Happy 추석!!!!

I am now on a six-day vacation(!!) for Chuseok (추석), which is similar to American Thanksgiving. Chuseok is a harvest celebration festival, and it's also a time for ancestor worship. Tomorrow, the day before Chuseok, I will go to my host father's family home in Gongju. His mother lives in a tradition Korean house called a hanok, and all six of his siblings and their families will convene to tend the ancestral tombs, preform worship rituals, and prepare and eat lots of traditional Chuseok foods! I am so excited to be a part of the celebration and experience some true, family-style Korean traditions. I am especially pumped to help the women make songpyeon, or crescent moon-shaped rice cakes filled with a variety of foods from red bean paste to sesame seeds and honey and then steamed over pine needles. Apparently, it will take us 4 hours. :)

Since I had to teach today, which means I saw only three of my 20 classes for the week, I figured a good, fun, throw-away lesson would be to make "Thank-you" cards in the spirit of Chuseok. My students blew me away with their work! Their writing and illustrations were great, and the sentiment behind their cards ranged from poignant to bizarre and funny. I'm including a sample of their work with pictures this time! Hope these messages get y'all in the spirit of thankfulness as much as they did me!

Dear Father,

Thank you for giving me comfortable life. I know that you So tired. But you have worked for us everyday. So, I love you. Although you so hard, CHEER UP! I encourage you!! You have worked trade. But the job is very hard, so you are very so hard. I love you, S**

~ ~ ~

Dear Mother,

Hello Mom, I feel thankful for guitar. I’m sorry for hurting your feelings. From now on, I will study hard, and I will make you happy. I love you, Mom. <3

Dear Mother,

Hello MOM. I’m your daughter S** :) I feel thankful many things to you. First, Thank you for gave me a nice watch. It’s very useful. Also, thank you for gave me a silver ring. It’s so cute. I thank you for very very delicious foods. All food is good, but the best of best is French toast in the morning with milk. When I eating your dishes, I’m so happy. Thank you very much! And I thank you for love. I always feel your love, but I let go my mind. I know your scar in mind. I’m so sorry my beheviar to you. I want to become a daughter proud to mother. I love you so much. Thank you.

~ ~ ~

Dear “Jong Hyun,” [a member of the K-pop band SHINee]

Hi Jonghyun. I am your Big fan. I’m very thanks for you.
Why? Because your voice moving me!! Your sings are so cool!!! You gave me happy, too. Your appearance, voice, talk, passion are very very good. Thank you for sing, jonghyun!!! I always your biggest fan!!!

From, M**

I appreciate me.

Thank you for existing.

Because you exist, I can breathe, eat food, talk with friends, and do many things.

…..bye.

~ ~ ~

Hi! Mom and dad!

This is 추석 card and I’m very thankful for your help and money that you spend to me. I know you spend a lot of money for me. I feel sorry about that. I want you to know that I love you so much and I hope your happy and healthy. From now, I’ll be wonderful daughter. I will help you in many ways.

You are the best parents to me. Thank you for loving me.

Dear father and father. [she mean’s father’s father]

Hello. I am S**, granddaughter. I missing you, but you are in sky. When I young, you are died by an accident. So I don’t remember your face and personality. All our family missing you. I want to back alive. Every Chuseok and New Year’s day, your die day is very hard to our family. So, I want to back! Love, From Granddaughter.

~ ~ ~

To, My MP3

Hello, my a treasure, cowon D2+MP3? I’m your owner J.Y. I feel thankful for your great function. Thank you always together with me. I want to get happy time with you. Goodbye, See you later <3

I am thankful for about me! Because I have grown in good health! Keep our healthy! [picture of a super buff stick figure with a 6-pack and serious biceps]

~ ~ ~

Dear my mom

Mom! I love you very much. Sometimes I’m not a great daughter. You always love me. Therefore, I appreciate your love. I appreciate that God give me my mother. I always love you.