Here are some pictures from yesterday that I captured with the Haenyeo. Although they didn’t catch as much as usual, they were in good spirits and have really gotten comfortable with me hanging around them. One of the Haenyeos caught a single jeonbok (abalone) and wanted to feed me straight out of its shell. Our little exchange describes a little what goes on every day with them:
Haenyeo: I just caught one abalone, so why don’t you just eat it raw. The taste is unbelievable – here, give it a try.
Me: Oh no, you should enjoy it, you’re the one who caught it. I’m okay, really.
Haenyeo: Why, can’t you eat raw things? You are a man, right? You’re missing out.
Me: Honestly, I don’t like hwe (raw seafood) so it would be a waste for me to eat it. Please enjoy it for yourself.
Haenyeo: If you’re on Jeju Island, you should learn to eat stuff like this. You’ll become a real man in no time.
Me: 네 (Yes). I promise to eat it next time.
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