Spending the Holidays in Korea

Last night I couldn't sleep, so I wrote an 8 page letter to a man that will never receive it. Believe it or not it helped. Obviously Thanksgiving does not exist in Korea. It was just another work day for me! It made it kind of convenient...my first vegetarian Thanksgiving and no turkey! My friends and I have plans to celebrate Thanksgiving this Sunday. We're all very excited! Since we don't have ovens, I'm very eager to see how things will turn out. My mom has sent me a couple of items, which I'm sure will go over famously. Mac 'n' Chz, Red beans and rice, CHEETOS!...we're tying to make the most of things.

I thought maybe it was going to be easy to get through the holidays here without a family since American/Christian/Corporate Consumer Targeted traditions don't exist, but already Daejeon is filling with Christmas decorations. Holly and I got our picture taken with a Korean/Skinny/Metrosexual/Santa Claus on Saturday! There are lights in the trees, wreaths, and Christmas trees everywhere. It will be my first Christmas away from my family. Away from the consistently-drama filled-family holiday. On Thursday, I did make time to call California to speak to my celebrating family. Over the past five years, I've become extremely close to my brother and sister. I never knew how much I would miss them. I never knew how much I took for granted the closeness and comfort that only they can offer me. It's hard...losing that comfort. Frequent emails, less frequent phone calls...it's just not the same. I miss them tremendously. And my nephew? FORGET IT. Emails from him make me instantly cry. Hearing his voice makes my heart hurt. Leaving them has undoubtedly instilled in me the fact that I must live close to them again. I absolutely have no choice. I have to be around them. I feel lucky that I was such a big part of Conner's first 6 years of life, but I want to continue being around him...watching him grow up...taking him out...spoiling the HELL out of him...etc. I'm not sure when I'll be able to personally take back my title and role of Auntie Ju-Ju, but it will happen again. It has to.

Julia Kristina Larson

Daejeon, Korea

Comments

[Curtis]

Jules happy holiday's miss you. So hopefully your thanksgiving meal sunday was just great. I am sorry to hear you are missing home so much but you being the strong person that you are I am sure you will be okay.

Happy Thanksgiving!
and
Merry Christmas!
Miss Ya!

[Vero]

Just don't stop calling home even if it gives you the blues every time... I got into the habit of speaking to my family on the phone less often because every time I miss them more and more :( I think of my grandparents and how I'm not sure I'll see them for many more Xmases before I kick myself for not talking to them more often...

Damnit, living far from home is tough isn't it??

Feels good to say it here, can't say it on my own blog since it would freak my mom out to know i've got the homesick blues...

will you be spending Xmas in Korea?