Chuseok

This weekend is Chuseok (추석), or what most Americans refer to as Korean Thanksgiving. However, Chuseok is a time when Koreans go back to their hometowns to pay respect to ancestors and take care of their burial sites and offer them the harvest. It seems really interesting to me and while I was in Damyang and Boseong last weekend I saw my share of burial sites. All of my students were revved up yesterday and today in anticipation of a three (or more) day weekend. Yesterday I recieved a case of SPAM from my school as a Chuseok gift. Its the thought that counts right? Koreans have a special place in their hearts for SPAM as it seems to fly off the shelves and I've seen many a Korean with an identical case in their hands. I've thought about carrying a can or two with me at all times in case I run into a homeless person. I've never eaten the stuff, but I don't really feel like trying it now, I mean Korea has so much more to offer than SPAM (but it is in budae jjigae and I'm sure on some toasts and who knows what else). Today I got even more gifts. Right away this morning one of the Kindergarteners (Jessica) gave me a present (which later revealed chopsticks and a spoon) that said, "I <3 you to Refsland from Jessica." I also got honey rice cakes, songpyeon (송편), the traditional rice cake of Chuseok, a box of muffin like cakes from another student (Dayna) and a piece of potato pizza from Mr. Pizza (surprisingly delicious by the way). The best gift of all is a three day weekend though.


After work I went to COEX because I wanted to buy a Korean book from Bandi & Lunis. I found the one I was looking for and I think it will help me learn Korean and I am going to devote at least 45 minutes a day to the book and it's accompanying CD. The book is in a series and once I finish one, I'll move on. Part of me is afraid to learn Korean because I don't want to lose my Spanish, but at the same time, I have been reading Spanish newspapers online and I frequently talk to myself in Spanish. I should be ok and with Spanish group once a month I should be able to retain the majority of my Spanish, I've gone longer than a year or two before.

Tomorrow I am planning on meeting up with some people from a "New in Town" group to go on a cruise of the Han River at night and then out to dinner afterward. I think this will be fun and a river cruise has been on my list since I arrived in Seoul. It will also be good to meet some more people.