Christmas in Korea

Well, this year is the first year ever that I haven't spent Christmas in Wales with my family which was odd! As Christmas Eve ticked over into Christmas Day, I could be found doing some shopping in Homeplus, open 24 hours a day, including Christmas!

I woke up early on Christmas Day and decided to get up and go out for a walk as it was a beautiful day with sunshine and clear blue skies. I walked out towards the edge of Songchondong (also the edge of Daejeon) and walked through a tunnel which ran under the motorway and into the countryside. This area is part of Gyejok mountain, one of the many mountains which ring Daejeon. I scrambled up a bit of hillside and came across some monuments, which are probably tombs. Mountains seem to be important places for Koreans. Mountains are often home to Buddhist temples and statues and these tombs are obviously well tended.

Looking towards Songchondong

Gyejoksan (-san means mountain in Korean)

That evening. I went to a potluck Christmas dinner hosted by Collun (a teacher who lives next door to Juli). The table was groaning with dishes ranging from pecan pie to bulgogi (my contribution) to cheese and crackers to fried chicken.... We played beer pong and a card game called Bullshit, it started to snow, Ken (a Korean guy) gave a speech in Korean (no-one in the room spoke Korean) which seemed to go on for a long, long time, we escaped to Sponge Bar, but were followed by Ken, where me, Juli and Jill remained until closing time (5am!) and then went to a noraebang. It was almost light by the time I got home.

Bullshit and Beer Pong

Gill, Juli and Ken in Sponge

So, a non-traditional Christmas with no turkey, no stuffing, no gravy, but on the plus side, no brussel sprouts. No family or old friends, but some new friends.