Halloween weekend

Happy Halloween everyone! I hope you all had a great holiday weekend. This was our first time celebrating a holiday outside of the States, and I think it went pretty well. It was so weird celebrating Halloween over here because the majority of the people do not know anything about it. In a way it is really exciting to teach Koreans about Halloween because it is actually a really fun holiday when you think about it. My adult students were fascinated with the process of trick or treating, and why Halloween is celebrated. Having to teach others about something that is so natural for me really gave me a different perspective of holidays in general. Back in the states I feel like I never thought too much about Halloween besides partaking in the normal holiday behavior (watching horror movie, carving pumpkins, going to costume parties). I celebrated Halloween because it was something I have always done and everyone around me does as well. This year I was able to celebrate it with the reason that Halloween is a really unique holiday with an interesting history. Explaining to people that kids go door to door asking for candy and adults even dress up in costumes made me look at Halloween in a totally different way. I feel that all the holidays we celebrate over here will become more special to us than they ever could have become back in the states simply because it makes you appreciate them more.


Even though at times it seems that we have acclimated ourselves to Korean culture we still have some little tendencies that come up as reminders that we are far from the “normalcy” of home. For example, on Saturday (day after Halloween) I saw an old woman sitting on the side of the road selling pumpkins. I thought to myself “Why is she selling pumpkins? Halloween is over!” After about 30 seconds I remembered that no one here celebrates Halloween and that Koreans buy pumpkins not to carve but to eat like any other fruit! This was just one of many little reminders that I am not in the Midwest anymore. Even when I feel I am becoming more used to Korean culture, I realize how big of an influence my own culture has on my behavior, thoughts, and attitude.


Dave and I really are starting to appreciate the little things while over here. When we received cards and packages from home we were ecstatic! Even if they might seem like small things, they are big for us. Dave’s parents sent us very cute Halloween cards with stickers inside. I utilized this card and the stickers as much as I could throughout the week while explaining Halloween to my students. Same with a package my sister and my mom sent. Even though it just had fun, normal Halloween things inside, to my students these things were gold! One student offered me 20,000 won for the stickers and the Pez dispenser! (I told him at least 30,000, haha).
We have been here for ¼ of a year, and it’s already November! I can’t believe it. I admit that sometimes I wish I was back at home doing the normal things I am used to doing. My attitude about living in Korea can change as fast as Korean drivers can switch lanes. This trip has made us re-evaluate many things about ourselves as individuals and as a couple. But I’m proud of the fact that we have made it this far, and are continually growing stronger together. We are lucky to have such wonderful friends and family who support us and lift us up when we’re feeling down. Thank you, we appreciate you!

We have a lot of pictures of our Halloween activities, costumes and the big foreigner party below. Dave and I went as milk and cereal. We also had a mini party at the Hogwon. We had the students touch mysterious body parts without being able to see them. Some students were so frightened; it was a really fun way to celebrate Halloween. I hope you enjoy them! Keep writing e-mails, messages, letters, anything! I can’t stress enough how much we enjoy reading what is going on in everyone’s life! We miss you, take care!

Here are photos from Halloween weekend!!