This week was Valentine's Day, and here in Korea, it's celebrated very simply, with CHOCOLATE. And I am soooo OK with that! The women from my church congregation in Utah agree with this focus and hosted a "Death by Chocolate" night. Everyone was to prepare some sort of chocolate desert or candy, or...knowing the skills of these women, I can't tell you how bummed I was to have missed it!! 
Now, it's true, the tradition here is for the girl to give chocolate to the boy...that's not so fine. But, I'm not so sure that anyone here in Sacheon pays too much attention to that particular tradition. And as a teacher, one kid after another came up and demanded in English, "Give me chocolate." Not only is sharing chocolate extremely difficult for me to do, I'm unwilling to encourage these little aspiring leaders to behave like beggars or parasites. Since I've become pretty great buddies with the ones who did the begging, I closed doors and said "go away" to all who used that particular phrasing. On the other hand, I handed out candy hearts and chocolate during class for a week; and to those students who gave me chocolate, I gave back more. In further defense of my predicament, I teach ALL of the other Korean teachers' kids in my speaking class. Each Korean teacher has just over 40 little hungry birds who always like being fed, I have them all, which is over 200.
Now, it's true, the tradition here is for the girl to give chocolate to the boy...that's not so fine. But, I'm not so sure that anyone here in Sacheon pays too much attention to that particular tradition. And as a teacher, one kid after another came up and demanded in English, "Give me chocolate." Not only is sharing chocolate extremely difficult for me to do, I'm unwilling to encourage these little aspiring leaders to behave like beggars or parasites. Since I've become pretty great buddies with the ones who did the begging, I closed doors and said "go away" to all who used that particular phrasing. On the other hand, I handed out candy hearts and chocolate during class for a week; and to those students who gave me chocolate, I gave back more. In further defense of my predicament, I teach ALL of the other Korean teachers' kids in my speaking class. Each Korean teacher has just over 40 little hungry birds who always like being fed, I have them all, which is over 200.
Lotte is bigger than Hershey's or Nestle's here. It's THE chocolate producing company in Korea. This is a popular chocolate bar, and milk chocolate is much more popular than dark--just like it is in Utah.
Another candy bar I received was this Korean version of Nestle's Crunch, I believe.
I love their Ghana Black Chocolate best.
Which is what I gave out, in small individual squares, along with Hershey's dark chocolate Kisses, (which cost a small fortune here--but I pay it willingly, because I'm an addict). Wish I could say that I still have most of what over a dozen students and fellow teachers popped into my room to share, but... I saw a site that has guys downing 9-10 Ferrero Rocher chocolates in a minute. Pretty sure I could top that.
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