Christmas in Seoul.
David asked me the other day, if you found out today was the last day of the world, what would you do? And I said, honestly, I would get on a plane and go back home and spend the rest of the day with my family.
And I wish I could have spent Christmas that way.
That being true, I had a really really nice Christmas.
Christmas Eve, you are supposed to spend with your S.O., of course. So David came over and made 떡볶이 and we had Christmas cake.
I guess sometimes we have Christmas cake, at Diane's house we used to sing happy birthday to Jesus, which was kind of cool, especially when we sang how old are you now?
But in Korea, EVERYONE has Christmas cake. Jenny (my neighbor)'s boyfriend Hiroki is visiting, and they had Christmas cake too. Only THEIRS came with a cape! I don't know why. They also had those super photostickers you can write on, so they gave me some. I don't know where I am supposed to put them (I put mine and Colleen's on my Korean notebooks), but...I have them!!
And David and I gave each other our presents (as David was running out the door to get the last bus to Ansan). I made him a scarf and a mix CD (which is apparently what teenagers do in Korea...not adults) and David gave me this awesome perfume that smells kind of like the grapefruit hand soap Liz and I used to have and kind of like lilies of the valley. Anyway, it's perfect. Perfume is something I have always secretly wanted but staunchly refused to spend money on. His sister helped him pick it out.
The next day, I got up around 7:20 and tried to go to Christmas Mass. I had to be at Gangnam station to meet David at 10. So. I tried to go to an 8 AM Mass at the church near my house. But I got there and the first Mass was scheduled for 9 AM. So, I thought, maybe there will be a church near Gangnam at 9, so I can go there and if Mass is an hour I will already be at the station. I looked around for churches (I know the word for Catholic church now -- 성당) but I couldn't find any. So then I realized I could walk to Yeoksam from Gangnam station. My usual church is Yeoksam Church. I knew the English Mass wasn't until 9:30 so I went to a Korean Mass. Last time I went to Korean Mass I understood two words: Amen and Alleluia. This time I understood at least ten: Our Father, Jesus Christ, love, Amen, Alleluia, please sit, please stand, is that okay with everyone?, and thank you. And "Merry Christmas," which was in English and which we said during the passing of the peace.
And it was FAST. The offertory and communion hymns were sung a capella, and only the recessional (Joy to the World, thank heavens) was accompanied by an organ. So, 40 minutes flat, I had plenty of time to get back to Gangnam to meet David.
So then! We went to Everland! It was realllllly cold, but it was beautiful and we had a lot of fun.
There is an animal section too.
And they tried to keep us warm with heat lamps...
There was a parade too!
We went home relatively early (I made him take the bus that went directly to Ansan, even though he was going to take the bus with me, which would've required an extra hour of bus/waiting for the bus in the cold time.
Then! I got to video-skype with my family as they opened their presents, which is always good time. And I got to explain everything to them. Then I got to open MY presents from everyone (Jason sent some of these, because he is also awesome). I got everything I asked for: shoes that fit, my ugly sweater (*love*), spices, a cheese-making kit, awesome tea, and a mixer. And over and beyond, I also got jewelry, the newest Best Spiritual Writing book, pictures to hang on my wall, and! some of my angel ornaments! So today I redecorated my tree.
Today was also a good day. David came over in the morning because I had my pretty new convection oven delivered. And then he read me the instructions and I put sticky notes on everything.
Then I talked to Jason for a while using three different programs at once, which was kind of awesome, and Anthony too (but only on one program).
And then I took a nap. I hadn't taken a nap for months. Craziness! So it was a really great one.
After that I actually showered and then went and bought a table for my oven and containers for all my spices that were in bags.
THANK YOU!!!
I feel much better about cooking now. :)
I also went to the grocery store to see my friend the butcher and, you know, buy food.
And then I came home and cleaned and organized and made pies. The first one burned. The second one came out okay though, I think.
And I wish I could have spent Christmas that way.
That being true, I had a really really nice Christmas.
Christmas Eve, you are supposed to spend with your S.O., of course. So David came over and made 떡볶이 and we had Christmas cake.
I guess sometimes we have Christmas cake, at Diane's house we used to sing happy birthday to Jesus, which was kind of cool, especially when we sang how old are you now?
But in Korea, EVERYONE has Christmas cake. Jenny (my neighbor)'s boyfriend Hiroki is visiting, and they had Christmas cake too. Only THEIRS came with a cape! I don't know why. They also had those super photostickers you can write on, so they gave me some. I don't know where I am supposed to put them (I put mine and Colleen's on my Korean notebooks), but...I have them!!
And David and I gave each other our presents (as David was running out the door to get the last bus to Ansan). I made him a scarf and a mix CD (which is apparently what teenagers do in Korea...not adults) and David gave me this awesome perfume that smells kind of like the grapefruit hand soap Liz and I used to have and kind of like lilies of the valley. Anyway, it's perfect. Perfume is something I have always secretly wanted but staunchly refused to spend money on. His sister helped him pick it out.
The next day, I got up around 7:20 and tried to go to Christmas Mass. I had to be at Gangnam station to meet David at 10. So. I tried to go to an 8 AM Mass at the church near my house. But I got there and the first Mass was scheduled for 9 AM. So, I thought, maybe there will be a church near Gangnam at 9, so I can go there and if Mass is an hour I will already be at the station. I looked around for churches (I know the word for Catholic church now -- 성당) but I couldn't find any. So then I realized I could walk to Yeoksam from Gangnam station. My usual church is Yeoksam Church. I knew the English Mass wasn't until 9:30 so I went to a Korean Mass. Last time I went to Korean Mass I understood two words: Amen and Alleluia. This time I understood at least ten: Our Father, Jesus Christ, love, Amen, Alleluia, please sit, please stand, is that okay with everyone?, and thank you. And "Merry Christmas," which was in English and which we said during the passing of the peace.
And it was FAST. The offertory and communion hymns were sung a capella, and only the recessional (Joy to the World, thank heavens) was accompanied by an organ. So, 40 minutes flat, I had plenty of time to get back to Gangnam to meet David.
So then! We went to Everland! It was realllllly cold, but it was beautiful and we had a lot of fun.
There is an animal section too.
And they tried to keep us warm with heat lamps...
There was a parade too!
We went home relatively early (I made him take the bus that went directly to Ansan, even though he was going to take the bus with me, which would've required an extra hour of bus/waiting for the bus in the cold time.
Then! I got to video-skype with my family as they opened their presents, which is always good time. And I got to explain everything to them. Then I got to open MY presents from everyone (Jason sent some of these, because he is also awesome). I got everything I asked for: shoes that fit, my ugly sweater (*love*), spices, a cheese-making kit, awesome tea, and a mixer. And over and beyond, I also got jewelry, the newest Best Spiritual Writing book, pictures to hang on my wall, and! some of my angel ornaments! So today I redecorated my tree.
Today was also a good day. David came over in the morning because I had my pretty new convection oven delivered. And then he read me the instructions and I put sticky notes on everything.
Then I talked to Jason for a while using three different programs at once, which was kind of awesome, and Anthony too (but only on one program).
And then I took a nap. I hadn't taken a nap for months. Craziness! So it was a really great one.
After that I actually showered and then went and bought a table for my oven and containers for all my spices that were in bags.
THANK YOU!!!
I feel much better about cooking now. :)
I also went to the grocery store to see my friend the butcher and, you know, buy food.
And then I came home and cleaned and organized and made pies. The first one burned. The second one came out okay though, I think.