It's no wonder American children are chubbs.

This past Monday, my full-time teaching schedule began and I had an interesting first experience. I'm sure we can all think back to our elemantary school days. Homeroom, recess and lunchtime. I remember my favorite lunch was a grilled cheese sandwich, tomato soup, milk and for dessert two fruit roll-ups at only 25 cents each.

When the President of the company I work for told me we'd grab lunch before my first class of the 2008 school year, I was thinking more on the lines of your regular sit-on-the-floor Korean restaurant. As the time drew near to the start of my class and as I continued to be led to the school, I wondered exactly what was in store for me today. Dudes...no joke. Elementary school lunch...KOREAN-STYLE. With the kids.

There was no fancy kitchen with a ticket-taker or cash register. There were five ladies dressed very nicely handing out food. The lunch trays were metal and utensils, one gigantic spoon and chopsticks, of course. Lady #1; sprouts and kimchi (a cabbage necessity here). Lady #2; 1/4 cup pork. Lady #3; 2-3 pieces of leafy lettuce. Lady #4; sticky rice. And Lady #5; brothy soup with seaweed. Wow.

We sat down at the teachers table where there was more lettuce and leaves that could've come from the trees outside, what do I know? Red bean paste. (It's got a kick!) More kimchi, green onions and steamed cabbage.

You fill up your leaf with whatever you want and chow down. Although, "chowing" is what I hardly ever do when I eat Korean-style because I am so embarrasingly bad when it comes to using chopsticks. After I finish and I bring my dirty dishes to the student dish washers (all the while getting pointed at and commented on, mind you) I head to the door. Thirsty. There was, what I like to call, a trough of water. Warm water. And it had a funny taste. Gulped it down and I was outta there. Garlic, cabbage and spicey bean taste in my mouth. It's no wonder Koreans brush their teeth after every meal.

If I want, I can grab lunch there every day. So if you ever come to visit Josh and I, please... let me treat you! It will be an experience you won't forget!