Kindergarten Lunch

A lot of people have been asking me about the food over here. I have found some Korean food I really like, and a lot that I really dislike. The one place that I am most likely to try (or just look at...) new food is during Kindergarten lunch.

As Seoul is so densely populated, (our school takes up 3 floors of a five floor building), there is no possibility of finding a room large enough for a cafeteria. Instead, each class gets a big rubbermate type box filled with lunch. The students bring their own chopsticks, and the school provides trays, soup, rice, and random food items.

I eat with Oxford class two times a week. Before we lunch, we wash our hands and then typically argue over who gets to carry the lunch box to the classroom. After we set up our lunch trays, it is time to eat. On most days I am able to eat enough of the food to make a meal of it. Other days, I just eat the rice. Lunches may include: seaweed, chicken, beef and vegetables, tofu, creepy tiny fish with eyes (obviously not my favorite), and lots of unidentifiable objects.

After lunch, we line up to brush our teeth. In the hallway by the bathroom, we have a long sink for the students to wash their hands and brush their teeth. We have a "sterilizer" cabinet that holds all the students toothbrushes.

The whole process is completely different than any school lunch I ever had growing up, but I do like that they brush their teeth everyday. Such good oral hygiene!

Anyways, thought I'd also throw in this last picture. I got my haircut here this weekend- so here is a picture of my student Poby and I.