Saturday, August 30 Welcome Dinner Social

So, here are the plans for Saturday!

For those of you who would like to spend time exploring Ulsan, getting to know the city as well as your fellow teachers this weekend, we have written up a short ULSAN Guide and have organized a meeting spot for you. The Guide is a mere list of suggestions as to where you can go after meeting up. Also, you can all go the same places, or split intosub groups. Whatever is your fancy. It's up to you! It's just a chance for you all to meet up and see the city, your new home!

Saturday's daytime exploration has been organized around the theme of "Modern

Korea." I'll send another guide later tonight which will give you ideas about what to see on Sunday. Sunday is organized around the opposite theme of "Traditional

Korea." This email has the “Modern Korea” day highlights, and towards the end of the email you find the details of the Welcome Dinner Social I have organized. It will be at a great, local Korean restaurant Saturday night.

If you don’t want to spend the day exploring, that is okay. I’m just providing an opportunity for you to meet the other teachers and hang out for the day. It's a

pretty casual meet up. No obligation. Although, I know it will be a lot of fun for those who attend!

However, I’ve made dinner

plans for Saturday night though and I’d love for you all to be there. So, if you like, you can simply meet all of the teachers at 5.45pm for the Welcome Dinner Social (dinner

details at the end of this email).

Saturday MORNING, August 30

Meet your fellow

Pegasus Teachers under the FERRIS WHEEL inside the Lotte Department Store Plaza at 11.00am. (There are

benches there).

This is a casual meet up without any signs. So, hopefully you'll recognize each other from the flight or Facebook. But, you'll likely

be the only group of teachers hanging out under the Ferris Wheel, "waiting."
Address : (680-815) 1480-1, Samsan-dong, Nam-Gu, Ulsan

The best way to get here is by taxi. It shouldn’t be more then about $5 from where most of you are located and you can share with others in your area.

You start your day's explorations here because this department store calls itself the "best and

the biggest department store in Ulsan." That's not all! In addition to shopping, this "department store" also has: eight multiplex theatres, a huge

"Ferris Wheel that allows you to catch the East Sea in one glance," and theme restaurants, among so many other attractions. This is a great introduction to department

store, and shopping culture in Korea. You might spend a while here! Nam-Gu, and specifically Samsan-dong, is the thriving area of Ulsan. There are many cafes, restaurants and stores to

keep you busy for the afternoon. So, you will easily be able to spend a lot of time here! (Many of the banks are in this area too, if you happen to have any

banking inquiries, you can pop into one of them).

When you are ready to move on, you can check out the following other department stores and shopping

experiences in the same area. And don’t worry, you don’t need to plan on spending any money either. These shopping institutions are simply great

spectacles to behold!!

E-Mart
Address : (680-815) 1646 Samsan-dong, Nam-gu, Ulsan

This has no connection to Wal-Mart. This is an electronic-mart and it is like nothing you have experienced before. It's like a

mega IKEA of Electronics!! This "mall" (it's not a mall according to North America's standards -- it's more like one

of our department stores on steroids) is massive. It includes more electronics than you can imagine!! In addition to electronics, the

place includes: food/beverages, services, fashion, toys, a bea

uty salon, pet shop, pharmacy, travel agency, and an automobile repair shop...

Hyundai Department Store
Address : 1521-1, Samsan-dong, Nam-Gu, Ulsan (680-816)
It's not just a car anymore.

It's a whole shopping experience. In addition to a shopping mecca, this 13 story department store is the full meal deal -- it has a McDonalds within it.

Saturday EVENING, August 30, 5.45pm
Meet back under the FERRIS WHEEL in the Lotte

Department Store Plaza
Anyone who wasn’t wandering the town with the group during the day can catch up with the

group again here.
Ann Katherine Sterrett

(a Pegasus Teacher who has been in Ulsan for the last month at a private school) will be meeting you by the benches under the FERRIS WILL
will get you directed to the restaurant.
You’ll all share taxis to the restaurant, at the cost of about 50cents-$1 a person, as the restaurant is not far. Ann will get you all directed there though. (But write the address down too, so that you call also show it to your taxi driver).

THE RESTAURANT:
Hamyangjip (Hamyang House).
Location : 579-4 Sinjeong3-dong, Nam-gu, Ulsan
Reservations have been made for about 25 teachers for 6.00pm.
(To help locate it, it is also less than 100 meters from a “White Castle Motel” that looks like a funny Disney-ish castle hotel and there is also a Japanese restaurant, “Mancheong Japanese Food,” close-by on the corner of the block).

Why I’ve picked this restaurant:
It is THE OLDEST TRADITIONAL BIBIMBAP RESTAURANT IN ULSAN.
It’s been operating for 80 years, and its signature dish is the owner’s very traditional and delicious “bibimbap” Korean dish. Everyone should try it once, and it’s a great intro to Korean cuisine. AND what better place to try it than the establishment that is famous for it? It’s a small little restaurant and seats only about 50 people. I’ve reserved half the restaurant for you teachers! (By the way, seating is traditional style, on the floor…)

What is bibimbap? It is served as a bowl of warm white rice topped with namul (sautéed and seasoned vegetables) and gochujang (chili pepper paste). You can eat it without adding the gochujang if you don’t like spice. A raw or fried egg and sliced meat (usually beef) are common additions. The ingredients are stirred together thoroughly just before eating. It can be sometimes served cold and sometimes hot.These the two types. (It is also served with everything on top, and then you stir it before eating. If there is an ingredient you do not fancy, just pick it out before stirring it all together.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibimbap
Bulgogi (BBQ) is also a highly recommended dish and may be a good choice for the less adventurous.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgogi
There should also be a few other menu options, and the menu will likely be at least partly/mostly translated into English.
If you’d like to try the local beverage of choice, ask for SOJU.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soju

Here’s a snapshot of the menu:
Cheoyong Bibimbap: 5,000 Won
Traditional Style Bibimbap: 6,000 Won
Gomtang (a thick broth) made with Korean Beef : 5,000 Won
Hanwoo Seoksoe Bulgogi (Korean Beef Bulgogi grilled on a gridiron) : 18,000 Won (likely enough to share)
Joseonpa Pajeong (Fried mixture of flour and Korean onion): 8,000 Won

The restaurant closes at 10.00pm, and it IS acceptable in Korea to hang around eating and drinking for hours. When you are done eating and drinking, if you so choose, you can head out to check out the local night scene. Ann knows many of the local night spots. There’s a lot of nightlife in Samsandong (the same area as the Lotte Dept Store) or in surrounding areas. Ann will give you a ton of ideas if you’re up for continuing the day’s adventures on into the night!

Have fun! And just promise to post photos!!

Also, email me if you plan on going to the dinner, as it will allow me to tell Ann how many people to expect to be waiting for at Lotte. I’ve made reservations for 25. I’d LOVE it if everyone attended, of course!!

By the way, a photo of Ann is attached so you know who to look for at the Ferris Wheel Sat at 5.45! J