Chuseok

Today Is the official day of chuseok in Korea. It is a harvest festival and a time to return to your hometown, wherever that may be. Consequently, Seoul is rather empty and traffic was beyond terrible over the weekend.

There are some interesting chuseok customs that I've observed. Around this tine each year, gift boxes of fruit, shampoo, olive oil and spam pop up at every grocery store and corner mart. I asked my students what their favorite part of chuseok was, and they unanimously declared the gifts to be their favorite part. Money was voted the best gift to receive.

I hear many people say that chuseok is Korea's thanksgiving, but as an American, there is just something about that comparison that doesn't resonate. However, it is as good a time as any to pause and reflect on this past year and all the reasons I have to be thankful.

But for now, I'm sitting on a relatively empty subway train, with warm chocolate gateaux with blueberry compote topping, on my way to a chuseok potluck, foreigner style. Any my thumbs are about to fall off.

If you are in korea and reading this, happy chuseok! Enjoy the time off of work.

If you are outside of Korea, happy chuseok, and don't work too hard!

Regardless of where you are and what you're doing, I hope that you can find many, many blessings in your life to be thankful for.