It's kimchi time of year

It's been so long since I last wrote, that I'd forgotten how to sign in and forgotten my password. I've now updated to a newer version of blogger and worked out how to translate the Korean version into English, so I'm all set to go.
I want to start by sharing my Thursday morning with you. My day started with, perhaps the most, Korean cultural experience, one could have whilst here. I made kim chi! Apparently it's the best time of year for it. My friends gave me plastic gloves, which I thought originally, where to prevent germs on our hands infecting the food, but as I got involved in the preparation, I felt a burning sensation on my arm, where some of the mix had got past the gloves and made contact with the skin, so I concluded the gloves were for my own safety and protection.
There appeared to be half a field's worth of cabbages in various silver bowls, as well as other bowls filled with the red spicy, spicy chili sauce, mixed with chopped radish and cucumber. The trick to making good kim chi, is to try and get the sauce into every nook and crannie.
The Koreans were very impressed as I squatted next to the big silver bowl and , leaf by leaf, rubbed the dangerous spices into the cabbage, then wrapped the cabbage leaves around itself and put it in a big bin bag!
Not only did this burn my arms, (it's a mucky procedure), but also my legs. It's a mystery to me how the Asians manage to squat on the floor for such long periods of time and look comfortable. I had to walk around regularly to give my legs a rest. I'd take a break after I'd spiced each cabbage. Is it because us Westerners have longer legs? Or because we don't eat enough kim chi?
Koreans swear that kim chi is the cure for every disease under the sun. Apparently it makes your eyes sparkle, your hair shine and prevents you from getting cancer! Funnily enough they don't mention how Korea has the largest number of stomach ulcers in the world. Nothing to do with all the spices now is it?!
Koreans feel that a meal without kim chi isn't a meal. You even get a side dish of it at the Italian restaurant!