My 39th Birthday^^

Sure. Having a birthday party or celebrating birthdays are not my stuffs. 

So, if every year I do seem to 'celebrate' it does not necessarily that I am the one behind it.

(This year's cake) 

So, who are behind all of the B'day' bash'. "Bash"? Oh come on...this word is too outrageous for me.^^

Ok, anyway...my daughters are the ones who always insist me on buying a CAKE on every birthday.  

They know that March 8 IS my birthday. So, they kind of planned it before. Especially, Eyra. I bet she just could not wait to get back from school and run to the bakery just to pick one cake for me.

This cake was her choice+with a help from her sister, Freya. 

Freya finds birthday amazing. She loves celebrating birthdays even if they are not hers.

So, this is, too. She knows it all along that it is her Dad's. 

"I love you, Daddy" pose. Eyra and Freya are my angels indeed. They keep me making me smile everyday. 

They love the fact that today is their Daddy's birthday. 

Freya wrote a note "Papa Ulang Tahun" 'Daddy's having a birthday"

Oh..that is so cute.

To my wife and Freya:

"Thanks, girls"

Love you always.

Ballooooon for sure!

As soon as they spotted the tall guy distributing free balloons of any shapes imaginable, Eyra and Freya rushed to the guy and asked to make some for them.
The morning festival during the Indonesian Day at Incheon's Bupyeong Art Center was initiated by the charm of this guy. Ok, he made something that finally made the kids love the festival. They did.
Just look at the video.
He's an expert in this stuff.

Bingo??

First, I thought they were doing some kind of Bingo.^^ I was wrong. I was so oblivious that they were actually doing a tracking practice.They were drawing the lines over the dots that once they do so, a series of numbers would appear. A good practice for kids to learn the numbers and how to write them.
So...I thought it was Bingo.
It was almost 11 pm and they insisted on doing this until they finished up to number 60. Eyra and Freya were busy doing this while I had to make sure that they were on time to go to bed afterwards.
One of the good things of being in Korea is that my children can learn both English and Korean at the same time. It was amazing to see how the kids could grasp both languages at the same time. They are now able to count in Indonesian, Javanese, English, and of course....in Korean language. Kids do have a mind of their own in learning new languages. ^^

"집으로" "Going (to) Home" Movie...

Yes...it's been a few years ago since I watched this movie. This movie had left me with an impressive feeling of wanting to go back home and embrace the warmth of my grandma.
oh..one more thing...this is the very movie that introduced me to the sweetness of Choco Pie^^ (Korean snack that has delved into the realm of every child (including me) who watched the movie.
First thing first, this movie has no famous star starring in it. No one. The director (Ms. Lee Jeong Hyang) -- I think-- had a different purpose of doing this. Well, it turned out that the movie was such a great and moving story about two unlikely couple (a grandmother and his grandson ----wait for it-----whom he never taken care of before).

Ok.....
The movie starts with a mere and simple plot actually. It all comes down to the point of what would an 8-year old grandson-- brought up and raised in a city-- do when he has to live for 2 months with his grandmother in a remote village out of nowhere. The common expectation would be....would they be able to stand and bear to live with each other?
The movie's simplicity turns out to be the strength of the movie itself. I love it sooo much. I kept guessing of what would the boy do next or what would the 77-year old grandmother do to please her grandson who seems to have no manner whatsoever.

Although the tone of the movie is sometimes a bit long overdrawn into monotonous portrayal of a serene village life, it is the monotonous depiction that also makes the movie gain its strength. and I think the director did well on this.
Oh, did I mention that.....the grandmother is played by a real grandmother who lives in a village...she never played on any movie before....even I guess...she'd never been to Seoul herself (maybe). So,....the coming of her grandson (Sangu) really turns her life upside down. She never manages to comprehend what her grandson says or does. He brings along with him....robot, toys, and a kind of video game that really preoccupies most of his time---disregarding what his grandmother says and asks him to do.
Poor the old woman...for her grandson seems to ignore her most of the time.
But...this is the central point of the movie itself.
I feel pity for the grandmother...but on the other hand....what can I expect for a city boy who never knows or simply indifferent or unaware of the consequences of what he wants or does.

I remember interesting moments from the movie:
first: the time when Sangu has to go to hwajangsil or byeonsil. Well, of course in the village (back then..I guess)..there are no such things as hwajangsil like the one that city people have. Those in the remote village where he is now.....is far apart from the house. So, he has no other choice but to go outside whenever he wants to go to the byeonsil ^^. To make matter worse, it is dark outside. So,.....no other choice......but........to have his natural call.....in the house...!! THank God...his understanding grandmother provides a kind of small bowl. Oh...NOooo...what a sight! But. ...it was so funny.

Then...
second: the time when Sangu wants to eat chicken..fried chicken like the one he has back home in the city.....^^ like that in KFC! Instead of asking her mother to cook or prepare him takgoki (Korean word for chicken), he uses an English word "chicken" in Korean pronunciation "chikin". So, there starts a series of misunderstanding ..one after another...until finally....her grandmother prepares him a kind of whole chicken boiled in a stew like soup. ^^
Funnily entertaining.
This really portrays the generation gap of Korean society back then.
I wonder if this situation still could persist in Korea. ( I doubt it).
But...back to the movie....
The series of unfortunate messes...one after another...during the whole movie....really got me.
I was so deeply touched by how a simple and ordinary life being portrayed in the movie imbued by the power of love and devotion as shown by a simple grandmother has finally been able to change and melt away the stubborn boy who at first ......ignores and disrespect his grandmother.
The communication gap and the possible misfortunes that may arise between the two people.....are solved through the power of love...a simple one.
Gosh....I want to go back and hug my grandmother and mom...when I see the movie.
I was crying at the end of the movie. Happy and a kind of mixed feeling of .....being involved in the journey to the home where heart is......

Is this Korean movie worth-watching, then? DEFINITELY:) ^^

My Surprise B'Day Party with friends @ Uijeongbu

I've been helping my friends, students, colleagues, fellows, brothers, and sisters at Uijeongbu musholla for about two months now.
I think it must've been my destiny to be here right here in Korea and have myself be exposed to all of the joys of being here.....: meeting new friends along the way.  Friends who more often than not....become my  family right here in Korea.
Who would've guessed and thought that I could end up studying here in Seoul.
Who would've known that I end up participating or getting myself involved in Korean language teaching class....though I am still learning the language myself.
But...that's the beauty of it all.

 .....so...there it was.
I was going to start my class as any other Sunday morning at around 10.30 a.m. when...I heard a 'commotion' at the adjacent room. I heard my friend called me to come inside...and when I did so....I was so deeply touched by the sincere look and sincere modesty that my friends in Uijeongbu had for me. They surprised me with the B'day cake.....that I will never forget.
How can I?
The cake itself came from them....^^ I knew it was from Paris Baguette^^ my fave cake shop
But..that's not the reason as to why I won't forget about it.
1. First, because it all came from their hearts. I think I kind of love them as my family in Korea.

2. Second...because of the way they argued about how old I am...^^. Out of which.....the cake came up wit a 73 digit candle on top of it.....that of course....flabbergasted me.
I thought they thought that I was 37 y.o. or something. Well, some did.^^
Funny...because I am 38^^
So, to make things funnier......they deliberately set the candles to resemble the 73^^
Anyhow...which one or another....did make me smile^^
I did have a great time with them....teaching them..something I know.
Thank you friends.너무 너무 고마웠어요.

More Birthday Cake's pics

Another prolonged story of what I could have done with the cake.......: not only that we could enjoy it by eating it earnestly.....^^, but....we could also take a closer look at how delicate it was and how tempting it was for us to savor our savory-laden tongue.....:) (read: appetite)













Here are the pics of the cake that we could have just swallowed into the digesting tummy of ours. Instead of just doing 'just that', we came up with an idea of taking every bit of its piece and angle into a relentlessly perpetual palatable cake of my 38th birthday bash (no.....just kidding)!













There were no bashes at all.
It was just a simple 'silent' celebration with my family.
Alhamdulillah ....that I am blessed with the gifts of being able to breathe......with all of the possibilities I have right now..... and be what I am now.
Surely....I also would like to thank my family: my wife and two lovely daughters.












So, these pics simply assert the facts that I am being grateful....for all of the colorfully wondrous life I had, I am having, I will have.....

Eyra attends school in Korea 입학을 축하합니다

It is early Spring 2012.
Eyra starts her first year as an elementary school student in Korea.
She is now officially a student at a Korean school.

First, we were kind of wondering as to where to send Eyra: whether we need to send her to International school or Korean school--along with its plus and minus. But, after long consideration, it is worth-it that we send Eyra to learn Korea and its culture, to meet new friends...in Korea. After all, we live in Korea for now. So, it would be a great experience and a challenge as well for Eyra and for us.

But, I am sure that Eyra can get along well and adapt easily into Korean classes and its environment.
I want Eyra to get exposure to Korean life and education through Korean elementary school.
By doing this, we do hope that Eyra will learn multicultural point of view in her life.
The Cheongnyangni Elementary School will be a place for Eyra to study for about 3 to 4 years.
I pray that it will be a great and good life for her. One more thing, this elementary school has been accepting more and more multicultural students from multicultural families living in Korea, so I am sure this will be a good 'added value' for all of the kids here.

So..these are the pics of her at the first day of school.




입학을 축하합니다^^

My Birthday

Yes, now...I am officially 38 y.o. What's in an age? ^^ or I also learned in my class" 나이는 숫자의 불가하다" 'age is just number'. Well, apart from those...what I have in mind as of today is that...I know that as my age adds or reduces (from what God has predestined)....I have to make myself a good person. I know I have stuffs going on in my mind. Lots of things to ponder, to think, to do, to say, to contemplate, to achieve, to .................endless list goes on.

A gift from my daughters

But.....one thing for sure....I am saying this " ALHAMDULILLAH" prays to Allah for having blessed me with all of the happiness that one could ask for. I am grateful for what God has given me and my family.
Now that I am living in Korea, I feel that it must've been my destiny to be here for some time to study. I am obliged to always keep myself in the touch and senses of what I believe.

---
I am not actually a person who always celebrate the birthdays. But, this is just a day when I am made aware (again and again) of my mere existence in the world. I have to do good deeds.
So...as a part of my great gratitude to Allah, I am so thankful that this day I am celebrating my birthday with my family. Eyra and Freya...my wife and beloved daughters cheer my days and time. ^^
--

Now...comes to the story of the Pinky cake..^^
I know it IS my birthday...but my daughter, Eyra....picked the cake for me. ^^
Of course, I would've loved to have the chocolate cake but....my daughter really wanted to have the pink one. ^^
Ok...it looks fine and cool, too....(though a bit ...well....too childish for me^^)
But....look at the bright sight....my daughters are gleaming with happiness as they see the B'day cake!!!