For the Love of Samgyaetang, A Whole-Chicken-Falling-Off-the-Bones Soup

CELEBRATING THE BIRTHDAY OF ONE OF THE KINDEST TEACHERS AT SCHOOL

After teaching our morning classes, Sookhee and I went out to lunch with Mi Suk Teacher. Without me knowing it, we were going out to belatedly celebrate Mi Suk Teacher's birthday (which was yesterday). This teacher is one of the very kindest teachers at school and always does little things to show her favor towards me. She has done this since I arrived at Yeongdo last year, and continues to show me the utmost kindness until now. I felt guilty at not having known about her birthday, and done something special for her.

*Flashback to my own birthday back in November when she was among the group of teachers who celebrated me with a cake and enthusiastically sang me a "Happy Birthday" song in English!*

Noticing my despair, Sookhee confided in me that she had also forgotten and that was why we were  going out!

ONE OF THE BEST RESTAURANTS SERVING SAMGYAETANG IN YEONGDO
To make up for it, I resolved to beat Sookhee to paying for our lunch, which just happened to be at one of the best restaurants that serve samgyaetang at Yeongdo. Samgyaetang is basically hot chicken soup with green onions and "other delicious flavorings" (according to another clueless reviewer online). 

A whole chicken

We sat using the tables and chairs

I'm guessing this is some of the "other delicious flavorings" thrown into our samgyaetang

THE STRUGGLE OVER WHO WOULD HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF PAYING THE BILL
When it was time to leave, I got up and, noticing that Sookhee was still seated, felt confident as I took my time sauntering towards the counter. Mi Suk Teacher was there. Upon a closer look, she appeared to be reaching into her handbag and handing over her credit card to pay for our meal. I had two seconds to fly across the restaurant and intercept this payment. Hugging her to me (and truncating her elbow's reach towards the counter), I pivoted so that I was in between her and the cashier. This would have been a lot smoother (not to mention successful) had I had my own card ready upon interception. Alas, I had to fumble in my pocket, during which time she escaped!

Mi Suk Teacher struggled and insisted that she pay for our lunch, which, to me, was ridiculous since we were there to celebrate her birthday! We struggled some more, with Sookhee laughing on the sidelines.

THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES ON...
Unlike other people who only pretend not to want to pay the bill, Mi Suk Teacher really did seem like she wanted to pay and that she had, in fact, gone with us that day with the intention of footing the bill. I continued to dance with her in front of the counter and may have, at one point, tossed my own debit card towards the cashier in an effort to beat the good teacher, who, at that moment, had once again escaped from me and was making deliberate strides towards victory.

The poor restaurant owner picked up the debit card I had tossed to her from a semi-indecent distance and, at the same time, accepted the card that Mi Suk teacher more calmly and civilly handed to her (like any normal person might). Looking at the both of us, she made the executive decision to use Mi Suk teacher's card instead of mine.

I sighed in defeat.

My attempt to redeem myself from having forgotten her birthday yesterday did not work. Meanwhile, Sookhee was still laughing uncontrollably on the sidelines. At this point, she was using both hands to cover her deep amusement over what had just transpired.

MIMI = ZERO, SOUTH KOREA = ONE
As the three of us made our way back to the car, I aired my grievances over the injustice that was a birthday person paying for the birthday meal. Sookhee assured me that my intention was good, but that Mi Suk teacher, as our elder, was to have her way if she wanted to pay for the meal. Just as I had thought, Sookhee had also designed to treat the three of us, but...got the memo earlier and received it with more grace than *cough* some people *cough*.

Lesson learned, South Korea! Lesson learned.

It's Springtime in Busan!