Homestay

Serena and her parents

I just got back a few hours ago from Homestay. Yesterday night, I had the opportunity to stay with a beautiful Korean host family. Seriously, they were literally one beautiful looking family.  With her perfectly set hair, leather gloves, and fur-trimmed jacket, the mother was pleasantly elegant.  And of course, Serena, our host-student from Sookmyung, herself is gorgeous (a beauty contest winner, we learned).  The father is a principal of a high school and the mother an astrology teacher in high school…How appropriate for Tiffany and I to stay at their home! 

The family really went out of their way for us.  They prepared a huge traditional Korean dinner for us last night and even with the language barrier, they did everything to make us feel welcome.  I am so grateful to have meet so many kind people in Seoul.   Since arriving in Korea, I have yet to encounter anything close to hostility from anyone.  Not even a crabby bus driver!  My host family did mention that the government is campaigning to encourage Koreans to be “friendly to the foreigners”.  Even so, I think that people are generally very gentle, humble, and modest here.  I also admired the relationship my host family members had with one another.  The three sisters are very close with one another and with their parents.  The way they spoke to one another was so endearing, they really do not hold back their affection. 

Going into the home, I had no idea what to expect.  I think I expected a very traditional and strict household, but Serena’s family was quite the opposite.  Her mother especially loves to make jokes and the daughters playfully tease their parents.  Her father’s thinking seemed progressive and he spoke about the need for countries to open up to “international harmony”.

Playing a traditional Korean card game.