Fashion Designs and First Birthdays

Last term I had a student who is a fashion designer and was having an exhibition with another artists. She wanted me to go and I thought it would be fun. So Friday, April 24th we went to see it.





Each picture shows the idea for her art design. The lacy curtains she saw as a shawl, the table cloth as a skirt, the hanging cords as a headpiece and the package wrapping as a belt. I was impressed with her creativity in the pictures and design. It was fun to also look around at what others had done.




Soon I realized that there were flowers by each persons exhibit and I assumed they were from friends or people who liked the stuff. So we went in search of flowers to leave for her.




On the way we saw King Kong but had no desire to mess with him.





After leaving the flowers and a note we rode back in a taxi to the subway station.




Subway trips are very familiar to us now but as we are preparing to leave Korea soon I've found things I want to take pictures of.



Snacks! These little circle things are made from fish as you can see, but for the longest time we'd see our students with them and couldn't figure out what they were. The pieces were sold by street vendors and they'd put the dried circle into hot oil and the piece would expand! But now we know it's fish. =)



This little poster was on the wall of the subway car we were riding in. We found it greatly humorous because that is exactly what's it's like. You'd better not be in any ones way when they are getting on/off the subway. Beware! We weren't sure what the sign said but it was just such a perfect picture we couldn't resist =P

The next day the church celebrated Leilani's first birthday! Leilani is the daughter of one of our teachers, Solomon and his wife Grazania. They come from the beautiful land of South Africa.

First birthdays are BIG deals here. Sometimes the parents rent wedding halls and have huge buffets. But we just had a huge party in the church cafeteria.



Paul had been studying with us that afternoon so he came for just the beginning of the party.



One of our teachers Ruth, MADE this cake. She's an amazing cook.



Isn't the hanbok adorable?



Grazania, Leilani, and Solomon. They're a great family.

It is fun to experience different parts of the Korea culture and to see them adjust to us being there. When I brought my gift I wanted to know where to put it. The ladies from church didn't know what I wanted and I couldn't figure it out. Finally we figured out that they had no idea what I meant because they don't just put all the presents together. They usually hold the gift and individually hand it to the couple. But they seemed to want to comply with my weird version of gift giving so soon there was a pile of gifts on the table. It makes me smile to think I've influenced their ideas at all--culture is very powerful.