I spent most of Friday morning at the boy's school for their "Chuseok" celebrations. Chuseok is the Korean harvest festival. Of course, I don't bring my camera to such events. That would be too boring if I had tons of cute pictures of all the kids dressed up in their traditional Korean garb. And totally annoying if I had pictures of all the tables full of tradition Korean food that all the families contributed to the celebration. Imagining such pictures, that's much more fun, right?!
In George's class I learned that it's a holiday to celebrate the bountiful harvest, and remember their ancestors who defended their country and traditional ways from various enemies over the years. In Henry's class, I mostly ate more traditional Korean food (and some chocolate chip cookies that he told me I simply had to try!).
On Friday night, we celebrated fall in a very American way by going out to the Osan High School football game. Too bad it was a loss for our team, but it was a great night of family fun all the same.
Jane was truly inspired by the cheerleaders and had to test out some of her new moves at a Saturday morning dance party...(never mind Ruby's crazy sound effects in the background.)
A little bit of wandering and shopping off base in the afternoon. The boys finally got to see "Star Wars" at the theater. I got to barter with a Korean shop owner about fake Jimmy Choo bag that I decided I needed. We ended our day at a church party, where we all tried to honor the holiday weekend with our version of an Asian dish. I brought an Asian Chicken Salad. That counts, right?!
But then tonight, as I was putting the girls to bed, I closed my eyes for the first time since opening them, and I saw myself driving up Briargate Parkway, in Colorado Springs.
The whole scene flashed behind my eyelids in a heart beat probably, but I was transported...
I saw myself driving up Briargate Parkway. I could see all the shops, Gymboree, Banana Republic, Pottery Barn, etc. I arrive up at the top of the hill at the YMCA where I drop the girls off at Kids Watch, while I indulge in a full hour of running. In my reverie, when we're done at the gym, we drive on to the brand new and delightful Super Target where we shop and peruse the isles in a nearly empty store. After Super Target we start to drive back home. Headed down Briargate Pkwy, this time with a full view of the Front Range, the Academy and blue skies. I soon hit Woodmen Road where inevitably I'd pass a girl friend out and about, we'd wave, and I'm smiling.
But then I opened my eyes and I'm here in Korea. It's okay. It's delightful in it's own special way, and we are having lots of meaningful family experiences...and there are wonderful people here too. There is something about autumn, and thinking about all the Koreans this weekend gathering with their families, celebrating their country, their heritage and their food, that is making me miss mine.
Good night.
14 comments:
Love the cheerleading. Miss you guys.
When we moved to upstate NY (not a foreign country, but so foreign to me!) I had so many similar experiences. I'd be driving down our little country roads and suddenly I would need, NEED!, my tulips in the front yard, my gaggles of girlfriends, my house. That song "let me go home" was also just hitting the radio at the time, and so many times I cried my way to the grocery store. It wasn't that I was unhappy where I was, the homesickness just hit me a lot harder than I thought it would. But then I learned to love it there too! It's a give and take, everywhere you live!
No picture of the Jimmy Choo bag?! I can't wait to show Grace cheerleader Jane. She will love it and so do I. My favorite is the quick hand motion towards the end of the clip. Too cute. While I know you are accepting of your time in Korea and have found wonderful things to keep you busy, I totally understand just craving familiar surroundings. It has to be somewhat comforting to know that your situation is only temporary and you do get to go back to the home you love.
Very poignant, Annee. You have a gift for expressing things that touches each of use. You took me back to when we moved to Japan. We could only take a few things with us and we missed stuff left behind. We'd asked Mom about them, "Where's our little table and chairs?" And the answer was always, "In storage." I had this idea that "storage" was a far away Land of Oz - magical and full of wonderful things. But there's no place like home.
You're so funny! I like how you made it seem like no big deal that you missed the pictures...there's always next year.
Hey, I think we might have a future little Osan Cougars cheerleader on our hands!!
It's funny, I too had an "I'm in America" moment over the weekend...it must be in the air!!
Nice post. Great time imagining all the photos. I think the cheerleading video more than made up for the pics though.
I remember my first week as a missionary in Korea. We served in an area that included Kimpo airport. I could watch planes take off from the window in my bedroom as I would study Korean in the morning. I used to imagine being on one of those planes and flying home and how nice that would be. Then I realized that Kimpo was only a domestic airport and none of those planes were going home. I stopped looking out the window and never thought about it again.
Did you have any Korean treats that you liked?
Probably the best thing I ate was a made-from-scratch rice cake. I think they call them something that sounds like "bak". They look like little white shinny balls. This lady totally made her from scratch including picking the beans from her farm. Those were probably the best thing I ate. You would have really enjoyed the food that was there.
Your airport story reminds me of when I looked up airline tickets to just "see" about coming home for Christmas. When I saw the price would be $8500 I quit looking at tickets and thinking of coming home. I'll just stay here and get on with it.
What a fun celebration! The pictures would have been fun to look at, but they're fun to imagine too. I love the traditional Korean dress. I think it's so pretty.
May I say that your seamstress-ness is very inspiring and impressive. I love the dresses. You're kids are just too darling too.
love the shimmy Jane!
There's a car around here like yours, I see it everywhere lately.. and I keep waiting to see you driving and waving! CS misses you too!
P.S.You going into business with the cute aprons!
That cheerleader is so adorable!
And yes, Colorado is delightful. I hope I can someday end up there too. I'll live down the street and honk at you as we drive around town.
thanks for sharing your life in Korea with us... but it is true... there is no place like home.
Steve, thanks for your story... it is so "you" :-)
Our computer doesn't play videos so I was just able to watch the cheerleading video on Steve's computer! I loved it. I'm a proud aunt and fully support her desire to be a cheerleader.
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