Life in Incheon
Hey guys,
so sorry I haven't written for so long!!
A lot has happened. Sollal is over, Jang-hee's grandmother's birthday was on Monday 30th of January, a two-nights stay at the Somerset Palace in Seoul and a ski trip with two of Jang-hee's friends are unfortunately already over.
As you can see I have good excuses why I haven't been writing for such a long time.
OK, let's go back. The Friday before Sollal, January 27th, I had my last work day. And because for Sollal all Koreans get on the road to travel to their families, streets are crowded. For that reason our boss let us all go at 12, so the Korean employees could start travelling earlier. Well, before I could leave, I had to get into the big bosses office together with my boss Mr. Wein. We mostly talked about personal stuff, about my stay here in Korea and so on. Then I received my "Zeugnis" (sorry, right now I don't know what it is in English). It's ok, but also not perfect. Well, actually I don't care.
Then, at 12 I said good-bye to everybody... I couldn't believe it, but with some people I had to fight against some tears. Afterwards we went out to eat a last time in a restaurant around the office.
I stayed in the apartment in Itaewon that night and the next day I went to Ilsan, to help Jang-hee's mom, two of his aunts and his grandmother cooking. It was pretty easy and I enjoyed it. Later, in the afternoon Jae-woo also came and we all ate together. I have to admit, that I didn't feel very comfortable. Somehow that evening the stress and the pressure became a little bit too big for me. I don't know if anybody can imagine this... maybe nobody. But I am the only person there who can't speak Korean. ... just one point I want to mention. Later at night we played a traditional Korean game, very similar to the German "Mensch aergere dich nicht", except, that we were many people and didn't throw dice but four sticks and depending on how they fell, you could move your figures. After a while my mood became a lot better.
The next day, at around 10 we had another Chaesa... I realized, that this was already my third chaesa. It's when the men pray to their ancestors. There is one Chaesa on Sollal, one on Chusok and then every time a grandfather, grand-grandfather or even grand-grand-grandfather or mother died. So all together during the year Jang-hee's family celebrates Chaesa about eight times. Every time at his parents' place, which every time means a lot of work for the women. I realized, after asking Jae-woo, that Jang-hee's family is very traditional, more than other Korean families. But on the other side they are very open towards new things, too. I mean, even his grandmother accepted me, which made me really happy.
After Chaesa I had to put on a Korean traditional dress, his mother gave me. It looked really cool, except that my face is not asian. :-) Jang-hee's grandmother said, I look better in it than his sister...
Then the Sollal started. First the sons and their wifes bowed in front of the grandmother, then we kids bowed in front of the grandmother and the parents. Although I really didn't want that, I had to accept the money they offered us all. After collecting the money, I had received 50000 won and could almost pay my new (well, used) phone, which had cost 60000 won.
After the celebration we went for a long walk with the kids.
As I already said at the beginning on Monday I went to the grandmother's birthday, which was celebrated in a restaurant somewhere outside of East Seoul. All the relatives were there. So many kids... wow. It's really a big family. I liked that. I realized, that at home, I hardly ever saw my cousins and uncles and never all together. It's really sad somehow.
In the evening Jang-hee and I went to our or better my new home in Incheon. Tuesday I needed to recover from an exhausting weekend and Wednesday we already went to Seoul again to the Somerset Palace where I had one a two-nights stay for two people in an executive bedroom. The apartments are equipped with a kitchen, a living room and a bedroom. Most of the time we just relaxed and watched TV. On Thursday we walked around in the city center close to the Somerset and I bought a nice jacket. I immediately fell in love with it. Unfortunately I can't really wear it right now, since it is too cold outside. The jacket is more for spring. On Friday we went back home to Incheon. During the weekend I didn't really do anything. And already on Monday we had to get up early in the morning and drive to Seoul. At 10 am our bus for the Vivaldi Park Ski Resort left. There we borrowed snowboards for the three guys and skies for me, some nice clothes, since it was really cheap (jacket and pants for 15000 won for two days). At six we got our lift tickets and started skiing/snowboarding. At first I really didn't want to go there, but when I finally stood on my skiies I really enjoyed it. I was still better than I thought, although it was maybe already ten or even more years ago since I had been skiing for the last time. It was great. On our first day we were on the slopes from six until 10 pm and the next day from 12.30 pm until 4.30 and from 6.00 until 10.00 pm. On the first evening I was really tired, but since it was Jang-hee's birthday we had to drink some Soju before falling in our beds. I hadn't been doing any sports for so long, so it felt really good to me. The hunger and the tiredness feel totally different after having done some sports. I felt a lot more healthy. I want to go to a fitness studio from now on in Incheon. Per month it is 50000 won, which is quite ok. I just have to see, when I find the time. I don't know, if I will have time when my mom is here, so maybe I should start going there after she left.
Well, these were my last two weeks. Wow, already two weeks over, which means, I have only two more left until university starts... and only one and a half one until my mom comes here!
Pictures will follow as soon as I figure out how to get internet here with my own computer. Since my computer is all in German, Jang-hee can't even help me with that. Stupid. Well, I will figure it out. It might just take a while. :-)
so sorry I haven't written for so long!!
A lot has happened. Sollal is over, Jang-hee's grandmother's birthday was on Monday 30th of January, a two-nights stay at the Somerset Palace in Seoul and a ski trip with two of Jang-hee's friends are unfortunately already over.
As you can see I have good excuses why I haven't been writing for such a long time.
OK, let's go back. The Friday before Sollal, January 27th, I had my last work day. And because for Sollal all Koreans get on the road to travel to their families, streets are crowded. For that reason our boss let us all go at 12, so the Korean employees could start travelling earlier. Well, before I could leave, I had to get into the big bosses office together with my boss Mr. Wein. We mostly talked about personal stuff, about my stay here in Korea and so on. Then I received my "Zeugnis" (sorry, right now I don't know what it is in English). It's ok, but also not perfect. Well, actually I don't care.
Then, at 12 I said good-bye to everybody... I couldn't believe it, but with some people I had to fight against some tears. Afterwards we went out to eat a last time in a restaurant around the office.
I stayed in the apartment in Itaewon that night and the next day I went to Ilsan, to help Jang-hee's mom, two of his aunts and his grandmother cooking. It was pretty easy and I enjoyed it. Later, in the afternoon Jae-woo also came and we all ate together. I have to admit, that I didn't feel very comfortable. Somehow that evening the stress and the pressure became a little bit too big for me. I don't know if anybody can imagine this... maybe nobody. But I am the only person there who can't speak Korean. ... just one point I want to mention. Later at night we played a traditional Korean game, very similar to the German "Mensch aergere dich nicht", except, that we were many people and didn't throw dice but four sticks and depending on how they fell, you could move your figures. After a while my mood became a lot better.
The next day, at around 10 we had another Chaesa... I realized, that this was already my third chaesa. It's when the men pray to their ancestors. There is one Chaesa on Sollal, one on Chusok and then every time a grandfather, grand-grandfather or even grand-grand-grandfather or mother died. So all together during the year Jang-hee's family celebrates Chaesa about eight times. Every time at his parents' place, which every time means a lot of work for the women. I realized, after asking Jae-woo, that Jang-hee's family is very traditional, more than other Korean families. But on the other side they are very open towards new things, too. I mean, even his grandmother accepted me, which made me really happy.
After Chaesa I had to put on a Korean traditional dress, his mother gave me. It looked really cool, except that my face is not asian. :-) Jang-hee's grandmother said, I look better in it than his sister...
Then the Sollal started. First the sons and their wifes bowed in front of the grandmother, then we kids bowed in front of the grandmother and the parents. Although I really didn't want that, I had to accept the money they offered us all. After collecting the money, I had received 50000 won and could almost pay my new (well, used) phone, which had cost 60000 won.
After the celebration we went for a long walk with the kids.
As I already said at the beginning on Monday I went to the grandmother's birthday, which was celebrated in a restaurant somewhere outside of East Seoul. All the relatives were there. So many kids... wow. It's really a big family. I liked that. I realized, that at home, I hardly ever saw my cousins and uncles and never all together. It's really sad somehow.
In the evening Jang-hee and I went to our or better my new home in Incheon. Tuesday I needed to recover from an exhausting weekend and Wednesday we already went to Seoul again to the Somerset Palace where I had one a two-nights stay for two people in an executive bedroom. The apartments are equipped with a kitchen, a living room and a bedroom. Most of the time we just relaxed and watched TV. On Thursday we walked around in the city center close to the Somerset and I bought a nice jacket. I immediately fell in love with it. Unfortunately I can't really wear it right now, since it is too cold outside. The jacket is more for spring. On Friday we went back home to Incheon. During the weekend I didn't really do anything. And already on Monday we had to get up early in the morning and drive to Seoul. At 10 am our bus for the Vivaldi Park Ski Resort left. There we borrowed snowboards for the three guys and skies for me, some nice clothes, since it was really cheap (jacket and pants for 15000 won for two days). At six we got our lift tickets and started skiing/snowboarding. At first I really didn't want to go there, but when I finally stood on my skiies I really enjoyed it. I was still better than I thought, although it was maybe already ten or even more years ago since I had been skiing for the last time. It was great. On our first day we were on the slopes from six until 10 pm and the next day from 12.30 pm until 4.30 and from 6.00 until 10.00 pm. On the first evening I was really tired, but since it was Jang-hee's birthday we had to drink some Soju before falling in our beds. I hadn't been doing any sports for so long, so it felt really good to me. The hunger and the tiredness feel totally different after having done some sports. I felt a lot more healthy. I want to go to a fitness studio from now on in Incheon. Per month it is 50000 won, which is quite ok. I just have to see, when I find the time. I don't know, if I will have time when my mom is here, so maybe I should start going there after she left.
Well, these were my last two weeks. Wow, already two weeks over, which means, I have only two more left until university starts... and only one and a half one until my mom comes here!
Pictures will follow as soon as I figure out how to get internet here with my own computer. Since my computer is all in German, Jang-hee can't even help me with that. Stupid. Well, I will figure it out. It might just take a while. :-)
posted by Mel | 4:08 AM
1 Comments:
Hi Mel,
ich hoffe, du erholst dich gut, bevor die Uni anfängt. Hoffentlich gefällt deiner Mutter Korea.
Liebe Grüße,
the one and only Onni :-)
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