Chuseok - Korean Harvest Moon

It’s universally agreed upon that alcohol slows brain activity.

Koreans believe that chewing on hard foods that are difficult to break down in your mouth stimulates brain activity.

Right now, I’m drinking a whiskey and chomping on some dried banana snacks, which must put my brain in about second gear – we’re moving somewhere but we might never get there.

School is closed most of this week for Chusok - the Korean Harvest Moon Celebration.

If I told you the significance, I’d be copying straight from a book. From my experience, all it’s been about for me so far is sleeping in late and doing absolutely nothing. Which, compared to an average day of chaos in Korea, is pretty sweet and well-deserved for all of us.

Chuseok falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month – late September or early October. It’s just one day but schools and companies close for 3 or 4 days to let people travel home.

It’s the most important holiday of the year for Koreans. They don’t run wild in the streets with their shirts off. It’s a very quiet and peaceful time where family comes first. Families unite and head to the hometown. They spend a lot of time preparing traditional foods, huge meals and the kimchi goes without saying. They also visit the gravesites of their relatives who have died.

The ceremony - here goes…

Bulcho – cutting the weeds around the family plot at the cemetery.
Song Myo – cleaning up around the graves and leaving food offerings to their ancestors.
Cha Re – praying at shrines erected in the grandparents’ house to remember dead family relatives.
Mukda - eat, eat, and eat some more

I noticed the kids around town are dressed in their traditional clothes “hanbok” which are really colorful and make you want to dig the camera out for a picture.

It’s an exclusive family event, which I can respect. So for foreigners, there are demonstrations and “photo op’s” going on during the day at the various royal palaces and the tourist attractions. Or, if you’re like me, it’s just “down time”.

It’s times like this when I’m reminded that it’s really language that excludes us, not race. Ah, the power of communication.

The streets are quieter than I’ve ever seen them in the city. It reminds me of Buenos Aires in January, when you look around and say, “hey, where did everybody go?” and you hope to yourself that they just stay there for a long time. I love seeing business grind to a halt.

The weather has been great and everyone seems full of smiles. The sky is clear and the air is clean for a change. It’s been a great chance to relax and forget about work.

As far as work goes here, nothing has changed over the years. I haven’t been paid this month. And if they can’t find the money by the end of the week, it looks like I’ll be going to court.

Let the good times roll !!!