It is also customary to exchange gifts. The Korean company I work for mailed all its employees huge bags of rice. But, because I live on a U.S. military installation, my home address is technically in the states. So after days of trying to figure out what to do, the best options included:
1. just giving me the rice at work;
2. not giving me the rice at work because it weighed 20 kilograms and I ride the subway;
3. mailing the rice to a co-worker on my behalf; and,
4. my favorite idea (probably because I suggested it), me forgoing a Chuseok gift because I'd just heard about the holiday for the first time two weeks ago and I'm OK celebrating it without bulk grain.
Instead, Option 5 was enacted: I received several cans of mixed berries and nuts, and all my co-workers were really jealous.
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| No pumpkin pie. |
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| Nothing says 'holiday' like a day at the track. Staff translators had to help us place our bets. Unfortunately we lost every race, but our children loved the horses. |
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| We also celebrated at the Doosan Bears game. |
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| Ice cream here comes with a churro, so it was an especially happy Chuseok for Leo, who thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon. |
Western names: Many Koreans have what they call a "Western name." The name they are given at birth is something like Seo-yeon (this is a first name for a female), and then at some point during adolescence they choose a second, "Western" first name, like Sophie or Bella. They call their fellow Koreans by their Korean names, but introduce themselves to others using their Western names. I asked my co-workers why they do this and they told me because Asian names are too difficult for Westerners to pronounce. I thought this was funny, but, actually, it's true:
Korean friend: Hi.
Me: Oh, good, you speak English/ Portuguese (the latter has never happened). Nice to meet you.
Korean friend: Nice to meet you. I'm Hyun-woo Ye-Jun.
Me: Um. How should I address you?
Korean friend: Call me Tony.
Me: Great.
Korean names: You may recall that many Koreans also have Western names. I do too, so my Korean co-workers recently suggested that I choose a Korean name. I loved this idea and immediately started thinking. I kept my criteria broad (need to be able to pronounce it; need to be able to remember it). I came up with Dae-lim. Beautiful, isn't it? Plus, I would finally have a nickname:
Korean friend: Hey, Lim.
Me: Oh, hey.
As a child, I longed for this, but it wasn't possible with my one-syllable name. Anyway. My co-workers found this choice hilarious. They asked where I came up with this. I wasn't sure. As it turns out, it is the name of a bathroom manufacturer and I'd likely seen it on a toilet bowl. We settled on Su-jin instead and they made me a reminder note.
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| That's me! |
Soccer: Eri started soccer a couple months ago and loves it. She chose to be No. 10, like her dad was when he played, and also wanted "STEEVES" on the back of her jersey because her dad didn't have "ERI" on the backs of his jerseys.
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| The team with Coach Carl, a bloke from England who is married to a Korean woman here. |
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| It's tough to keep Leo from rushing the field during Eri's practice, so Geoff warms up with them both before hand. |
