bit of footy, some beer and some food with new friends

well today was very hot, so we sat and watched some locals play footy in the centre of the campus (pics to follow). I was itching to play, so Puy and I started having a kick around with a spare footy. Then the guys playing came over and invited me to play 6 a side, so I joined in. Some of them were pretty good so it was good fun. I haven't play a proper footy game since I broke my leg when I was 17, so i was pretty rusty, but the Korean guys said that I played well.

Well afterwards, one guy who is a dead ringer for Jackie Chan, came over and asked if I fancied going for a beer and some chicken, which is their team ritual after training.

So I said I would, so we went to a locals bar, about a minute away from my dorm. So for the next few hours, I chilled with my new friends Se (I think) or Jackie (Chan) as his friends call him, Andreas and Justin (they have English names as they are Catholics) and another guy who's name I forgot. Whilst there, the guys ordered a couple of pitchers of beer, some fried chicken and some chips. We had a general chat about where each other were from, what they were studying (Korean Literature) and about life in Korea. One of the guys was 25 and he told about how every Korean male around the age of 22 has to do National Service for 2 years. He said that you have four weeks training and then you get moved around South Korea, if you are unlucky you get posted near the North, which is pretty unpleasant and a lot colder. You get 1 month off in 2 years and you are not allowed contact with friends and family. If you play for one of the football teams and you win, then you may also get the weekend as holiday to return to friends and family. 3 of the guys still have all this to come.

Then they asked if I would like to try a local Korean dish (goal beang i - pepper seafood) and a traditional Korean drink called Soju, so obviously I had to say yes!!

They taught me the proper etiquette to drink it (as explained in the wiki page) and as I was older (more senior) I was allowed to receive it with one hand. It was smoother than I thought, but having drank Raki and Poteen in the past I was fairly well prepared. I was then given another full shot of Soju, this time they placed the shot glass in my beer.

They then lined their own beer glass up and placed 4 shot glasses of Soju of each glass, pushing the first one which then had a domino rally effect sending each shot glass into each beer glass.

After more chatting and more Korean lessons, another friend of theirs joined us. It was his last night as he goes to the military in two days. I didn't want to intrude anymore so I said my goodbyes and offered to pay some money, which they refused as it was their treat (they said as it was the first time meeting me it was their present to me) so I walked back to my dorm with Se (who lives in my buidling). We agreed to meet up again for either more food, beer and Soju or another game of footy.

Good times :-)