"OMG! Should hurry! Too late!" My Chuseok started with rush just like that! One day before Chuseok, my mom said, "Tell Nicky to come for Chuseok. She will be bored without you on weekend and she can stay at our home too." That moment I got a great idea for one of the biggest Korean traditional holidays, 'Chuseok'! So I began to make some plans for my frist house party in my life. But I never guessed that I will get that much stress about it! Who knows that I was planning even in my dreams! I couldn't give up myself so I made some invitation cards for my friends with lots of wish! Those cards showed me a great power in the welcome party of Postec so I could meet some new friends with them. I didn't know I will have such a sweet memory of Chuseok until then.

There were already 3 guys in front of my sister's house. I should run faster after I finished preparing food for the memorial ceremony. When I got near, I found them who asked someone to call me with my invitation card. They were amazing to find my sister's home without any map and cell phone. But they did! How smart! Some other friends kept coming and they started to watch the movie 'King and Clown'. I was really busy to make dinner and answering to calls. I had no idea how much I have sweated. Just like that, our Chuseok holiday began. Our dinner was successful with 'Galbi' of pork and 'spicy chicken stew'. Thankfully they liked my foods. And 'Songpyeon(a kind of rice cake)', what a lovely food of Chuseok was so great to make an awesome experience with all my foreigner friends. It reminded me my old memories of Chuseok when I was small.

We were playing with glutinous rice knead but we became serious to make because my mom wanted to have some for memorial ceremony next morning. It was so fun and a bit hard. But we have done so well even there was a snowman.

Also it was so delicious! We tried to choose beautiful one for my mom and we ate lots of them. Do you remember? We just had dinner before! haha~ I should steam it for long and we should cover it up with sesame oil. We didn't care even if we got burned ourselves with hot Songpyeon. I shared 5 pieces every pack for all my friends to give them to bring it back to home. I really hoped they will like it what I prepared. We should go to bed early but the movie 'Old boy' was too long. We felt a sleep after the movie ended but we couldn't sleep well with a hundred of mosquitoes. Finally our special day, Chuseok, came for us. I felt warm in my heart when I saw my friends back on our way to my home. They brought little gifts for my family and changed clothes for memorial ceremony. Then I knew that they were really tried to be nice and respect for Korean traditional culture. They looked like so Koreans going to their home with happy mind.

The Memorial ceremony was solemn and crowded with lots of people. It was short but it meant many things to us. And we had to do partake of sacrificial food and drink of memorial ceremony and ladies felt in love with Korean wine what we used. After then we had huge breakfast tables with all my family till couldn't eat any more. I still wonder how all of my friends felt and thought about Korean tradition.

We got some rest with the movie 'A dependent' and some drinks when we got back my sister's home. We were planning to go to Mt. Naeyeonsan to see 12 water falls and temples. But we couldn't even we had been waiting for a bus more than an hour with hot weather. I knew it was my fault. I should hurry more up. So I suggested to go to my grandma’s home. But we made a nice memory of that moment. And now we know that the lemon beer and melon ice cream make perfect harmony! We got my grandma’s home safe and we started to eat again! And then we felt in love with 'Alcohol rice cake' made by my grandma. We enjoyed walking and playing on the beach with some jellyfish. On the bus back to home, we were heading to sleep. Extremely tired 11 foreigners and 1 Korean woman in the packed bus? Oh... Please don't imagine how we looked like then. We couldn't do anything when we got back. But our Chuseok was so great to us! I slept alone in my sister’s house after all of my friends left. And I woke up at 4 in the morning next day with a hundred mosquitoes again. I had no idea about it. We killed a lot of them during the whole weekend but they survived. Suddenly I got hungry like to die sooner. So I remembered I didn't eat any meals during the weekend. How could I never feel hungry? It is a mystery till now.

This is the whole story about our Chuseok. Still not sure I have done my work well for my friends. But I know that we will have a great memory of Chuseok for long. We can laugh and talk with our story when we get together. This Chuseok changed my life and gave me many amazing friends! I am so happy to have all. If someone asks me that I want to have a traditional party again, Sure! I want! Why not? How about Seolnal? :D

Thanks to
My mom : You are a best worrying mom in the world as all my friends know. But I love you and really thank you for having all my friends in your arms!

My family : I know I made you so surprised with all my foreign friends. And I remember what you did for them! Thank you for understanding me always whatever I do! Love you all!!

All my friends : Nicky, Ashen, Naadira, Joelle, Virginia, Benjamin, Maxime, Colin, Katie, Michael, Darin, Sarah, Crystal. How can I say 'Thank you' to all you guys? Thank you for everything! Having Korean tradition together, bring gifts for my mom, enjoying Korean food and specially loving Korea so much! I want you to know how much I thank you, my friends! It was very huge luck to meet you and being your friend! All my amazing friends! Thank you for coming even from far away and became my real good friends! I'll never forget the South African drink tasted like an ice cream even it was strong only for me! And first got a lucky $2 bill in my life, sleeping together in a small room, the lemon beer with melon ice, watching Korean movies for total 8 hours, Jellyfish and laughing together all the time! And specially thanks to Ashen! You 36 created an awesome word of Chuseok! We never, ever forget that we were in 'THE' Chuseok! Who can buy this memory? Never can buy it with money or else! I know we have a lot of time to do different things! Let's start to make our other stories together!

VANK : I appreciate your big help! You always help me with many great gifts for foreigners. I could give them to all of my friends in Korea and over the world. And thank you for giving me an incredible chance to write about our story of Chuseok! You let us have another great experience! Thank you!!

Luna Love Lee (South Korea)