The Coin That Brought Nostalgia

I’ve got a random collection of coins from all over the world. They are poorly organized and not displayed in any fashion.  These mostly came from students who proudly wanted to show off their country, or at the very least, wanted to show off their money.  I gladly accepted these tokens, but most of them reside in my bedside table.

Of all these coins, the one that resonates the most with me was one I basically bought from a student. It is a one hundred yen Japanese coin.  Having spent a considerable amount of time in Japan, I have dropped thousands of these coins into vending machines of one sort or another.  I always had them on hand in case I needed a cold drink of Dekkavita C or maybe an Yebisu beer.  These days, I use the coin when I buy the occasional scratch lottery ticket.

Today, when I entered class, the students were all looking at a bunch of change on the desk in front of them. I listened in on there conversation while I prepared my board.  They were talking about currency and what the coins could buy.  Since they were speaking English in a topic of their own choosing, I tried my best to stay out of the way and think about how I could use this later in the class.

When the conversation died down, I approached the desk and one of the students presented me with a 50 yen Japanese coin. I didn’t let the oddness of the situation get to me.  He is Korean and lives in Korea.  What he was doing with a 50 yen Japanese coin I have no idea.

As for me, I really like this token. There is something about the feel of Japanese money in my hand that takes me back to those days in my twenties.  I was living an adventure on the other side of the world, and despite the obstacles, I was really enjoying myself.

Nostalgia can be oppressive at times, but not today. In this case, receiving such a comforting gift and getting swept up in nostalgia is Today’s Perfect Moment.

Korean Dinner

As you can see by the pictures, it looked delicious and I can faithfully report that indeed it was delicious. Maybe changing up the routine is a good thing. Friday’s Perfect Moment is about going out for food.  In a somewhat spur of the moment idea, a friend and I went out for Korean food.  I was planning on getting home early and getting rest for my first Saturday morning ride with the Newmarket Eagles, so this definitely wasn’t in the plan.

The thing is, after a somewhat grinding week at work, a series of tedious early morning commutes, and an encounter with a bonafide gold-digger, I needed something to change up the routine.

I didn’t indulge in any beer, so I won’t have that excuse for Saturday morning.

A Kick Out Of Bananas

I have written before about gifts my students have given me. Today is another one of those situations, but with a little twist.  You see, usually the students bring things from their country.  These can be folk crafts, snacks, post cards, key chains, and alcohol–yes, I saved that one for last on purpose.

In today’s case, my student brought me something from their country that they bought here. They had gone shopping to a Korean grocery store and came across Banana Kick.  I mentioned this once when showing them a video of kydeanderic who are two jvloggers.  In the video, Kyde and Eric are visiting Korea town in Tokyo and Kyde heaps a lot of praise on this particular snack.  If you’ve watched these videos, you would take her food advice pretty seriously.  She knows her stuff.

So, if you’re keeping score, that means that

• My student actually paid attention to something I said.
• My student remembered something I said.
• My student thought of me when they were shopping for food–if I am shopping for food, I am most likely thinking about myself and my grumbling stomach.
• My student wanted to do something nice for me.

All in all, a pretty easy choice for Today’s Perfect Moment.

By the way, I have always found banana to be a hard flavour to replicate without tasting like chemicals. While I cannot say there was no taste of chemicals, at the very least, this did actually taste like bananas.  The students disagreed.  I had to fail them for that.

Korean Lunch

I feel as though I am losing my chopsticks skill. If you looked at the picture, you have probably already realized that I am not talking about those piano skills that too many of us claim to have. I am talking about the ability to move tiny bits of food to your mouth using either metal or wood sticks.

Years ago, when I lived in Japan (and for years after I came back) chopsticks were my go to implements for food consumption.  I felt confident enough to eat scrambled eggs with them.  I ate salad with them.  I even ate a fish and picked around the bones (note: I have never eaten a muffin or ice cream cone with them–which my students do).

Today’s lunch was a fantastic Korean dish had at a restaurant just south of Yonge and Bloor called Oja. The restaurant was rather tiny, but that only enhanced the atmosphere.  There were quite a number of items on the menu that I wanted to eat, but I settled on this one.  I certainly didn’t disappoint myself.

Choosing food as Today’s Perfect Moment seems like a safe bet, but you might want to reconsider.  Meals can turn out badly and a delicious lunch could easily be overshadowed by an even more delicious dinner.

Sadly, that perfect moment was interrupted by boarding the subway home in what shouldn’t have been rush hour. Uncomfortable is not a word I like to throw around much, but that’s what it was.

It’s About Time

There is an Asian supermarket near my house. I am sure I have written about it before.  I go there to grab Japanese candy, (as Heide knows I like so much) samosas, Vietnamese coffee, chocolate milk, lettuce, rye bread, and numerous other things.  I enjoy it because it takes me back to another time in my life.  Also, as it has so many things that I have never seen before, I get the chance to walk around a little wide eyed.

There are a number of things that I am dying to try, but have never bought. Sometimes it is because I know that the price is cheaper somewhere else.  Sometimes it is because I think the price is too high for what I would be getting.  Of course, sometimes it is because I have no idea what the heck it really is.

Today, because I stopped for bread, I decided to buy one of those things I have been looking at. Maybe I was feeling that “it’s about time….” (which is so much fun when I have to teach that to my students)  I have been trying different kinds of ice cream and frozen yoghurt things lately, so this is sort of a continuation of that.

This is available widely, but my Korean students have encouraged me to get it before. I just haven’t because there was never enough room in my freezer, or I felt that I shouldn’t eat so many sweet things.  Also, banana is one tough flavour.  If they get it wrong, it just tastes like horrible chemicals.

I could have chosen another flavour. They had a strawberry kind, a peach kind, and a ….green kind (Thanks to Google, I know that this was melon flavoured)  From those choices, banana is my sure fire winner.  Melon would be my second choice…a distant second choice.

So, happily, I report that it tasted quite good and the banana flavour was quite good and quite strong.  I should also point out that the square shape was not as awkward to consume as I feared, though a little awkward.  From an environmental perspective, it probably ships in a smaller container because of this.

So, to recap, it isn’t the food that is Today’s Perfect Moment. That honour goes to taking a risk and finally getting something I had been planning on for quite a while.  That it tasted good is merely a side bonus.

 

Three Layers of Skin

A long time ago, I heard that the translation of this Korean dish is “three layers of skin”.   I don’t know whether that is true or not.  What I do know is that it is delicious.

 

Taking Your Medicine

I have traveled a bit in Asia.  I have seen some amazing things, eaten some amazing food, met some amazingly kind and generous people, grown in many ways, and learned a lot about the world.

One interesting thing I have learned, and that I am going to share with you, is that in Asia most of the things that are considered good for one’s health have either a heinous smell or taste, and sometimes even both.  Things that come to mind are natto (fermented soy beans from Japan) and stinky tofu, which I tried in Taiwan.  Both of these things items have …. unique tastes.  Upon eating them, or being offered them, I have been constantly reassured that they were “good for your health.”  I used to think that was where the whole, “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger” thing came from.

You’re probably wondering where I am going with this.

Today my student presented me with some special medicine. I was looking a bit haggard because I had been out with my friends and only slept a few hours.  He said it would give me energy.  He also mentioned how good it was–my suspicions were aroused.

He also explained that it was quite expensive. Seeing as it came wrapped in gold flake–which I was expected to eat as well, and came in an individual bottle, I had no doubt he was correct.

I do not know exactly where this medicine comes from.  My student is Korean, but I am pretty sure he said something about China.

The smell was not unpleasant, but rather overpowering. The taste….it definitely had a natural taste.  Another student familiar with the product described it as tasting like a tree.  Not having had too many trees, I cannot confirm that.  It was a taste I had never encountered before–that I am sure of.

Did it work? I have to admit that I felt a little better and was able to get through my day without a coffee IV.

Today’s Perfect Moment is the student’s generosity. The product itself is more of a curiosity than perfection.

If anyone of my readers is familiar with this, or has taken it, I would love to hear from you.

 

Korean Food

After work, before Today’s Perfect Moment, I went to my favourite bar where they make their own beer, As you can see from the photo, the beer looks awesome.  The waiter was kind enough to give us some samples of beer that we didn’t choose thinking it would help us down the road.

That certainly could have been Today’s Perfect Moment. In fact, Toronto’s first hockey game of the year could also have been Today’s Perfect Moment.  They scored seven goals, which might be a record for an opening game.

However, I have chosen my meal of Korean food as Today’s Perfect Moment. It was delicious and fun to eat.  I am very thankful that Toronto has a lot of ethnic food restaurants.  There are so many delicious things to eat.

 

What Student Notebooks Teach Us

Yesterday’s Back to School Post must still be stuck in my head because it slightly affected the my world today. I teach ESL to adults in the Toronto area.  These are not immigrants, but rather people who want/need to improve their English.  They aren’t like high school and middle school students, who need to do any back to school shopping….or do they?

You see, some of these adults arrive without pens or notebooks. Others have brought the remains of their high school equipment.  Some of my older students have liberated some of their children’s things.  Yes, that means a 50-year-old student could conceivably (and has) show up with a Barbie eraser and Little Mermaid Pencil case.  Add this to the fact that my students come from all over the world and what passes for high school cool or grade school cool in their countries is not the same as here.  While some of the stuff they have gotten their hands on is better than I could find here, some of it is definitely weirder.

While I might find it humorous, I also find it rather refreshing.

Today, I caught sight of one of my students’ notebooks. The only thing I could think of was that this was the definition of cute.  When she caught my eye, she immediately explained that she loved cats and was, indeed, a cat person.

Looking at it again, I wonder if this notebook is trying to be cute, looking for juxtaposition, or trying to teach us about tolerance and the need to defeat racism with love.

Also, I remember watching a vlog (video blog) shot in South Korea that used similar images of black and white cats to warm against North Korean spies.  If anyone is in South Korea, and these posters still exist,  maybe they could post some of these images.  They are quite interesting.

When I took the picture, I just thought it was cute, but then again, I have a black cat of my own.

Some Korean Food

I had the opportunity to go out with some former students on Thursday. Having survived a gruelling test preparation course with me (and then embarking on an international relationship with each other),  I feel a strong bond of friendship and can easily enjoy a meal together.

We head out for one of Toronto’s predominantly Korean neighbourhoods for some food.  They were looking for spicy and I was just looking for sustenance.  It was a cool night and the walk from the station to the restaurant certainly increased our appetite. I think we all came away winners.

One of the things I like about Korea restaurants is the number of side dishes (called banchan) they serve with the meals.  The photo shows the four we finished with.  While they were refilled for free several times, each time one of the dishes changed.  I found that interesting and fun as I am very fond of variety.  For Today’s Perfect Moment, I just wanted to share a little bit of it with you.  Sorry for forgetting to take a picture of the main meal.