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What is Chuseok? How We Spent Our Autumn Holiday
Chuseok (추석), which literally translates to “Autumn Eve,” is often described as Korea’s Thanksgiving holiday. It is also called Hangawi (한가위), “the great middle of autumn.” A three-day holiday celebrated in September or October each year according to the lunar calendar, Chuseok is one of the two most important holidays of the year and is celebrated in both North and South Korea. (Lunar New Year is the other large, family holiday.) This year, the holiday was a little different as the government raised the level of social distancing guidelines, encouraging Koreans to stay home rather than risk spreading COVID-19 by visiting family around the country. Important Chuseok Traditions Like Thanksgiving,…
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“Are You Bored?” Inquiring Minds Want to Know
Since the chemist began working at the lab every day during the first week of September, many of you have asked what on earth the counselor is doing? Here is a ramble through my rambling days, complete with my “real-world” photos. (In other words, I promise to get you back to the chemist’s much prettier photos in the next post!) The truth is, my days look pretty different from my usual life, which is not the easiest transition but is part of the point of this year. What’s the good of living in another country if you try to make your life look exactly the same as it always did?…