Fur Coats And Ripe Strawberries

So far we are coping with the winter weather quite well. It has definitely been cold, but I am sure that it wasn't as bitter as the previous winter that we experienced in the UK. It helps that in Korea we have an apartment that is fully insulated (we have people above and below us) and it is equipped with heating that is effective. The place we lived in Bath had huge Georgian sash windows with no double glazing and the heat seeped out of the house whilst the sub-zero air from outside seeped in. I remember wearing two pairs of socks, pajamas and a warm jumper in bed because it was so cold. So, even if it is cold outside in Korea it's good to know that our home will always offer warmth.

Another way that I have noticed the local people dealing with cold is by wearing fur coats. As soon as the temperature dropped, Korean female teachers started wearing them at our hagwon. I immediately assumed they were synthetic- like the majority of 'fur' coats you see in high street stores across the UK. It hadn't occurred to me otherwise until I remarked on how velvety and soft one felt whilst stroking and admiring my co-workers flaxen fluffy coat- and was told it was once a live animal. Now I realise that all the markets lined with fur coats, tail-like-scarfs, ear muffs and hats were actually selling the real deal with no shame whatsoever. The teacher I talked to at the hagwon was very proud to tell me that her coat was once a mink and was shocked when I told her that the majority of people in the UK thought that wearing real fur for fashion purposes was outrageous. Korea isn't like the middle of nowhere in Russia, fur isn't the only warm option around- it is a choice that they make based on what's seen as fashionable and so many people wear the stuff. The boss’ wife came into work today wearing beige boots with a golden piece of fur stuck on the front of them- I’m sure her feet would have been just as warm without it.

‘Tis the season for strawberries at the moment and the markets are filled with bowls and tubs overflowing with succulent red ripe fruit. They taste absolutely delicious. The one thing that Koreans have got right is fruit- the fruit here really is some of the best I have ever tasted and there is always so much locally grown produce available at the local market for a good price.

I love strawberries so I am hoping that they will be around for a couple of months.

We went to the local horse races on Sunday which was great fun as neither Lee nor I had ever been to see horse racing before. Unlike Britain, it was ridiculously cheap to get in- 800 won, which translates to about 40p. The minimum bet was 100 won (about 5p) so you didn’t have to risk breaking the bank if you didn’t want to. The ground was mainly full of older Korean men smoking their implausibly thin cigarettes and getting very serious about making the right bets but it was amusing to watch and we placed small bets too.

Lunar New Year is February 14th-16th this year and we have four days off of work to celebrate. We're not sure what to do with our time yet as it's difficult to travel around on National holidays. I will endevour to write a blog entry soon after to let you know what we end up doing.