A Wedding!

My co-teachers and the bride!  

Last Saturday my boss got married! We were all invited to the wedding and were told that it would be rude to not attend. I was excited to see now Koreans celebrate a marriage! It was a total new experience and really reflects the way Koreans do everything - fast and efficient yet elaborate and beautiful.

Sorry this picture is such poor quality! It was the only picture I was able to take before we rushed off to eat our meal! 

Eating dinner with my Korean co-workers and a few of the office admin people. 

I got there and was met by the smiling faces of my Korean co-workers who were kind enough to explain how to go about the to explain how to go about the unfamiliar. The first thing we did was go and see the bride! I was surprise…really? I get to see her before she walks down the aisle? Of course…and we had to get our pictures taken  several times over with her as well. After the pictures were taken we exchanged our gift money (they only give money – no wedding presents) in for meal tickets for the buffet and then made our way into the wedding hall. I think there were only enough seats for about half the guests so we just stood at the back amidst a large crowd of chatting friends and relatives. The bridal party was right behind us and ready to make their grand entrance. There weren’t any bridesmaids to mark the entrance of the bride but instead she followed her groom down the aisle. 

This is Anna, my wonderful co-teacher. We teach all the same students so have many conversations about our favorite students and our bad students! 

As soon the happy couple made their way to the front and were starting to say their vows, my co-workers decided they were hungry. Let’s eat!! So off we went to the buffet hall to watch the wedding on the screen sitting with hundreds of guests from several different weddings. I tried to be excited about huge spread of food that covered the buffet tables – but I didn’t know what most of it was! After we had satisfied our appetites we made our way back to the wedding hall for more pictures. We watched as the couples’ families had pictures taken and then it was our turn. I think it was all the friends and co-workers of the bride and groom in one big group shot. I don’t really know though as I couldn’t understand anything they were saying. The whole thing was done in less than an hour! The couple will also have a more traditional ceremony in traditional Korean dress (hanbok) with their families later in the evening. 

11/11

                                                 HAPPY PEPERO DAY!!! 

While all you Canadians back home are loyally celebrating Remembrance Day ....the other side of the world is having much more fun!! It's Pepero Day over here in Korea! You should check it out: http://www.recess.ufl.edu/transcripts/2006/1109.shtml  

Knowing God

One of the books I have been reading while I'm here in Korea is J.I. Packer's "Knowing God." I am VERY slowly making my way through this book and enjoying some of it's wisdom. I thought I'd share a quote that I read the other day: What is the best thing in life, bringing more joy, delight, and contentment, than anything else? Knowledge of God. "Thus said the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich glory in his riches; but let him that glory, glory in this, that he understands and knows me" (Jer. 9: 23) ....What makes life worth while is having a big enough objective, something which catches our imagination and lays hold of our allegiance; and this the Christian has, in a way that no other man has. For what higher, more exalted, and more compelling goal can there be than to know God?

A taste of home!

Yes I really paid $13 for 1 kg of oatmeal!!