Pumpkin

OK, I know it doesn't really rhyme (pumpkin is ho bach, pronounced like the composer), but whatever... Happy Halloween!

Culture Class: Hanbok

I am in LOVE!!!!!

Kim Changno-nim brought in an authentic hanbok, the traditional native dress. I have NEVER -- not even once -- seen anything quite so beautiful!

It's made of exquisite silk, and it has the most beautiful colors. What you can't see in the picture is all the little embellishments of gold!

Kim Sonseng-nim said that this was one of the fancier hanboks. Some are more simple, and there are some that are even more amazing!

It was so awesome that he let all the sisters try it on! I've never felt so Korean in all my life!

WIkipedia can tell you more about them than I can. AMAZING!!!

Culture update: The alphabet

Omigosh! The Korean alphabet is EPIC! It was invented by one of their kings a long time ago, King Sejong, and he's so totally famous in Korea that his picture is on their money and everything! He wanted to make an alphabet that everyone could read. And here's his secret: the letters are drawn to make the shape that your mouth makes when you make the sound of the letter! I know, right! Isn't that just so amazing!? And there are only 24 letters, so that's even less than we have to learn in English!

They say you can learn to read it in only 15 minutes. How cool is that? And the words are all in syllables, so that makes it even easier. Of course you have to know what the words mean for it to make sense. But like in the hymns? It makes it really easy to sing along without knowing what you're singing.

There was a time when at the MTC they taught how to say things phonetically, but when the missionaries got into the country, they couldn't read or spell anything. They bagged that idea and went back to teaching King Sejong's alphabet.

Did you know that they even have a national holiday to celebrate the alphabet? It's called "Hangul Day" and they celebrate it in October. I wonder what kind of parties they have for the alphabet? I'll find out in a few months! Boo-yah!!!