We had our first snowfall of the year last night. It didn't last long and was followed by a thunderstorm, but it was pretty while it lasted. It signals that fall really is on its way out. The trees are looking pretty bare right now, but just a couple weeks ago, they were the most beautiful yellow and red. These shots are of the ginkgo trees right outside my apartment building.
November has been a good month. I attended the baptism of one of my students early in the month. It was an honor to be invited and very nice to be back inside a church. It was the same church that I stood in front of several months ago and contemplated having become an outsider. Here is beautiful Irene, dressed her in hanbok for her baptism.
The following weekend Catherine, M, and I went along with T and H-k to E and L's ballet recital at the local culture and arts center. Another two of my students were also in the three-hour performance. The little kids were clumsily cute as they basked in their prima ballerina glory, and the middle and high school students who performed a combination of ballet and traditional Korean dancing were elegant.
As usual, I'm thankful for my friends here who give me little glimpses into the celebrations and routine of Korean life. To share some American culture with my friends, I've invted them to my apartment for dinner this Friday to celebrate Thanksgiving with me. Since I don't know where to get a turkey in Korea and couldn't cook one on my two-burner gas range anyway, I'm opting for the alternate American tradition--Chinese take-out.
2 comments:
Happy Thanksgiving! We'll be eating bulgolgi on Friday, with a few red bean paste buns and mooncakes for dessert. Maybe you could make a Thanksgiving tree as your center piece. Have a great holiday with your friends.
LOVED the ginkgo photos! I hope that you had a lovely Thanksgiving with your friends. Always good to hear from you.
Cheers!
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