When Koreans Party, They Party Hard!

May 15 was 스승의 날 (Teachers' Day) here in Korea. I've seen students in other departments or laboratories preparing various gifts for their professors. Other's buy expensive gifts, while others prepared personalized gifts. I then asked my lab mates what we're going to prepare for 교수님.  I learned that in the past he has expressed that he doesn't like receiving gifts, especially lavish ones because he doesn't want the students to be burdened and so our laboratory captain just bought cake which we then ate together.

It's a simple celebration indeed but for me it was very meaningful one. We spent time talking (well for my part mostly listening) and we've learned a lot of things about each other. And to top it all, I've seen 교수님 being goofy and playful, teasing one or two of the members in our laboratory.

But when I said "When Koreans party, they party hard", I wasn't referring to the aforementioned, but the things that happened after.

Anyway, before our modest teachers' day celebration, 교수님, 관희, 치웅 and I had a meeting with a professor and students from the Civil Construction Department about a project on Forest Road. When the meeting was done they made a reservation at a restaurant that serves Korean Native Beef, and so that's where we went to have dinner.  Since the four of us didn't drink any alcoholic beverage, we finished eating first. We then proceeded to a coffee shop, where we were joined by 2 other students from our laboratory, then after a while by the professors from the Civil Construction Department.

교수님 went home and we went back to the laboratory, but only to shut down the computers, get our bags, tag along another 2 students, and headed back to downtown.  As 성은 (who I learned later during the night is our resident rapper) said while calling others to join us, "We're going to party! 관희어빠 will buy 치맥! (chicken and beer)" By the time we found a place that can accommodate us and would serve us alcoholic beverages (some students didn't bring their IDs and the waiters wouldn't take our words for it that all are more than 18 years old) there were ten of us.   Halfway through the time we spent there, one student who said he can't speak English, gathered enough courage or probably with the help of alcohol started talking with me. We probably stayed in the restaurant for more than 2 hours, eating chicken, fruits, etc; drinking 소주, 맥주, soda, and water; watching music videos and talking about various things.

When we left the restaurant, it was after 11:30. I thought we were walking towards the terminal where a taxi line is located but then we passed by a 노래방 (karaoke). Someone asked, "shall we go?" I didn't even hear an answer to the question, they just went straight in. We sang, danced, laughed for almost two hours. They tried to make me sing a Korean song but I still can't read fast enough to be able to do so, so I 'played' the tambourine.

By the time one of the female undergraduate student and I got back to the dormitory, it was almost 2 am.

Well probably those in Metro Manila area do the same, but since I'm not a Manila Girl, I wouldn't know. I went out with my workmates before and stayed out much later but we usually go to bars with live bands in Baguio City and stay there for the whole time. At times however, the guys are too drunk by the time we leave the bar that fun turns to irritation.

For the most part, I didn't say much during the night, I was just an observer because of the language barrier but I still enjoyed being in their company. It  surely is an experience that I will definitely remember for a long time.