re: i had no idea~

[songaji]

You know, i had no idea it was Korean Independance Day yesterday.
i have to say, it really is a day of reflection, and a day of celebration. two extremes, two meanings.

truthfully, i don't really know that much about Korea. i remember only a little of it's history from my father's 'stories'. i can speak, read and write the language, but i my heart language is english. (i translate korean to english in my head when i hear it.)

i was born in Sydney, Australia. Lived here all my life. Visited Seoul only twice for short holiday trips - both times with english speaking people. have no direct relatives living outside of sydney. (nope, not a single cousin or aunt or uncle in korea.)

But when someone asks me what nationality i am, i'll answer "i'm Korean, mate!"
Funny, isn't it? You really can't deny the blood......

i have to admit, it wasn't easy growing up in a subtly racist nation(at the time - almost stamped out now...).

But being the minority, you see things, most don't see.
you see that people can only act upon what they know.
you see that ALL people are hurting, and need something..need love?

perspective is such a valuable commodity. to step into someone else's shoes for a moment.....if you can do that, and have the heart to reach out and comfort someone....than all struggles are worth the pain....

so let us salute those who lost their lives fighting for Korea's freedom.....we koreans would not be around the world if not for their courage.....

--------------------- [원본 메세지] ---------------------

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<p align="left"><b><u>On March First:'Independence Movement Day'</u></b></p>

<p align="left">I had been staring at the blank page for some time. I didn't let go of

wanting to write something about this day, flipping back and forth,

in and out of the cyber space but still wanting to say something.

Yet, too many thoughts are jumbled inside my head and are

jossling about...</p>

<p align="left">What does a day like this mean for me? To a person who is no

longer a Korean? To a person who left Korea when she was a little

girl? I can say that there is much emotion. I will just scratch the

surface and see what comes up.</p>

<p align="left">I couldn't possibly complain about my life in Canada. There is much

to be grateful for the life I've led. It certainly was filled with many

rewarding experiences. My life in Canada was professionally

successful and well, except for the things I couldn't help, I was

blessed with personal happiness. I must say, that Canada was

extremely good to me. I can proudly say that I'm 1.5 generation

Korean Canadian. However, I had greatly longed for Korea for the

first ten years of my living in Canada. It became a 한(an unrequited

longing).</p>

<p align="left">But, why am I still so humbled by this day? That's because I'm

thankful. I am thankful that I could come back to the country in

which I was born. I can feel the blood gurgling inside my heart;

Tears well up in my eyes as I sing the song Arirang; Visually see the

morning fog embracing and surrounding the mountains as I walk

about; Just being capitulated by the beauty of it all. Most of all, I

can say that I live in the country that I was born, Korea! </p>

<p align="left">I give thanks to those people who called out MUNSE! (만세) on this

day March first, 1919. No words of thanks can replace the

gratefulness we feel towards their expressions on that day of

desire for freedom they wished for themselves and their future

generations. On behalf of us, I bow to you, <b><u>Independence

Movement Day freedom fighters!</u></b></p>

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<p align="left">cafemia</p>

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<p align="center"><a href="http://msrv.yahoo.co.kr/enc/image/48/8448.jpg"><img src="http://msrv.yahoo.co.kr/enc/image/48/8448.jpg" border="1"></a></p>

<p align="center"><a href="http://msrv.yahoo.co.kr/enc/image/13/32213.jpg"><img src="http://msrv.yahoo.co.kr/enc/image/13/32213.jpg" border="1"></a><a href="http://msrv.yahoo.co.kr/enc/image/55/8455.jpg"><img src="http://msrv.yahoo.co.kr/enc/image/55/8455.jpg" border="1"></a></p>

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