As
I took my seat across from Yi-Ray, I noticed there was a spark in her eye; her
face was brimming with excitement. I could only imagine with anticipation what
she was bursting to talk about today. Her smile was wide as she said with such
pride, "Today, I would like to share with you my culture." As someone who also admires the Korean culture, I was ecstatic to have the
opportunity to hear from a Korean citizen first-hand about his or her customs
and holidays. Even more so, I was grateful Yi-Ray was willing to open up
and share her experiences and personal culture, one she misses so
much.
With
pen and paper in hand, I was ready to learn about the Korean holidays, customs,
traditions, and even a bit about their delicious food. However, our conversation
began on a much different note. Weddings. That is what Yi-Ray wished to discuss
first. She began by asking me what dress I will be getting for my wedding. A
bit taken aback by her question, embarrassed, I explained that I am
extremely a ways away from marriage, along with the minor detail involving the
lack of a boyfriend. She laughed as she began to understand my
"single" situation, and thus continued by discussing traditional
Korean weddings, as well as her own.
In
terms of the traditional Korean weddings, I learned that only a few people
today still have their wedding fully traditional; most couples have
Western-styled weddings, due to European and American influence. However, the
details and descriptions of the traditional Korean wedding were intriguing; the
dress attire used, such as the colorful hanboks for the women, and the rounded,
leather "ship" shoes the men wear, are all so unique, very different
from weddings that I am normally accustomed to. One thing that I found most
interesting is that in the traditional Korean wedding, the color red is highly
incorporated, especially on the bride, as red is a symbol of good health and
fertility (they want babies!). In America, on the other hand, red on the actual
bride would almost be considered scandalous. Additionally, Yi-Ray informed me
that in traditional Korean custom, the bride and groom spend their first night
as a married couple at the bride's family's home. No immediate honeymoon for
them! Hence, I found the dichotomy between traditional Korean culture and
American culture today to be fascinating.
Hesitantly,
I asked Yi-Ray what type of wedding she had, not wanting to overstep
boundaries. She simply smiled; she reminisced about her
wedding, a four-year-old child and some years ago. Although she had opted for a
Christian wedding, there were yet some differences between Korean and American
"Western" weddings. For one, I learned that in Korea, women almost
never purchase a wedding dress. Rather, they rent one. In America, renting a
wedding dress would seem so rare, as there are advertisements, media, and
television shows dedicated to finding and buying the "right" dress.
Additionally, Yi-Ray informed me that most Koreans marry in their thirties, as
they believe one should be financially secure first. I explained to her variations
in ages in America for marriage, as well as how it depends upon region, as
those in the South tend to marry younger compared to those in other parts of
the country. She seemed in awe of how young some Americans are when they make
this decision.
In
relation to our conversation of marriage and wedding traditions, I also
awkwardly explained what the terms "cougar" and
"gold-digger" means. It was a hilarious conversation, although
explaining these terms earned me some odd looks from innocent bystanders
passing by Union Grounds. I could have cared less; Yi-Ray could barely contain
her laughter as I used fine examples such as Hugh Hefner and the residents of
the Playboy Mansion.
Our
conversation continued, including the topics of Korean holidays, military duty,
and food. Gaining insight into another culture is...priceless. In these
moments- moments of learning and enlightenment - I am reminded to be open. Sometimes, to learn much,
it is that simple.
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