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/.