Merry Christmas everybody! Christmas day is nearly done for me, 14 hours ahead of the U.S., so I know many of you are still waking up to Santa’s bounty 🙂 I just wanted to share a little bit about goings-on here and assure you that I was still able to have a Merry Christmas in Korea!
This is the first Christmas I’ve spent away from family (or in a foreign country, for that matter), and of course I miss everyone and the usual festivities and traditions at home, but we’ve made do with some other fun events. I also have some wonderful friends surrounding me in the English teacher community, so that has made the time very warm and joyful 🙂
It’s definitely Christmas season in Korea – though it may not be a majority Christian nation, there is enough Christian presence, as well as American cultural influence, that I felt like I haven’t missed out on the Christmas cheer. Christmas displays and specials have been up in all the stores. Santa-clad charity collectors ring bells on key street corners. In the coffeeshops, K-pop Christmas carols jingle through the air.
My friends and I kicked off the Christmas season in earnest this past weekend. We ventured to Seoul to see the Nutcracker Ballet! It was my first visit to the ballet, so I don’t have much to compare it to. I will say that I highly enjoyed it, finding the intricate display of movement and accoutrement mesmerizing. We had a big group of friends go, so it was a grand occasion to enjoy dressing up for a night out on the town.
The Christmas spirit was abundant at school as well! On Thursday, during the kindergarten hour, we had a special event instead of normal class. Santa paid a visit! Who was given the honor of playing the role of ol Kris Kringle? Yours truly! 😀
While the kindergarteners arrived at school, I hid in the teacher’s lounge, stuffing my coat to create a Santa belly, wishing I were a little more naturally rotund. (I couldn’t help but remember the immortal line from Rudolph – “Eat Papa, eat!”) Once class started, I went down the elevator to the floor below, awaiting the signal. The kindergarteners were all gathered in the lobby by the tree, and as I was given the signal to rise up the elevator, they all chanted “Santa! Santa! Santa!”
I exited the elevator to squeals of delight, ho-ho-ing and brandishing my bag of gifts. I made my way to my spot by the tree, where I called out the children by name to give them a Christmas goody bag. There were a few students who had misbehaved during the week, so I showed them that they were on my naughty list and saved them for last X)
I must admit that my disguise wasn’t airtight, and many of the kiddos kept exclaiming “Max-teacher!” to which I had to keep insisting “No, I’m Santa Claus!” They are quite perceptive 🙂 Still, I’m happy we were able to bring the Christmas magic to school. It was my first time carrying the spirit of Santa, so hopefully I will be able to improve on my performance in the future!
The climax of Christmas festivities in Korea came on Christmas Eve! This was our big day to celebrate with all our English teacher friends. We had a crew of about 10 people get together at my apartment for some eggnog and merriment, with Christmas carol trivia and a yankee gift exchange. Part of it must come from all going through the same vivid experiences in this stage of life together, but I think we have all bonded very well in a such short period of time. I have a great group of chingus (friends)!
For Round 2, I played in a Christmas concert at a Western Pub in Dongtan, a city about 8 km away! I feel so lucky to already have opportunities to share my music in Korea. I played a blend of originals, covers, and Christmas carols. I had the whole pub singing along, Koreans and Westerners alike. It was truly a festive and joyful atmosphere. After all the musicians had finished their sets, we pushed the tables to the side and turned it into a dance party!
All in all, it may not have been a traditional Christmas, and I miss my friends and family in the states dearly, especially on this occasion. But I am happy to say we made the most of Christmas here in some very special ways. I know I’ll never forget the Christmas I spent in Korea.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
Korea to the Max 