Hanging Out with My Brother

Yesterday, I met up with my brother Woosik (Derek). I haven't seen Woosik in almost five years, so it was great to catch up and hang out in Seoul. Derek is finishing University in London. After graduation in the summer, he is hoping to move to the USA to get a PhD. He may also move back to Korea and complete his required two year service in the Korean army.

I don't know if I have mentioned the two year service policy so here is what I have learned since coming to Korea. All Korean men have to serve a required two years in the army. This policy has been around since the end of the Korean War. Most young men serve either right after high school, or after university. Because of this requirement, most men do not begin their career until their late 20's. I think requiring all men to serve in the army for a short period of time is a good idea. It teaches discipline and patriotism. I have talked with many Korean guys from my school who say that after serving, they stay up to date with what is going on in their country more than before. On the other hand, South Korea is a nation that has a very dangerous neighbor that is ruled by a madman. It is not like Korea is a nation at peace with required service in the reserves. All men in the army learn learn how to fight in combat, because it is a possibility with an unpredictable neighbor. It is the constant worry of families with sons in the army that they will never see their sons again, especially since the Yeonpyeon Island hostility.

I met Woosik downtown Seoul in some of the college towns. Hyesun came with me to see Woosik, and the three of us went to get some coffee. It was great to catch up and for my two Korean siblings to meet and swap stories about America. It was so funny to hear them compare teachers and classes at Lutheran North. Hyesun had to leave for a while, so me and Woosik went to a nearby theaters to see a movie. We saw this movie called "The Next Three Days." It starred Russell Crowe, and was about a man who breaks his wife out of jail. I knew nothing about this movie before I saw it, so I was surprised at every twist and turn. It was a good action movie.

After the movie, we met up with Hyesun to go eat dinner together. We went to a fusion restaurant near Hanyang University. The area around the University is filled with coffeehouses, unique restaurants, and other shops geared towards students. It has a great atmosphere, there are always a lot of people hanging out. The fusion restaurant was really good. It was a mix between European and Japanese food, a mix that I would never think would be as good as it was.

Next week when I get back from my trip, I'm going to meet Woosik and his parents for dinner. It will be great to meet his family and hang out more before he leaves for London again. I'm hoping that I can make them some American food.

Now I'm packing for my trip to Japan. I leave tomorrow morning for the Ferry Terminal. The ferry ride will be about ten hours, luckily it is an overnight ferry, so the time will pass quickly. I'm excited to go explore a new place and culture. I will not be blogging during my trip, so I will tell you guys all about my trip when I get back.

So this is Christmas

Merry Christmas from Seoul, South Korea! I am having a wonderful time celebrating this time of year with the Byeons. Derek just got to Korea a few days ago, so we are going to catch up later this week after Christmas. I miss all of you back home and thinking about you especially at this time of the year.

It has been interesting for me to see how Korea celebrates this time of year. In Korea, Christmas is mostly a couples holiday, a sister holiday to Valentines Day. It is so strange to see a lack of red and green, wreaths, and nativity sets, but rather flowers, chocolates, and teddy bears dressed as Santa. I miss the family aspect of Chistmas, it doesn't seem the same without families together.

In addition to that, Christmas Day is the Korean version of "Black Friday." I woke up this morning and Kyunghye told me we were going shopping. I was really confused because in America everything closes on Christmas. She told me it was the largest sale weekend of the year. After Skyping my family before they left for Christmas Eve candlelight service, we went shopping. It was madness! There were clothes, toys, and I don't know what else flying all over the place. I think everyone in Korea came to the department store we were at to go shopping.

Even though Korean Christmas has been over commercialized just like in the USA, I did find a way to celebrate the Reason for the Season. Last night me and Kyunghye went to the International Lutheran Church in downtown Seoul for Christmas Eve service. There was even candlelight singing! This was the first time I have attended an English speaking church in almost five months. It was a great encouragement to my faith to meet with a diverse group of people from around the world to worship together. It was heaven to be in such a beautiful, peaceful place that had its focus on the true purpose of Christmas: to celebrate the birth of the Savior who came to save all mankind. Amidst all of the chaos Christmas brings even here in Korea, it was nice to let time stand still while worshiping the Savior. Me and Kyunghye are planning to go to this church every Sunday when we are in Seoul.

Being in a foreign country during Christmas time has shown me the true meaning of Christmas even more than before. As a child I would read the Christmas story and hear how Jesus came to save the people of the world. That message has resounded even more this Christmas as I live in a new culture. I have learned the magnitude of the purpose in which Jesus came to this earth. He came to save the people of every nation and culture. It is hard for me to comprehend this concept, but I have come to appreciate it even more this Christmas. It has been such a blessing for me to be in Korea to celebrate Christmas.

Merry Christmas once again! I hope you have a blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Year.

Limbo

Woo hoo! Today was my 20th birthday. I am in the year of "Limbo": no longer a teenager, but not yet 21 when you are completely "legal." It's the transition year from being a teenager to becoming a young adult. As I look back to where I was a year ago, I have seen how much I have matured and grown as a person. I have learned independence while being true to who I am. I am so excited to see where I will be when I turn 21, what new experiences I will have and what I will learn.

Today I made lasagna for my birthday dinner. Yesterday I went to a Western Market with the Byeons to buy all the supplies and ingredients. We had to search through three Western Markets to find Lasagna noodles, but we did find some. It was so strange to go to a store that had all of the products that I buy at home. One of the stores looked just like the Schnucks that my family goes to back home. It was so weird yet so normal at the same time. I don't know how to explain that feeling: going somewhere that resembles a place you have gone to your whole life, yet being away from such a place for a time in such a different environment makes it seem so foreign. It was nice to know it is there for when I plan to make another "Western Dish" for the Byeons.

The Byeons Aunt and Uncle came along with their children: Jun-Young and Eu-Jin. The Byeons aunt made this awesome salmon salad and made me a cheesecake for my birthday! I was so surprised to receive so many presents from the Byeons and their relatives. It was so overwhelming after all of the generosity they have already given me. It was a great birthday. I think the lasagna was a hit. I made two seven layer lasagnas, and a Seung-Young pan. Seung-Young is Hyesun and Kyunghye's brother. He is super shy but is very funny once he warms up to you. It has been almost six months and he is finally leaving his hiding place (his room) to come and hang out with me and the girls. He is also 16, which means he eats...a lot. I made him a three layer pan of lasagna because I knew that he would plow through at least half a pan of a seven layer lasagna. He ate the entire three layer pan...I was shocked! Not only that, he proceeded to eat a piece of the other lasagna as well. I think it is a new favorite for him.

After dinner, I went to see Harry Potter with Hyesun, Kyunghye, Seungyoung, Junyoung, and their uncle. We had to sneak out one at a time because Eujin wanted to go, but seeing he is only five and the movie was rated PG15, he wasn't going. The movie was good, but was kinda depressing. I still liked it, and it was fun to go with the Byeons on my birthday. Definately a great birthday memory. Tomorrow, me and Kyunghye are going to continue our Japan plans, we leave in a week...AAAAHHHH! Hopefully, we get everything planned in the next few days so we can have time to hang out more in Seoul.