Blog: Quality Gift Boxes

In South Korea, Our elementary school year begins in spring. After spring semester(including mid-exam and final-exam) and 2 month of vacation, autumn semester(also including mid-exam and final-exam) begins in late August. And then it is followed by 2-month of vacation and spring semester begins again. Therefore, there was the sense of new beginning to us twice a year. While homeworks given to us at the beginning of vacation were submitted and evaluated, teachers handed out new textbooks for semester. Most of us were happy to begin school life again, and I turned into someone infamous for eccentricity again. Due to my peculiar speech pattern, one of my nicknames was 'textbook guy'. And people still ask me whether I was not born in Korea(of course, I was).

As the time went by, the meaning of spring had been growing stronger to us, while that of fall growing weaker to us. From middle school, summer days were no longer fun, and our study continued even it was summer vacation in theory. We were relieved a little during cold winter days and rewarded with the beginning of new school year. And then we went into study mode again. I read from newspapers that it is harsher time for students now. Parents, rich or poor, want their children to enroll in few famous universities(kind of Korean Ivy League), and tremendous of money and time are spent for entrance examination. The chance is low, but they do not care. That process begins even if they are only elementary school kids, and they continue to study in other places even when the school is over. What do they learn? Well, it is sort of brainwashing. Solving questions in exams and that is all. No thought required. They are very competitive and I respect that, but their money and time and energy are directed to wrong way.

Okay, I think I digressed from main topic, and I have to talk about autumn days now. Korean Thanksgiving Holiday comes around September or October(same to any Asian countries using lunar calendar). While colliding with solar calender, it is disappointing sometimes. Whenever we realize, like this year, 3-day holiday will be overlapped with weekend, we are very disgruntled. However, it is always good to see family members again, so people return to their hometown like any other years.

And then there is always traffic jam along major highways due to grand migration. Fortunately, my trip is light one. I just take one-hour bus trip, but it is still nightmare. First, once my business in campus is over, I pack my luggages quickly as I planned. Second, I call taxi, but taxies are rare to be called in that time. Third, even though I manage to get to bus station by taxi, there are so many people in bus terminal. Fourth, this will never happen in US, I am usually on foot in bus to Jeonju, crammed with other people just like sardines in the can. Fifth, it is supposed to be one-hour trip, but never during Thanksgiving holidays. This year, while I was ruminating on my situation(on foot, again) in bus trapped on highway, "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" came to my mind. I watched the movie again at my home, and wrote the review later. My conclusion: whatever our people had to endure during Thanksgiving holidays, all are nothing compared to what happened in that movie. To us, even when the worst thing happens, the trip ends within a day or half-day.


I am lucky because most of my parents' family members live not far from our home. Some live in the same city, and others live nearby. As usual, my family visited Grandmother's home in small town not far from Jeonju. There is small main street for post office, bank, police station, and shops, not so different from what you saw in "Mother". Grandmother's community is located about 5km from this area. I do not know much about her neighbors, but I heard somehow all are related(well, their last names are all same). We finish our ceremony for dead family members in the morning, and then we go to the other places. Before noon, we visit tombs, including Grandfather's.

Meanwhile, I noticed that our time with grandma has been gotten shorter and shorter. It reminds me of "Still Walking". We are far more lively and open and frank, but there is always something we will not talk. By the way, I found there are two devils to AA if AA is religion. Irish drinking culture is western one, and Korean drinking culture is eastern one. If you decide not to drink at all, there are always awkwardness and silent pressure from family and peers. My solution was 2-L apple juice, which looks like beer in color.

Now, a month passed. it is November and I recently notice color of leaves is changed. There are dried leaves everywhere, and we won't mind about buring leaves. I smell it sometimes. This change is later than I thought this year and I instantly worry about global warming. Nevertheless, we can still see these beautiful colors in forests. Maple trees turn red, maidenhair trees turn yellow, other broadleaf trees turn brown, and needle-leaf trees stay green. And I decided it was right time to re-visit Hitchcock's "Trouble with Harry".

I went to my home last weekend, and I went hiking with my father on Saturday. It was pretty much like my writing process. I struggled to get up early in the morning, but climbing mountain was easier than I thought. We arrived at the peak, and I felt good just like finishing my writings. I regretted about not bringing digital camera. The scenery viewd from the peak(about 700m) was one of the most beautiful things I have seen this year. By the way, climbing down the mountain was not easy at all, just like checking my drafts. Few hours later at home, I had pains in my muscles and joints. There is fun, and then there is price. I have fun with writing comments in your blog, and then I was overwhelmed with correctness even after submitting it.

Happy Hallowmas, Mr. Ebert. Your autumn recollections are maybe specific but ignite memories of others. And Photos from Mr. Masters are joy to behold. There are some photos taken at my campus during these autumn days, and I'd like to show you plain autumn days in Korean campus with few of my amateurish pictures. I am not sure whether you can see my photolog, but here is my link. There are also pictures of kittens and other things, but don't bother with them.
http://kaist455.egloos.com/photo/50134

P.S.

1. I purchased $125 Ebertfest ticket today. It seems I will have to obtain my ticket at the box office in the next year. However, I am very suspicious because ticket purchase looks like only for US users.

2. Watching John Carpenter's "Halloween" last week inspired me to borrow your phrase. Don't hack. I want to be scared. Don't chop.

3. @ Marie Haws
I got "Bronson" and I am going to see it soon.

Ebert: You're coming?!? Passes are for sale to anyone, but I will have them e-mail you directly to confirm.

I'm thinking of putting together a panel discussion with a title something like "The Global Community of Film Lovers," including some blog posters from opverseas (I so far know of three coming) and some non-U.S. directors or other guests.

You have great taste in movies. I spotted two titles by Bahrani.

I scrolled to the right: http://kaist455.egloos.com/photo/50134