Here are some brief passages from some chapters in Travels with Kimchi:
Getting from Seoul to Gwangju: I walked back to my room, tidied it up, and dragged my stuff towards the door. Even as I was pulling up the plastic handle, and just starting to heave it down the stairs, a young man took it from me, carried it down, setting it next to the door. To show him my gratitude, I bowed while I said, “Gomapseumnida (thank you).” He grinned as he returned to the dining area; I followed behind him to see if I could find any guide maps located anywhere. One of the other teenagers at the guesthouse also spoke to me in English. He advised me that it should be an easy walk to the subway; follow the road in front of the house to the left, he went with me outside pointing towards the roadway. “Once you pass a hair and car repair shops both on the right side,” he explained, “You should stay on the road past the bakery. Just keep walking until you see the SK gas station. Do not leave this road,” he said, until I saw the Hapjeong Station. Using one of my few known phrases, I said thank you to him in Korean; he grinned and said that he is Chinese. Learning to Eat Like a Korean: Let’s see, what I ate today... bagels and cheese, kimchi, spinach kimchi, a dead (probably boiled alive) little white fish, pork, more kimchi, spicy squid, and other things I cannot identify. Oh, and I made my coffee drinks from little dried packages of coffee that I tore open and tossed into a cup of lukewarm water. Gwangju Democratic Uprising, 5.18: The Gwangju Democratization Movement recalls the most violent event, aside from the Korean War, in South Korea. The Gwangju Democratic Uprising; also called the Gwangju Massacre, occurred from May 18-27, 1980. Koreans often refer to it as 5.18. After this country recovered from the Korean War (June 25, 1950–July 27, 1953), they had fallen under a dictatorial military regime up until this brutal massacre transpired... On the morning of May 18, about 50 students protested at the gate of the Chonnam National University campus in Gwangju. They all opposed its closing and began hurling stones at paratroopers who stood blocking the gates. Chun Doo-hwan commanded his military to fire; the soldiers obeyed and shot at innocent people... Even today, there is no accurate death toll of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising. According to the May 18 Bereaved Family Association records, at least 165 people perished between May 18 and 27; another 76 are still missing and presumed dead. How Can I Make it Here on Seven Words of Korean? As I set out towards the kitchen Saturday morning, Mr. Slick waved his hands at me to follow him. We stepped outside, and he signaled for me to sit next to him on the bench near the doorway. He tried to tell me Michelle had gone and if I had any questions, I should put a note for him on his office door. (OK, he said five of these words in English, and I had to fill in the rest.) He gave me a Korean sticky note pad, so I stood up and said, “Gomapseumnida,” and he smiled at my attempt to thank him before he got up and strode away. In case he returned, I had to get back into the building away from him before I began laughing. “What's the point?” I wondered, “If leave a note for him, that he cannot read, am I merely writing to myself?” Buddhism in South Korea:Although many of the world’s major religions are observed in South Korea, such as Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity, and Islam, they all peacefully coexist with Shamanism, an ancient religion of animism and nature-spirit worship. In Korea, it is also referred to as Muism (Korean: Mugyo, the religion of the “Mu” a type of shaman religion). Muism is the oldest religion in Korea and is the root of Korean culture. Being a Novice Buddhist Monk: I do love it in Jogyesa Temple. It is beyond what I could have imagined; more than a thousand lanterns are hanging on the ceilings in the temple where we sleep. We have to wear orange Buddhist uniforms, meaning we are in training. There are hundreds and hundreds of people chanting, bowing, and praising the Buddha 24-hours every day. Last Days of Travel: The next morning, I found a Paris Baguette and an Internet Café in town. I might stay in this area for a few days, seeing that it is cozy. I went to the Buddhist village in Guinsa and trekked around Ondal Cave. When I got back to my hotel, my whole body was shouting, "No more screaming noodles!" I decided to try their little brasserie for supper. I asked for bibimbap, the rice, egg, vegetable, and meat mixture, which isn't very spicy. The closest table already had two men and two ladies, I chose the table behind them. Even though I tried to be invisible, they all watched me for a bit. When my meal came, I stirred up the bibimbap, as I had been directed to do at another restaurant, heaven forbid you should eat anything not stirred! The one man, who was drinking something in a shot glass, turned around and watched me eat. After a while, one of the women came to my table, reached over, took the chopsticks out of my hand, and grabbed a spoon. She took my bowl and stirred it up vigorously, then passed me the spoon. I stuttered "Gomapseumnida,” and continued eating, now with a spoon.