Daily Archives: 24/November/2005

The reviews are in

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And my fruit salad and pumpkin pie were a hit. Ok, the pumpkin pie was frozen and if you ever had the pleasure of Carol’s homemade pie, well you would know what a joke complimenting mine is.

There were 25 guests at Corine’s TG party, ten of whom were Korean college students from Corine’s language exchange program. They were all very nice. The girls were very impressed that I actually could prepare food. They called me “pumpkin pie man”. One of the young Korean men insisted on my fruit salad recipe so he could make it for his mother. Ain’t that sweet? So, from now on I’m changing the name of my recipe from “Aunt Pat’s Fruit Salad” to “Aunt Pat’s WORLD FAMOUS Fruit Salad”.

Anyway, a good time was had and it did feel like a real Thanksgiving gathering. I enjoyed meeting the other guests and several of the students insisted that I join their program, which I gather involves getting together on Saturday’s and partaking in some Korean cultural activity. I said I would and I might, but my Korean is embarassingly minimal and this group is somewhat advanced. They certainly speak good English. Hell, I have been here for 10 months now, I should be much further along in acquiring the native tongue. One guy asked me if I spoke Korean (in Korean). Well, I recognized what he was asking but I could not respond in Korean. Duh. I guess my absorbtion method of watching Korean dramas on TV until I fall asleep is not working. So, on to plan B.

Corine sent me home with some leftovers so I will get my turkey fix on tomorrow. Too bad I have to work. Oh well, I’m sure it will be a very quiet day.

That’s my report. Goodnight all.

Thanksgiving in Korea

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Well its Thanksgiving Day here in the ROK (or as my Korean friends call it “American Chusok”), so let me be the first to wish everyone a happy holiday.

This is the first Thanksgiving ever spent away from my family. And although I would rather be participating in those family traditions I treasure, I’m not going to sit here and lament all that I will be missing this year (I can almost smell that turkey in the oven). Instead, I will make a fruit salad, bake a pumpkin pie, and do my best to enjoy the festivities at Corine’s house this afternoon. She has family visiting, plus she has invited about 20 people to partake in the feast. So I will meet new people today, eat lots of good food, and focus on all the blessings in my life that I am often too quick to overlook.

Here are the things I am most thankful for this year:

My children, all of whom are adults now, each special and unique and well on their way to leading successful and happy lives. I don’t tell them often enough just how much I love them and how proud I am to be their father.

My beautiful granddaughter Gracyn. Someday I will make up for the lost time at the beginning of her life and will spoil her rotten. Sorry about that Mark and Renee, it’s what granddad’s do.

My parents, who are settled into a new home in South Carolina where I hope they are finding life easier. I know they are enjoying spending time with the grandchildren and their new great granddaughter.

I’m thankful that I am loved despite my many flaws and transgressions. I know I don’t make it easy to love me, and that makes me truly appreciate the perserverance required to overlook the bad qualities to see the good person I aspire to be.

I’m thankful for the opportunity to live in this fascinating country and to experience the joy of discovering the wonders of an ancient culture and its beautiful people.

I’m thankful for the new friends I have made and the old friendships I have managed to maintain. I include amongst them some people I have never met but through the power of the Internet reminded me that I am never alone. Thanks for being there with words of encouragement in my darkest days. The kindness of strangers is sweet indeed.

I’m thankful for all the brave soldiers who sacrafice so much to defend the nation that I love and to help bring the freedom we too often take for granted to the oppressed and forgotten people in this world.

I am thankful for my job which is challenging and satisfying and pays the bills. As corny as it may sound, I am truly honored to serve those who serve and I am glad to have this opporutnity to play a very small part in defending the freedom of the Korean people.

Yes, there is much to be thankful for on this day of thanks giving. I wish you all a blessed and happy day.