My Adorable Son

           Most people have a  precious thing. Some people say that an expensive car is the most precious. some people say that money is the most precious of all. I have a precious thing. It is my adorable son. His name is Eric. My life has revolved around him. I could only love him unconditionally. He has taught me unconditional love, compassion, and patience. Although I still have wishes for myself, I found that most of my wishes are for him.

           He was born weak. When he was born his weight was 5.20 pound. When I was pregnant, I had terrible morning sickness. I couldn't eat at all. Also, I was a small eater. I was afraid of gaining weight too much. Fortunately, he didn't need to be put into the infant incubator. Although he was small  he was healthy. Even though, he was healthy, he got sick frequently and he was very sensitive. He often went to the emergency room at night due to a high fever. I lived near the my parents' house. I usually spent time there with my son. My family is big. I have 3 sisters and 1 brother. Eric was loved by them. My dad managed to feed him homemade food. He always insist on love, and care instead of convenience. The house was crowded with many people and they always gave him great encouragement.

          He was a very lovely and smart boy. We moved from Korea when he was 8 years old. He had a hard time for a year. He cried every morning, "I don't want to go to school." "I want back to Korea. I miss my grandfather so much." He wanted to say to friends "Can you hang out with me?" and he wanted to say to the teacher in class,"I want to go to bathroom." However, he was unable to say anything because he didn't speak English at all. One day, he brought a lot of snacks home in his pockets. I asked, "What's this?" He said, "My lunch." "Why did you bring this home?" He said, "I didn't like eating them, but I was afraid of being scolded from the teacher." I was shocked and sad. In my country, teacher trained students to not left the foods for lunch.  However, he got used to to new life quickly. When he was  fourth grade, he received a prize for writing. The title was "My mom." The essay said that he really loved me and trusted me. After reading the essay, I could not hold my tears. He spoke boastingly, "I love you." Also, when he was graduated in middle school, he get a couple of prize. I felt very proud of him.

           He is really challenging and emotional. He is 16 years old and teenage. He is taller than me, and big with bread. Immediately on entering high school, he gradually changed. he is spending too much on the computer and getting quiet. Sometimes I pass the room at midnight, I see the light still on the under the the door. If I go in I find his propped up in bed with his laptop. He wants to be musician. I don't want he is going to be musician. But, I won't opposed his decision. I hope he is happy. I used think I was pretty good parent in my ignorance I thought my son was very happy well- adjusted child. My son is catching the adolescence fever like get a fever with a cold. He is going through adolescence these days.  However, I trust him. I believe he will overcome awful fever and he will return to his position. He taught me unconditional love and patience. I will return them back to him. We, Eric and me, know that we love each other deeply.

                                        The New Year Celebrations In Korea

               The Korean Lunar New Year was February 19 in 2015. It's one of the most celebrated national holidays and truly a special occasion for Korean people. It is the chance to catch up with distant family  in home to get together that day. They  get a long vacation like  thanksgiving in the United States. In Korea, many people live away from their family home. People have to book trains, buses, or plane tickets before selling out. Sometimes we can't buy the ticket because too many people want to buy it in order to go to home. On the other hand, travelling by car can take 2-5  times the normal travel time due to heavy traffic.

               The early morning of  Lunar New Year begins with an ancestral rite. People dressed up in traditional clothes and gather in front of  the rite table. It is set with ancestral dishes,which are according to the law of ancestral rite. Red food should be placed on the east end of the table but, white food should be placed on the west side. If a fish on the table it should be placed on the west side but, that head should face the east. There are standard laws but, it has changed little by little. For example, if my family prefers fish more than meat, we can set up a variety of fish.

              The rite begins with deep bows as greeting to the ancestor spirits, and pray for the family 's well-being through the year. After that, people gather together and eat the ritual foods. The rice cake soup is the main dish of the New Years day. It's made with thinly sliced rice cake, egg, vegetable, seaweed and so on.

             

           The Korean New Year is filled with tradition, traditional food, games, and activities. One of  those of  New Year is "Se bae." It's a deep formal bow of respect the younger people perform before the old people of the family. After Sebae  the older people should give a gift of money to the younger people.

  

                 Also, the Korean New Years is an opportunity for the whole family to have fun activities together. These days families used to see a movie or watching specials on TV. After leaving Korea, I don't have New Year's like I had in Korea. Although, not a public holiday here  in the USA, it's still a day for family. My family used to go to New York. In New York, there is Korean community, many korean prepared to celebrate New Year. They offer the rice cake soup to foreigners as well as Koreans for free. Also, they have a chance to promote our tradition for many people in other countries or for second -generation. I used to visit to my uncle's house. They have lived in Flushing, in New York since moved from Korea.  Several cousins are gathered in the uncle's. Most of them didn't know the Korean tradition due to they were born in the USA. Usually, during the aunt was cooking for rice cake soup, we played Korean board game that involves stick tossing. The game is simple, it is played on a board on which 29 circles are drawn, and 4 sticks. the game is normally played on the floor or ground. Also, my cousins knew how to do "sae bae''. They learned it from parents and they taught their children how to do the deep formal bow. My nephew receive gifts of money and words of wisdom for the New Year. Time goes fast, it's time to teach to my son for Korean tradition. I am proud of  it for "family time" I hope that my son keeps the good tradition with his family and I want to deliver fine Korean culture to future generations.

 

                                               My  School Days  
                          

  Korea is getting sick. In my country, most children can't design their own dream based on their interests. They have designed them on the social trends or their parents' dream.  They don't know how to dream. Their goal is enter the top school.             When I was 15 years old, I usually woke up around 6:30 from Monday to Saturday. I had to go to school even on Saturday. I ate a quick breakfast of rice, egg and vegetable soup. And then I put on my uniform and I had to take a city bus. The city bus was very crowed with many students. When I got to school it was 7:30. I had to do a couple hours of self-study in the morning. In my school, students stayed in one classroom, and teachers went to the classrooms.There were more than 60 people in each classroom. Usually, I finished school around 3 pm. But, it was regular class. I had to self study at the school again until 5 pm. After regular class finished, I was very hungry. I used to buy some food from  snack bars. Snack bars were a very popular place for many students. Because, there were many delicious snacks and we were able to talk freely. My favorite snack was a rice cake with hot pepper and a dumpling.  
                       

           After that I had to take a bus to cram school,where I took extra lessons from 6 pm until 9 pm. It was "cram school'' where students study before and after school and sometimes on the weekends.Teachers just provide knowledge to students and students memorize it for tests. In Korea, the education system was memorization. English was especially popular and expensive. There were many cram schools in Korea, and three quarters of children attended them. I had no choice if my goal was getting into a top school. When I  got home at 9:30, I had to eat late dinner and than start all over again. I wanted more sleep but  it was my job to overcome it. This was my pressed childhood.

           I've not had many  childhood memories in my life. I didn't have time for making good memories. I had no time to design my dream. I was forced to get into the best school, find the best job,and have the best marriage following my parent's dream and the social trends in South Korea.The parents spend a lot of money a year on after school tuition. If I had designed my dream in more detail I would live a better life.  I knew that my goal was wrong.  Now, I have left from my country. It is different in the USA. They want independent work on the part of students.They respect talents of children and want to share their talents,knowledge, and abilities. I speak to my son,"You can design  your own dream." I want my son to be happy. I don't want him to get the same way like me. Children are entitled to choose what they want to do and make effort to do for the goal. I think if every child would be happy, their dreams would come true.