Monday, January 26, 2009

Happy Lunar New Year!


Think rice cakes, family time and traditional hanboks. Yesterday and today we had the day off from work because its the New Year Holiday here in Korea!

Korean families have been busy cooking and making preparations for a big feast of meats, cakes, fruit, side dishes, fish and spicy kimchi. After all the shopping and cooking, it will be time to travel to their family hometowns.

Everyone dresses up in their hanboks (traditional Korean clothing) and eats a huge feast. But before the feast, the family will perform the charye, which is the ancestral rite of remembering and honoring the ancestors by giving them food. They will also perform the sabae, the bowing ceremony.

But unlike the Koreans, we've been eating out, relaxing and just enjoying the emptiness of Seoul since most everyone has left the city to the countryside. We did all get the flu on Sunday night and that wasn't too fun. So since we missed a day of vacation in bed, does that mean we don't have to go to work tomorrow?

13 comments:

Kimbra Kasch said...

So sorry you got sick. It's tough to be ill and even worse on a holiday.

Feel better (hugs)

Lenore Appelhans said...

My husband loves spicy kimchi. We used to have a wonderful Korean restaurant that we always went to here, but they closed down :(

Kate said...

Hope you're all feeling better. Eat more kimchi! I don't think bugs could survive with that in your system.

Unknown said...

I'm sorry you got sick...but I loved the post and the pictures. I find other cultures fascinating and am so jealous of how you get to live in a whole other country!!

When I first got my teaching degree, I was *this close* to signing up to teach on a military base. The husband didn't want to, and my parents needed help, so I stayed behind...but sometimes I wish I had just left.

PJ Hoover said...

A missed day of vacation totally allows a day off work. Or maybe this is why I don't have the day job anymore :)
I love Lunar New Year!

Carrie Harris said...

Mmm... have a little kimchi for me, will you? After you're feeling better, of course.

C.R. Evers said...

Enjoy your day. Sorry you were all sick. ((((hugs))))


Have a Happy HOliday!

Christina Farley said...

Thanks guys for the get wells. I'm feeling better better.

And the love!

:-)

Rena Jones said...

Oh, what a wonderful experience for you to be in Korea. I'm glad you're feeling better now.

Brenda said...

Glad you're feeling better...I always hate taking a sick day when I'm really sick...it just seems like a wasted fun day...grin...

DeenaML said...

How's the fast drafting going? I totally fell off the wagon on vaca! Yikes! Good thing I have this weekend to go out with a bang! :) Happy Holiday!

Christina Farley said...

Deena- I'm hanging in there on my fast draft. I'm at 42,000 words and am still hoping for 50,000 by the end of the month. I know what I want to write, but having trouble finding time. Actualy, getting sick was what put me behind. Hope your getting through your draft!

cindy said...

i love that foto! the boys look so cute in their colorful hanboks!!