Winter is pretty much here. We have officially turned on the
heat! The style of heat most common to homes in South Korea is온돌 (ondol), which is the cozy
heated floors that are in most restaurants and homes. They take a while to warm
up, but they stay hot for hours and hours, radiating the heat from the hot
water being piped below the wood floor. I like this style of heating.
It is a cozy time for hibernation. The air
is turning cool, with the first freeze on the way this week. It is time for
cooking and cuddling, movies and books, games and rest. I am deep into some
good books these days, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and another Barbara Kingsolver,
as well as The Botany of Desire, by
Michael Pollan, which Josh and I are reading out loud to each other (a great
way to spend time, by the way). I’ve upped my exercise regimen and downed my
alcohol and cigarette consumption in an effort to make this the healthiest
winter in years (after all I’m quitting those cancer-sticks in a few
months…). I continue to marvel at this
crazy country in which I live, and dream and plan for the future that is always
so close ahead.
Two notably strange Korean moments happened
today, back to back. This morning in my office the heat was on and yet it was
freezing because the window was wide open, a huge window, might I add. This is
just one of those things I don’t get. Well everyone, and I mean everyone, in the office was super cold,
making a noise and fuss about bundling up with coats and hats, turning up the
heat, and grabbing refills of tea and hot water, well I just got up after about
thirty minutes of watching this madness and closed the window! Crazy I
know. Everyone slowly un-bundled and
seemed much happier and gave approving smiles or glances in my direction. Why
didn’t they close the window? They can’t… they don’t know who opened it, or
rather it’s just open, so they can’t close it. This is just the way it goes.
At lunch we had a tasty pork stir-fry with
cabbage and carrots, onions and peppers, and a spicy red sauce. It is a common
dish and I usually pile it on top of my rice, why not? I end up mixing it
anyway. Well my coworker commented saying that it looked really good, what I
had done. I asked why she doesn’t also do it and her reply was: “no, no I can’t”
and a shy smile while glancing around, then quietly: “maybe I will at home”.
The rules are set here. It’s not very cool
to challenge them, but I guess I don’t care as much as many others do, so I seek
my comfort and maybe in turn I influence those around me somehow for the
better. Change is slow to happen, and I can’t imagine a place it would go
slower than in this country. I have some faith in the younger generation; if
only they could be granted some free time to explore what they wish, instead of
those dreadful fifteen-hour school days!
We are here under unique circumstances. We are
on a somewhat extended vacation as observers who get to play a simple, yet
potentially powerful role in this society.
Josh said it so well in his post on Korea; that
we can take what is good without feeling the need to change what is seemingly
flawed. What a good attitude he has. I have lots to learn from such a good man!
“what matters most is how well you walk through the fire”
― Charles Bukowski
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