top it with the sesame seeds if you'd like them.
• There are many different variations to this delicious side dish.
• Gochu japchae (고추잡채), made with shredded fresh green chili pepper and vegetables
• Buchu japchae (부추잡채), made with Korean chives
• Kongnamul japchae (콩나물잡채), made with kongnamul (soybean sprouts)
• Haemul japchae (해물잡채), made with seafood and vegetables
• Beoseot japchae (버섯잡채), made with mushrooms

Beansprouts (Kongnamul Muchim)

• Ingredients:

• 1 package of soybean sprouts (500 grams)
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 3 tsp salt
• 1 tsp hot pepper flakes or Korean chili powder
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• sesame seeds
• 2 chopped green onions
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• Directions:
• Boil the bean sprouts with 2 tsp salt and 1 cup water with the lid on for 15 minutes. When they're finished, drain them and rinse them with cold water. In a large bowl mix the bean sprouts with the garlic, green onions, soy sauce, 1 tsp salt, sugar, sesame oil, and hot pepper flakes. Then sprinkle some sesame seeds on top. **Note: For a non spicy recipe just don't add the hot pepper flakes.

Kimchi Jjigae

Kimchi jjigae is the chili of Korea. It's a kimchi based soup with vegetables and pork. It's a very cheap, delicious and spicy soup.

• Ingredients:

• kimchi
• water
• small zucchini
• carrot
• onion
• pepper paste or bean paste
• pork
• hot peppers
• Directions:
• Slice the carrot, zucchini, hot peppers and onions. Chop up the pork into small bite sized pieces. Pour the kimchi into a soup pot. Add the vegetables and pork. Also add a small amount of water, depending on how much kimchi juice there was. Remember that when it boils down it gets more watery. You can add the pepper paste to taste. Add more for a fuller flavor and more spice.
• Serving:
• Traditionally it is served boiling hot in a stone pot with a side of rice. If more than two people are eating it, it's usual to accompany the dinner with various side dishes (banchan).

Typically the kimchi used in kimchi jjigae is the older more fermented kimchi. This gives the kimchi jjigae a stronger, fuller flavor and it also has more of the good bacteria that's found in yogurt. There are many other ingredients that you can add such as tofu, seafood, tuna, chicken, scallions, garlic or mushrooms. Koreans are known for changing their recipes with the seasons. It keeps the same old soup and foods interesting. The recipes are always changing in subtle ways!

Guide to Drinking in Korea

Drinking in Korea is vastly different than in America. Not only culturally but also physically. Let's start with the cultural aspect of drinking.

• BASIC MANNERS
• If a Korean asks you out for a drink, it means they want to get to know you better. To them, drinking is a very personal experience. You get to know the real person and would talk about things you normally wouldn't. So, if you coworker, boss, or friend asks you out for drinks it's almost rude to decline without a very good reason.
• SOJU ETIQUETTE
• If you're going out to dinner, you'll usually be drinking soju. If a person older than you pours the soju you must accept it using two hands. Culturally, you must accept anything an older Korean gives you or you'll be considered extremely rude. You will also take the drink with either two hands, one covering the bottom of the glass, or you take it while looking away so that they can't see the bottom of the glass. However, if someone younger than you pours the drink you can accept it with one hand and not be disrespectful. Also, it's respectful to pour soju for your elders but remember to use two hands for older people but you can use one hand for younger people. It's also considered rude not to hold your glass when people pour for you. I've seen it where a friend leans over and touches the soju glass of someone who's not paying attention and gives them the look of, don't worry I saved you there.
• DIFFERENT DRINKS
• Soju (rice liquor 20%)
• Mekju (beer)
• So-mek (beer and soju mixed)
• BASIC DRINKING STYLE
• In most countries you start to go out drinking maybe around 9pm and finish at 2-3am. So, you tend to drink harder and faster. While here in Korea the bars don't close until 6-9am and even then you still go to breakfast afterwards and drink soju. I've had many late nights continuing until 11:30am. So where a lot of new people fail is in their drinking stamina. They come to Korea with their old drinking habits and just fall to pieces. Throwing up, falling down, and basically making asses of themselves. So, the best recommendations I have for you out there is to get a good, late, solid dinner, start drinking a little later and to pace yourself. I know it's a little hard to adapt to. We all still have our nights where we get out of control but if you follow those basic steps you'll be able to maintain a semi-functional drunk even at 6am.

Remember it's not customary to tip in Korea and can even be considered rude, however in a foreign bar it is usually appreciated. However, there are usually designated tip jars where they should be placed. And, as always, drink safe and be smart. This is a foreign country after all.

Applying for New VISA in Korea

To apply for an entirely new VISA while back in America you'll need to follow these steps.

1. First of all you'll want to get your fingerprints taken and sent in for a FBI check. Usually you'll want a few copies sent in for your fingerprints if they're done in ink. This is just in case they're not accepted by the FBI office. This will save you time and money. Generally a FBI background check takes about 8 weeks and you'll also need it apostilled so it's best to get it started quickly. http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/background-checks
1. ***** IMPORTANT NOTE *****
2. If you will only be back in the US for less than 3 months and you've already completed a FBI background check and had it apostilled, then you don't need to get another one done. This will save you A LOT of time.
3. Reduce the inconvenience of having to return to their home country to receive a new E2 visa. - To avoid the inconvenience of having to return to an applicant’s home country to receive an apostille for a criminal background check, a criminal check issued by the applicant’s embassy/ consulate in Korea may be accepted.
   - Instead of receiving an apostille for an applicant’s degree, a document of verification from the Korean University Education Union/ Community may be accepted for applicants already teaching in Korea.
   - Effective 01 September 2010, E2 visa holders who are changing jobs will not have to submit a criminal background check if they have already done so and if their stay outside Korea is less than 3 months between the expiry of the old and new visas. See Conversation teacher(E-2) related system improvement notice: The simplification of required documents of re-applying for a certificate of visa issuance approval
   - Criminal background check - Those who had stayed overseas under 3months to issue a visa status can omit the document.(If staying over 3month overseas, the document should be submitted when the foreigner applies alien registration.)
   - Certificate of obtain degree - Those who submitted a verified document can omit it.
4. Don't forget that you need to get this authenticated by the Department of State. This is not the same as the apostille for your degree. Just go to this website to get it authenticated. http://www.state.gov/m/a/auth/index.htm 
5. Or if you don't have time to wait for the Department of State to authenticate your document, you can send it to US Legalization. That has a promise of a 1 day turnaround with the Department of State. So, that saves a lot of time, comparatively. You can get the information from this website http://www.uslegalization.com/.
2. You will also need your degree apostilled. This is the website for Wisconsin. http://www.sos.state.wi.us/apostilles.htm Depending on your time frame you might want to get this service expedited.
3. The other documents you need are:
1.  A photocopy of your information on your passport.
2. About 4 color passport photos (2x2).
3. A signed copy of your resume.
4. 3 copies of the signed contract.
5. Filled out health statement form. This can be found at http://www.teacheslkorea.com/ under E2 Process as medical statement.
4.  All of these documents need to be mailed to your school where they will issue you a VISA number.
5. You need to fill out the VISA form also found at http://www.teacheslkorea.com/ under E2 Process as VISA form. You will also need to send in your passport, a passport photo, a money order for $45 payable to The Korean Consulate General, a sealed university transcript, a filled out interview form (also found at http://www.teacheslkorea.com/), and a prepaid return envelope. It is to my understanding that you won't have to go through the actual interview again.

After that, you will just notify your school that you have your VISA and that you're ready to depart. Then they will purchase your ticket and you're off for another Korean adventure.

On a personal note, I highly recommend Teach ESL Korea for a recruiter. It's a Canadian based company where they will find you a job and help you through the VISA process. I went through them and I've actually met them and became friends while living in Korea. It's great personal service and doesn't cost you anything. They're very experienced and have lived and taught in Korea for many years. They are also very respected throughout the Korean schools and other recruiters. So, if you want some extra help finding a reliable job and some peace of mind apply through http://www.teacheslkorea.com/.