Chinese New Year (the Korean version)

I was supposed to post this entry during the lunar New Year but things are simply busy and more excuses not to sit and compose a decent thing to write about the holiday.  So here I go, belatedly sharing how the Chinese or Lunar New year is celebrated.

Growing up in the Philippines, I'm not new to the celebration of Chinese New Year.  It's one of the things we look up to back home. Not because I'm Chinese but it's simply an exciting and a colorful event.  The dragon dance, Chinese fireworks, the yummy moon cakes, and of course there is the angpao or Chinese money placed in a cute, red envelope. That is how this special event is celebrated in the Philippines.  

However, it's a totally different holiday in Korea. Being married to a Korean and now living (back) in Korea, it's only natural that I adhere and follow their customs and culture. And one of that is to celebrate Chinese New Year. The Korean traditional way. 

Seolnal or seolal (설날) is a big thing in Korea.  Bigger than the real new year, as in the January 1 new year, wherein Koreans go to the mountains or the seas to watch the first sunrise and pray for the best of things for the entire year.  However, the lunar new year is the REAL new year for Koreans traditionally. Families gather at the house of the first son of the family (that is if the patriarch of the clan has passed away). Take note though that only the family of the sons come together on this day. It is a custom in Korea that once a woman marries her husband, she then belongs to the family of the man and that means she serves the man's family on this day and Thanksgiving day as well.  

The day before the lunar new year, the wives of the brothers and their sons come to the house of the first son to work together and prepare the food for the next day.  And I'm one of these women to do the job of preparing nice food for  the men and children in the family. I tell you, it's a long. hard and tiring day for a first-timer in the family and in my case, a foreigner.  My first year was honestly the hardest because of too many factors.  Language, new food and preparation, new people and most of all the labour.  I had to do endless dishwashing, peeling and washing of vegetables that some I was not familiar with.   And when the cooking is done, I had to help clean the house and prepare for the next day.  Seriously, I cried of exhaustion on my first time. I have never worked that hard in my entire life. Ever!

But as the years go by, this year as my 3rd (should be 5th but fortunately my husband and I lived in another country) year to help out and celebrate it with my husband's family, it didn't seem hard as it was the first time. Sure it's still tiring as my husband belongs to the first family. Great though that he is not the first son. I don't even want to imagine myself being the wife of the first son. To give you an idea, my mother-in-law gets sick almost every after a family gathering like this in their home. Poor old woman. So I really can't just sit and relax or excuse myself from helping, much as I wish to. I can't leave  my old MIL to work and exhaust herself, together with the aunts to do all the preparation, can I?

Anyway, exhausting and stressful as this may be, it still is a great time for the family to get together and catch up what with the busy lives we all lead.

                                                                    

The worship table or jesa sang. Set by my father-in-law.

There is a specific arrangement for this, which I don't get.

   

Yohann with his Appa, Haraboji and Halmoni.

All dressed up and ready to receive the other members of the family to start the ancestors' worship.

Before the guests have started arriving, my son was having a sort of a meltdown.

I only wore my hambok for Seolnal after Yohann was born.

The little boss after the guests have left. He is a picture of one relieved host!

Three generation of Songs: My father-in-law is the first son of a first son.

My husband, the youngest of three sons and Yohann, the first grandson.

Generation gap!

"Close your eyes" had a farm, e-i-e-i-o...

I have been trying (and always failing) to put my son to nap in the afternoons. For some strangest reason, I have a kid who simply is not the afternoon-napper-kind-of-kid. Well not anymore. He used to be when he was younger. But soon as he entered toddlerhood, his body clock is the weirdest. That is to me, his mother who longs for some good me-time in the afternoon or an early quiet time at night. And I've given up trying to put him on schedule. It just doesn't work the way they should to most kids and moms I know. Never to me and Yohann. No.

As of this writing, I'm under the covers, playing dead while waiting for him to knock himself out. I mean to fall asleep of course. Good luck to me. He is still singing non-stop with occasional falling on me, which is deliberate to get my attention and drive me out of my cocoon. Earlier, just before I hid myself, I was telling him "Go to sleep. Now!" only for the words to be thrown back at me. In the same exact tone. When I went, "Close your eyes!" he started singing "close your eyes had a farm, e-i-e-i-o!" So I went giggling and he only sang louder. Happy to entertain his tired mama.

Oh kid, please nap now. I have tons of things to get done with. And I need to have lunch too. I love you and enjoy playing with you but mama needs at least an hour and a half of break. :)

The boy who kissed a Manatee

My two year old has finally developed an interest to fish. With his excitement in exclaiming "a fish" comes his fascination to it. And I, the mother, is of course more elated to witness all these.

One fine weekend, his dad and I took him to the aquarium(again!) and he was simply ecstatic seeing different kinds of fish from the tanks. From aruanas, piranhas, clown and angel fish and so much more i refuse to remember their nams. It was however a long walk for him and the poor child eventually got tired. When we got to the small sharks swimming with the stingrays, he wasn't looking anymore. Giving us tired and sleepy looks but too proud to ask or show that he wanted to be carried already. By the time we get to the tank of the manatees, he found a spot to sit on, right where one large manatee or "dugong" was resting. It got funny when he started kissing the glass between him and the mammal that other parents started to point and laughed. Unfortunately though, he was just too pooped that when we got to the biggest tank, where bigger sharks,and a big school of fish were, my exhausted child turned to a walking child-zombie. Ignoring the exciting things going on about him. Making me and his dad wrap things up at the aquarium.

Oh well, you're only 2 my boy. Lots of time to visit the aqurium again next time.

The giant turtle, swimming so fast I can't get a good shot. 

The giant squid and its creepy tentacles. 

The cute diver performer. 

Here is my little boy, kissing the manatee. 

Don't wonder where my child got his looks.  Here's solid proof. 

And the silvery school of fish.

two-timing, two-blogging

            
When I didn't have the optimism(more like the diligence) to post entries here, I used another site to chronicle my regular days and some special moments. And that is TUMBLR.  I have to say, posting entries and photos using tumblr is easy as 123 for me. Not that it's difficult to do that here but it sure does take time and I needed to sit in front of my pc to get an entry satisfactory when using blogger. Especially on the photo postings. While with tumblr, I can do it anywhere and anytime.  With just my phone, I can automatically upload it so fast and make a silly caption already.

 On the other hand, I may not be so adept with the tools of blogger that I strayed on tumblr.  hhmm.. Now that sounds lame but sure is acceptable. Now I am seriously thinking of sticking with blogger and may soon be making a domain too.  That is, if I get to decide on that name that I can't seem to decide on yet.  Talk about fickle.

So if I can only import my tumblr entries here to blogger...But the tool I am using to do that seems to be not cooperating with me.  Man, two-timing sure is not easy. haha

Happy 2012!

I was on on hiatus from for the longest time. I was even thinking of giving up and deactivating this blog. Too many things have happened, too many things unfulfilled too. Like writing here more. But now I'm back. I hope to share more entries this year.

So it's a new year. New beginning for me, for us. Last year had not been a smooth ride for me and my family. 2011 started with my dad's passing. Couple of weeks before that, a very dear aunt suddenly passed away too. There were others too, who were directly or indirectly related to us who have joined our Creator. There were family squabbles and drama to mark the year too. And as the previous was about to end, my family lost another beloved member. I will surely miss a lot of people.

But my family's loss is nothing to what many families lost during the calamities in the Philippines. The country was hit by yet more typhoons that destroyed so much. Property, family, lives. It was beyond heartbreaking.

That was one unforgettable year for me seriously. I can't even totally express my thoughts. All l pray and hope is that this year will be different. Good different. I am never going to stop hoping for things to be better.

I hope the same goes for you all too.
May 2012 be a good year to us, with God's grace.

water is life

One Sunday morning, Yohann and I went to the park across our apartment's complex to get our drinking water.  It was not so crowded anymore as it's late morning and as much as I'd like to go there early, it's still cold in the early morning and I would not risk Yohann getting cold.  During the winter, we haven't been here to get water but we buy instead.  I try to tell my self to save money and make the effort to do the 10-minute walk, not only I can save money but it is good exercise for me and and an energy buster for Yohann too.  Sadly (or not), laziness took over. 

So here we are now, patiently waiting for my turn to get water.  As I hold close my empty plastic water containers, I took a few pictures of the action.

       Old women filling their water containers.  Mostly, they have a trolley to carry all these bottles of water. 

Some bring bigger containers.  They would either have it latched on their bicycles or motorbikes. 

I have seen lots of joggers also who come with their cars, they would fill big containers up before or after they jog.

Owners of these containers bring their cars.  It could be that their building/s are quite far from this park or they are getting more than one refill.

One of the many things I like here in Korea is that the government provides better access to water.  This mineral water comes from the mountain and the government made water line for the residents to get water without having to go or hike the hills or mountains.  This way they enjoy what the nature provides and save at least $.90 for 2 liters/bottle.  Now if only other countries have this much water resources, there wont be people and animals dying of draught.  And if only other people make use of water wisely and conscientiously...  water is life after all.

eathquake and tsunami

March 11, 2011, the world stopped, stunned, shocked and devastated when the news broke of  what happened in Japan. An earthquake of 8.9 magnitude, the most hit the island nation.  So many lives were lost and more are still missing.  It was such a heartbreaking scene to see such a strong and beautiful nation to be suddenly all over the news, this time not of triumph, but of devastation.  The modern, bright and dynamic areas were replaced by damaged buildings, waste and there were mud everywhere.  Words are not enough to describe such occurence.  Especially the faces of people looking at the place where their homes used to be, faces of people expecting a family member to show up, faces of people trying to be strong listening to the reports that bodies of their kin are found, and faces of people trying to share whatever strength is left of them to others too. 

Despite this tragedy, I am personally impressed of the way Japanese remained dignified in so many ways.  Other countries, when or if faced in similar state would be in uncontrollable chaos.  There would be breaking in of stores and looting, fighting for food, water and other supply of ration.  However, Japanese stayed calm and collected which should be set as a perfect example for all of us. 

I believe that this tragedy has tested the strength of this small but ultimately strong country.  They may be facing serious damage for now, but without a doubt, renovation is already in the process.  Things may not be brought back like the way it was before the calamity, especially the lives that were lost, but definitely, Japan will rise again. Stronger.