A Seollal gift set from a friend

Just got a Seollal gift set from a friend of mine, ms. Park HJ who is currently in Daejon. We met like 3 years ago when she was teaching Korean at my university back home in Jogjakarta. After almost 1.5 years of staying here, I never met her or she never met me, yet. But, KakaoTalk or text messages or calls are the only medium we use to communicate. 

In this Seollal, it's very nice of her to send me a gift set full of toiletries and shower products that we will surely make the best use of. 

Thank you, ms. Park.^^

Monorail @ Uijeongbu

Monorail in Uijeongbu--a city 45-minute ride by subway to the northern part of Seoul--is now officially in service. I've heard about this last year and in fact I saw its construction when I visited this city last year.

So, as the city of hope and city of clean future, Uijeongbu has been in the frontline among other cities in Korea that has leaped forward in gearing towards this goal.  

So, on the eve of Seollal, without nothing to expect, we went there just to spend an evening with the kids. Eyra and Freya were amazed at how small and cute the train was. Especially, they liked the fact that the train has tires...which eventually made them call it 'bustrain'^^ 

The elevated rail made it possible for us to see the whole city of Uijeongbu and its vicinity. In fact, the previously fallen snow just made it even cooler. 

We were surprised at how slim it was. There were only two carriages or compartment with only 18 seats on its side. This is --I think--indeed a light city commuter train. 

To make the best of it, we took lots of pictures.  

Oh, there is only one line called U-Line that goes back and forth integrating about 15 stations or spots in Uijeongbu and its vicinity.

With my 2nd daughter, Freya. The apartments at Uijeongbu as the backdrop. 

It was like 'watching a live TV show' on a big screen!!! 

The time when another monorail was passing us by...was one of the interesting things we could enjoy while taking a ride on it.The kids learned the fact that the monorail is driverless...which goosebumped them^^ for a while until they realized that it was just a sort of robot or Tobot they saw on TV.^^

On our way home, we took the front seat so we could see another different view of how it would feel to be zoomed into another direction at that speed.  

As for dinner, as we simply didn't know where to go..then we decided to stay at Paris Baguette for a light dinner before going back home. 

As for Freya, she chose a chocolate fudge. Hmmm yummy..

Just look at her hair...^^

Seollal in Korea *Imlek ala Korea*

I was walking through within the Shinsaegae department store at Namdaemun..and one thing that struck my attention was the array of women clad in hanbok serving the customers. Yes.. Seollal's atmosphere was already in the air.  

Since a lot of people were going back and forth of me while I was trying to take the picture...I could not take a closer look, let alone a good picture out of it.

Seollal 설날 (part 2)

What would a Seollal be without Yutnori. Well..I guess it's become some sort of must-do acts in every session of Seollal. So did we. It turned out to be so much fun doing it along with the kids. 

The kids had to compete against the adults. And the kids won.!!^^ 

Now, the time for hanbok. The kids took their time in turn to try putting on a hanbok and made the day memorable. 

Eyra and her friend. It is a Korean wedding style. Not necessarily having to do with Seollal... 

She liked it. 

then..it's Freya's turn. She looked so cute in Hanbok. 

As a  symbol of beauty ...a red dot should be attached on both cheeks.^^ 

Looks like a multicultural wedding, indeed.  

A bow of respect to each other...^^ 

A complete act of wedding summarized our Seollal anniversary

Seollal 설날 with Multicultural Family in Korea (part 1)

we had a class on Chinese language and culture, too.

ok..let me get it straight..first. we were having a meeting on Saturday Feb. 2nd 

Thanks to Kyobo Foundation, we could arrange the class and this activity at Kyobo Building at Shinseoldong. 

Eyra and Freya were having the best time, too...learning Chinese language. ^^ 

I never thought that the decorations on the ceiling were brought in from China directly. hmm...that's something. Well..I got to admit that they were pretty.

The kids had to cut and paste a map of China full of information on the names of each province along side with its geographical sketch.

a closer look at the ceiling decoration. 

This is the paper we used to learn Chinese expressions. 

We were preparing to play some yutnori: one of the must-have traditional games played during Seollal.

Back to the class activity.

Then...a personal information is needed on a piece of paper for others to know who we are. Eyra is writing hers on a piece of paper...in Korean language, of course.

Wait..not ready, yet.

Some of us.

Gangnam Style .....an indispensable time-killing dance..^^

Introduction of each family....

more and more...

The kids were just actively moving around the small class where they could get along with others.

Another...family on the go.