I'm eating what?

On my first day in Danyang, I was taken to the school, introduced to the principal and vice-principal, taken to my apartment, and then taken to dinner.  All in Korean.  It was a whirlwind of a day and I was trying to make a good first impression so I did my best to be pleasant and friendly while only speaking two words of Korean (hello and thank you, both incredibly important).

When I was taken to dinner, I was first introduced to a random Korean man who was eating with a bunch of other people at another table.  I still am not completely sure who he was.  Maybe a different school's principal or something.  But he obviously was a man of some importance for me to be pulled over to be randomly introduced to him.  I bowed while holding my hand to my chest (the super polite way) and then when he held out his hand to shake mine, I shook his hand while holding my right arm with my left hand (the correct and proper Korean way to do it).  Then the entire table said "Whoa!!" and applauded for me and my sweet Korean manners.  No big.

Then as we sat down to eat I tried a bit of everything and enjoyed the meal while trying not to feel overwhelmed by the fact that I had just moved to the middle of Korea.  But as dinner went on I noticed that there was one food that no one was eating.  I asked what it was and they in turn asked me what I thought it was.  I guessed some sort of nut and they said no.  It was a silkworm cocoon.  One of the teachers, a man by the name of Mr. Ugh, then told me that I could try one but that I might vomit.  I assured him that no, I would not vomit, and proceeded to try one.

Well, I almost vomited.  Not really.  But it was gross.  I tried it, it tasted bad, I do not want another one.  But here in Korea you can buy them processed in cans.  Apparently they're a children's food and little kids just eat them like there's no tomorrow.  Kids are weird.

Totally ate one of these. I regret nothing.