Because that’s what going on exchange is all about, right?

Yesterday, I went out with my Mentor’s Club cell to Gyungbok Palace (경복궁), Tongin Market (통인시장), and then for some makegeolli (Korean rice wine, 막걸리) and Korean pancake (전).

We were originally going to have an early dinner at the market – they have this program where you can get a plate, and then you can choose any 7 foods from the market for 7 000KRW. Stef was really excited about coming here, because she’d heard about this place from watching Running Man and Infinity Challenge.

Unfortunately, the place was closed! They only open from 11am to 5pm.

So we decided to just sit at this little restaurant directly across from the place, and try some Korean street food.

If you haven’t had Korean street food before, don’t worry… there are street food vendors literally all over the street selling all types of things – from the classic ddukbokki (떡볶이 – Korean spicy rice cakes), to boongeobbang (붕어빵 – fish cake/bread with filling, like Japanese taiyaki), you’ll definitely find a lot of things to try.

So we got two types of ddukbokki: just the normal type, and oil ddukbokki (기름 떡볶이). The difference: the normal ddukbokki is more soupy (?) and the oil ddukbokki is pan-fried in oil. So, it becomes more crispy and more chewy – more chilis are also added on top. We got both a spicy and non-spicy version of the oil ddukbokki. I can’t really eat spicy foods, but I was surprised at the amount of all the ddukbokki I ate – not to mention I don’t really like rice cakes in general.

We also got some eomuk/odeng (어묵/오뎅, Japanese style fish cake on a stick). Yummy! Something not spicy (for once) that I like. It also came with a soup.. which I can only imagine how much MSG has been added into it. Koreans love their MSG, and for good reason too – it really does make everything taste better.

We also each got to try a Korean style hot dog, which is like a corn dog, but sweet. The coating is also not salty, it’s more of a mushy, sweet bread. It’s covered with both ketchup AND sugar – I’m surprised I was even able to eat the whole thing.

The real highlight of that meal, though, was the soondae/sundae (순대, blood sausage) and the liver.

I really don’t like intestines. I’d never tried them before, but I could never really stomach (hah) the idea

that I was eating the internal organs of an animal. But for whatever reason.. I decided to give it a try.

The soondae had this really gross squishy feeling that Stef and I both agreed made us want to throw up. The liver was really grainy and sandy. So I tried both the things, didn’t like the texture of both.

We also had some Korean style pancake, as well as makgeolli and soju.

Previously, I’d tried a citron flavoured soju with Stefanie, Vivian, and Estevan and all of us agreed it tasted horrible. This time around, I tried both a peach one and a blueberry one – the blueberry one tasted like medicine, but the peach one was actually okay!

I’m really glad that I went out to the cell meeting that day. Originally, I didn’t even want to go – but I’m really happy that I did, because I got to try something new, and meet new people.

My personality is one that really doesn’t like change – I like the way things are, and I don’t like stepping out of my comfort zone. But having tried all these new things, I really feel like I’m growing and becoming more brave, in a way.  Step by step, I’m starting to learn that it’s okay to try, and it’s okay to not like things. As long as you’ve had the experience, that’s what really matters. I really am glad that I tried everything, because having tried it and knowing that you don’t like it is better than never having tried it before, right?

Plus, it gives me confidence knowing that I really am changing for the better, and that by coming here I haven’t wasted my time just playing around.