busan sand festival and the army ball

happy father's day!

to go along with my earlier post, i have been wanting to make a point of thanking my parents for all they have done for us kids. they have overcome many difficult obstacles and have sacrificed a great deal for my siblings and me.

when i hear the national anthem of Korea or the U.S. I think a lot of my parents. as i listen to the melodies and words, i reflect on what it means to love a country or to feel patriotic.

my dad, is one of the most patriotic people i know. he still affectionately refers to korea as "my country" when he references it. he loves the land; he loves the people. i know he must miss his home country terribly. i can only imagine how difficult it must have been for my parents to leave all of their family and friends behind to move to the u.s. having moved to a "foreign" country, i can finally empathize with him. i understand the frustration he must have felt with the language barrier, the cultural differences and misunderstandings, missing what he could have "back home" or giving up a comfortable life so he could provide a better life for his family.

my dad is the hardest worker i know. he worked so hard to be sure all of us could have a beautiful home, an excellent education and the opportunity to go to college. we've all gone to college and even graduate school. we are all healthy and have never been in need. I owe both my dad and my mom a lot of gratitude for those gifts.

dad, happy father's day! you came to the u.s. as a 20-something newly wed, probably not sure what you were getting yourself into and you've been so bountifully blessed by God. thank you for being so brave and all you have sacrificed. you are a great example of the american dream.

tearing up at the movies

have you ever gone to a movie on a military base? well, if you have you know that they play the national anthem before any movie they show. the lights dim a little and a loud crackling recording booms through the speaker system and immediately everyone in the theater jumps up and stands at attention. i learned this this the hard way...i was already in my movie lounging position when the lights dimmed and i saw people standing and i scrambled to stand up from my folding seat without spilling popcorn all over my lap. i wasn't sure what was happening and my date didn't offer any explanation. afterward peter looked over at me and said, "sorry...i forgot to tell you they do that here." well, what i once thought was a strange formality has become something i really enjoy and even look forward to.

since we are in korea our movie theater plays the korean national anthem first then the u.s. anthem. the theater plays an old video featuring different landscapes of korea with an old recording of a large korean choir singing and orchestra playing this beautiful song. every time i hear the korean anthem i tear up. the melody is so rich and lovely. the anthem moves me. i think of the tragedy this nation has experienced, how families were broken apart, so many lives lost from war and how, even still, this nation remains in a state of division.

if you want to hear the anthem, here's a video.

and these are the lyrics in english:

Until the East Sea's waves are dry, (and) Mt. Baekdusan worn away, God watch o'er our land forever! Our country forever!

Rose of Sharon, thousand miles of range and river land! Guarded by her people, ever may Korea stand!

Like that Mt. Namsan armored pine, standing on duty still, wind or frost, unchanging ever, be our resolute will.

In autumn's, arching evening sky,crystal, and cloudless blue, Be the radiant moon our spirit, steadfast, single, and true.

With such a will, (and) such a spirit, loyalty, heart and hand, Let us love, come grief, come gladness, this, our beloved land!