GYMjibang

I finally joined a gym last weekend. I have been thinking for a few weeks now that I need to make a serious effort at fitness. If you have been reading my posts regularly then you will know that I have been doing more than my share of eating and drinking in Korea. Now that I am in my "late" twenties I don't think I am going to be able to get away with living the high life without packing on the pounds. The gym I joined is only a 5 minute walk away. The downside is the cost of membership. Although many things are cheap as hell in this country, gyms are not one of them. Membership costs approximately $70 a month. However, on the plus side the gym is a real Korean "health club" with a jinjibang (sauna) attached. My uncle Jon gave me a real appreciation for the benefits of hot tubs and saunas as a way to relieve stress. I have gone to the gym three times this week. I do cardio and some weight training and then I finish with a half hour in the jinjibang. Its a serious business here. There are the familiar standing showers, but there are also little showers where you squat or sit on little stools while you scrub all over. After you shower you can relax in the warm pool, which has jacuzzi jets. After that you can move over to the hot pool . Communication barriers make it hard to be sure, but I think it is natural bore water. At least I hope so, since water is usually clearer than that :) After the hot pool you can jump in the cold pool, which has a shower attachment that shoots with the power of a firehose. Very refreshing! Then it's time for the sauna. This part is not for the fainthearted. It's the hottest sauna I have ever been in. If I am feeling brave I will use the sauna for as long as I can stand it, jump in the cold pool and get back in the sauna for a second round.
I am really glad I joined this gym. Most do not have jinjibangs. Also, the gym supervisor is this really nice Korean guy (I think he is also a university student) who always tries to communicate with me. As soon as he sees me he grabs his phrase book and tries to have a conversation. I have started bringing my own phrasebook to the gym. Yesterday we managed to make plans to go for samgyopsal (pork bbq) next week, him in broken English and me in even more broken Korean.