Two years in Gangneung

I feel a little emotional today. No real change there then. But today is extra special because it marks two years since I arrived in Gangneung and three years in Korea. I certainly didn't know that I was going to end up a long termer when I got to Mokpo in December 2001. With only five weekends left in Korea and only two of those not accounted for, I am running a list of things that I need to do through my head.

And one of those things was to get really, really clean. So I went to the jjim jil bang last night with Tania. I hadn't been to one for ages. For those not in the know, it is a public bath house with a sauna thrown in for good measure. I refused to go at all in my first year here for the obvious fact that I am British and therefore am not comfortable getting naked alone in my own shower, let alone in front of a room of strangers. Also, how can I put this, I am not the tiniest thing ever to grace the shores of the East Sea so was nervous about being naked in front of people so tiny that I can't work out how they manage to fit all their internal organs in their skin- two lungs?? Surely there isn't room! And a heart too? Are you kidding me??

But I was talked into going and thoroughly enjoyed it. Then I put on weight and it became more of an issue for me again. Now, though, I feel responsible for showing Tania some of the finer sides of Korean life- yes, there is more to Korea than listening to me drunkenly rambling about how no-one has ever really loved me....

Plucking up some courage from my more than ample bosom, we made a plan to go a few weeks ago. Then I got caught up in a two hour special visit for a bunch of kindergarteners- not bad in itself but they asked me over and over again if I was a man or a woman and seemed surprised at my answer (I am a women in case the photos don't make it obvious enough or any four year old Korean kids are reading this). I like to think that this was because of my lack of make up but it still knocked my confidence enough that I chose not to strip down to my bare essentials that night. A relaxing game of Jenga calmed my nerves instead.

But time is running out. Both me and Tania are cursed with rubbish showers in our homes- I am in and out in less than three minutes and the hot water still runs out half way through my business. So we went. And figuring that we would be larger than most of the rest of the clientele we decided to bulk up on pizza first. Good idea.

Then we went. I hadn't been for so long that I was as nervous as a first-timer. But we paid our money, picked up the shorts and t-shirts provided and walked up the steps. Into the locker room and our first chance to strip down in public. Avoiding looking at each other we shrugged on the clothes (the first time that I ever went, a Korean friend told the ajumma that I would need extra large clothes. I didn't. But I got them. And they were a different colour from any others provided just in case anyone was in any doubt that I was an extra large person) and ran up the stairs to the sauna.

There is a big communal space outside the saunas with a huge TV, plenty of food and drink available, an internet cafe, library and plenty of places for a sleep. We hit the first sauna, sweated for a while, took a break, went into the bad boy sauna, sweated a lot, took a break. We were getting pretty tired by then so it was one more trip into the sauna and then down to the washroom. And nakedness.

The washroom consists of rows and rows of sinks with shower heads, a basin and a plastic stool. Round the edge of the room are several pools, hot, cold, ridiculously hot, so cold that penguins cower in the corner in fear and one with a floating table for those exciting games of strip go-stop.

We sat down at a sink each and started to wash. Tania was a bit taken aback when a grandmother came over to show her that she wasn't washing correctly- enough of you youngsters and your fancy-pants shower gel, use this real soap here. After we bathed for a bit it was time for Tania to go for a scrub down.

This is where someone's mum lays you down on a table and scrubs you within an inch of your life. I swear last time I lost several freckles and nearly an elbow. The dead skin comes off in strips and makes you feel disgusting but it is worth it once she is done. I had warned Tania that the ajumma would get up close and personal because I remember being vaguely unnerved when I first went to find her scrubbing places I didn't know I had places.

It was a good night, and needless to say, Tania is now a total convert. I would love to have been able to share parts of the experience with you, the saunas are amazing ornate, but I didn't feel that it was appropriate to take a camera into the bath house. So here is a random photo instead.

Dancing girls celebrating the opening of the newest kimbap place in town.