Most of Asia celebrates Lunar New Year on Jan. 26 It is one of their gift giving holidays. I got a gift box from my director again, full of soap and toothpaste. From the gift box on Chusok and the one this week, I will have enough toothpaste to last me a year.
I have Monday and Tuesday off this week. It has been an eventful holiday. On Saturday I went to my friend Yong Jeong's family's house. His mother cooked the traditional Lunar New Year soup. It is a delicious Mandu (dumpling) soup. I ate until I popped. The area they live in is further out of town, but the govmt. is expanding and there are new buildings up all around, happy and clean looking because of the newness. They don't look dingy from all the pollution like the rest of Seoul. It was a nice getaway for the day, and his family is very kind. His mother told him that she thinks of the time he was in America alone for a year, and sees me as a daughter to her. I was very touched and look forward to seeing her again in the springtime.
I also went exploring yesterday with Mandy and we took a subway ride to Nakseongdae. There we visited a monument in honor of a historical general, Gang Gam-chan. There was also a beautiful shrine built in his honor, and people were visiting on Lunar New Years to bring him gifts of rice wine and soju. It was so beautiful, and a very sunny day with big billowy clouds.
Today Mandy and I will go to the Olympic Park and see some artistic statues. I look forward to another outing.
I have been attending yoga classes this month and really enjoying it. I think I will keep going.
Well, that's all for now. I miss my people. Send lots of love.
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