Gui Hwan Kim / Chapter 4 rough draft / Tuesday 3 4

Civic Hall

This place is a meaningful and very private place to me. Only one person can be in this place at one time. Other people might be able to be in this place, but it can only be a true meaningful place to me. This place moves when I want it to move and has been with me to many places. This place is the driver's seat of my old car.

           Upon entering college my sister gave me her old car because she longer needed a car. My cobalt blue four door Honda Civic sedan was a bit old with a few dents and bruises around the car. My sister put in a few scratches on the front and rear bumpers. While trying to park the vehicle in a tight parking spot she scratched the whole left side of the car. It has bright yellow streak on the side. In the interior it had a full audio system and linen seats. The moon roof made the interior just a little brighter. It wasn't the fanciest car in the world, but I meant a lot to me.

           The driver's seat was always clean with no bread crumbs or garbage lying around. The seat was perfectly set for a comfortable cruise.  When I sit in the seat, the audio interface is within arm's length reach. The driving experience and the audio is what made this cozy place of mine meaningful. It may only have a volume knob and track skip buttons, but to me it was like the audio interface professionals use at recording studios or concerts. The moment I sit down in my seat I get ready for another meaningful drive.

           Every day I would take my car to school and I would always have my phone ready to play music through the audio system. I always made a playlist with songs I knew the lyrics too. Every day driving to school or wherever I would head to, I had a mini concert of my own in my car. No one can hear me, just me and my imaginary fans. Listening and singing by myself in the car relieves all my stress and fatigue. I can be an opera singer and then play the air guitar when I am caught up in traffic. I had my windows tinted so that no one else could see me.

           Sometimes when I had a bad day, or just feeling down from the rainy Vancouver weather I would go for drive. Driving down the highway with good music and dark coffee helps me calm down my thoughts. When I am angry and mad it helps me to be patient and understanding. When I am in situation of making decisions, sitting in the driver's seat helps me make wiser choices. It is place where I can express myself and also control my emotions.

           It wasn't only music that I listened to. I often listen to hockey games through the radio. I still remember the AM dial. It was AM 1040 Team AM. They would broadcast every home game. Tickets were had to get, so I could not go to many games, but sitting in the driver seat with the broadcast on, it feels just like I was in the arena. When I open the windows and let the cold winter air flow in, it feels like just like the hockey arena. I would cheer when we score and yell when we take bad penalties or get scored on. It was the best seat in the house.

           Unfortunately I had to sell the car as I left Canada for Korea, and my self-made concert hall is no longer with me, but luckily my father lets me use his car sometimes. I will never forget all the emotions I let out in that little seat. I hope the new owner of the vehicle can experience all the joy I had experience from that seat.

Na Shil Hwang/ Final Draft/ Tues 11

A Friend of Mine

A memory that should have been either locked away, or forgotten comes up around this time every year. It is difficult to call this a painful memory now, and it only stays in my heart. I would reminisce the times I spent with her, how they were joyful and also regrettable. She was not one my closest friends, but we could have been closer. If only I spent more of my time and energy with her.

Her name is Morning Dew. Just like her name, she was beautiful and bright. She was bouncy as a ball, and joyful all the time. She was taller than me just by an inch. She had fair tan skin and bleached brownish hair which was not her natural hair color. She was more familiar with Korean than English, and at your first look, you can notice that she looks very Korean. Not only that, she had a great smile all the time on her face.

I met her in Middle School, when I went to an Outdoor Education camp and all our school branches traveled together. She was from a different branch. I did not meet her on the first day, since it was just orientation and the students were set in different groups. I met her on the second day as we became same groups but in different branches, and was overjoyed to find someone of my age that was Korean just like me made me. During that time, I was lately in to a Korean idol group, and we got along well by singing the group's songs and playing around together. She did have a fair voice as well, we sang until we lost our voices. However, a week went by quickly and we had to say our goodbyes and bid each other farewell.

Two years later, I was able to see her again. This time she came to my school branch, which was the main branch. Frankly, it was quite difficult to recognize her at first when I saw her, since she had changed so much from when I last remembered her. The fair tan skin and her bounciness had disappeared. But being in the same school this time, I was able to know more about her. I was surprised to see that she had memorized her locker combination by using the Korean Soccer Team players, which was rarely memorized by many other Korean people. She was Korean by heart, and was proud being Korean although she did not live in Korea. She loved Korean things, and loved to talk about Korean dramas and TV shows. It made sense when I was able to befriend her due to our matching interests. She was always smiling, and laughing when I met her two years ago, and her personality didn't change much, just her looks.

I had other friends and was in a group, so when I tried to spend more time with Morning Dew because we were both Korean and she was new to our school at that time, one of my other friends was a little jealous since she thought that Morning Dew would take me away from her and our little group. So we decided to invite her into our group. My friends told me that, "We like hanging around together with her, but I think that she is really skinny and weak. Do you know what is happening?" Unfortunately, I did not have a clue. I knew that her characteristics of being sweet and generous did not change, but as I mentioned that I was shocked to see her transformation in only two years, she did not seem to notice that she had changed so much from then. I could not tell her the change up front, since I presumed that it might hurt her feelings.

To make the matters worse, a series of unfortunate events came strolling in. My friend had chipped her teeth by falling accidentally, and she was crying. I had to go with her to the Nurse's Office. While on our way she told me, "I am glad you are my friend. Thank you." She seemed fine, but actually she was not. No one knew that she was anorexic. A few days after she was brought to the nurse's office, she was sent back to Korea. I was not able to see her ever again. She did not come to class, and I knew later on that she had left. Things seemed a little different after she was gone. Everything she had left, in her locker, was still there. I was not able to say good bye to her. I had no idea that she was being sent away so quickly, so no one knew. Four days passed and my friend, Morning Dew had passed away.

The whole school had a memorial service for her the following day of her death. When I heard the news, I could not help but feel a deep regret within myself that I had not given more of my time to be better friends with her. We could have been so close however, I just felt like God had taken her away from me. I cannot remember a day when I cried so much in my whole entire life. The funeral was a memorable day, but the only things I remember was the school, me crying at school, and people talking about her around me. During the memorial service, I remember a little girl say that Morning Dew was her hero. I completely agreed with her since I knew my friend's character and how she lit up my world with cheerfulness as well. I probably was the one who cried the most that day. It still hurts me now when I think about her, but as the years went by, I am hurting less and less. The best thing I remember about her was her smile. She had a great smile. A smile that I would never forget.

 

Tsz Ching LEE/ Ch.3 Final draft/ Tues 3-4

The Another Part Of Me - Final draft

 

After I finished a brief self-introduction in front of the class, my new class teacher held my hand and took me to an empty seat where next to an Asian girl's. "This is Teresa, she is the monitress of our class. She will be willing to help you out and I am sure you two will be good friends." My teacher introduced Teresa to me on the class, it was our first meet. When I was 6, my whole family emigrated to England. Though everything was very new to me after moving to a new environment, I can hardly remember anything in my early childhood but this scene -- the first day I transferred to a new school.

 

Teresa was a smart, helpful and warm-hearted girl. "You are not alone." She said to me someday in the school playground as she tried her best to help me adapting to my new school life. We always stuck together to talk about our favourite food, songs, books, cartoons, and etc. Days by days, we became good friends. Her parents were from Hong Kong as well, but Teresa was born and brought up in England. We were both interested in Cantonese, the main language used for daily conversation in Hong Kong, however we couldn't speak it well. Sometimes, our parents invited us to come to each theirs house for dinner or sleepover, as Teresa and me were able to learn Cantonese from them. We spent most of our time together during 6 years of primary school, and 5 years of secondary school. "I wanna be a lawyer." She always told me. As I remember, we spent lots of time to talk about our dreams and future after we went to the secondary school. 

 

I wasn't clear about what do I want to be in the future. But Teresa seemed have a firm aim to achieve what she wanted to be. There is a saying "One takes on the colour of one's company." She studied very hard, as she wanted to get into the best law school in the future. Although I didn't have a specific goal to reach or to do at that time, I was just affected by Teresa to study hard for the certificate examination. At the meantime, I found my goal is to be a translator. I wanted to go back to my origin to learn about its distinctive culture and social customs. However, it's more difficult for a non-Hong Kong citizens to get into the university in Hong Kong, which requires a high score in the certificate examination, than a normal Hong Kong citizen. But anyway, I just wanted to have a try. We'd almost spend time to study everyday. After a 2-year-long preparation, fortunately, our hard working didn't let us down. The examination result was good enough to get Teresa into the law school where she desired to go to and bring me back to Hong Kong for getting into the university translation department.

 

Our last meet was 3 years ago in London. I went back there during the term break of the university. Although we had hadn't met each other for long, we stilled as close as the older days we spent together. Teresa and me, we were being for witnessing the growth of each other these years. I am gratified that we share the same childhood and our growth through the years. Pursing dream isn't easy for sure, no matter facing good times or hard times. Even we didn't contact for years, I will always believe that there is another friend on the another side of the world is still holding the faith and working hard for her dream like what I am doing.

 

Teresa, we are not alone.

 

Yujeong Suh/ Cha.3 Final draft/ Tues 3-4

Final draft

201301616 Yujeong Suh 서유정

 

My Mother

 

             Every seven o' clock in the morning, the sound of washing rice wakes me up. That is how I get out of my bed every morning. When I get out of my bed, I can see a women cooking for breakfast. She has a small and thin body which resembles that of mine. Except, her height and weight, we have no similarities in the appearances. Over ten years, she has insisted on same hairstyle, fashion and makeup. She has a short haircut above her shoulders and wears a casual t-shirt with her worn-out jeans. One thing is that a few strands of gray hair are telling she is getting old. Still, her eyes are filled with sleeplessness but her hands are moving faster than anyone else because she is preparing for breakfast. For me, my mother has always been the start of my every day.

Whenever I arrive home from my school, she always waits for me. She always asks me, "How was your day with your friends? What have you learned in school?" When I was younger than now, I really hated those questions. I wondered why she asked those trivial and meaningless questions. It bothered me. So, when I was asked the questions, I usually just put my back up on her and ignored her. Despite my rudeness, my mother understood me. However, looking back on those days, I feel shameful. As I grow older, become an undergraduate and face the outer world, I realized that seldom people care me and give interest to me. No one asks those trivial questions that my mother asks to me. Other people are just busy with their own affairs. It is only my mother who always cares and pays attentions no matter how busy she is and how her feeling is. After those series of experiences, I now understand my mother and rather feel thankful to her. It is just the way she tried to communicate with me and understand more about me. Also, our conversations have mostly started with trivial and unnecessary things. So, now, when my mother tries to talk with me, I delightedly answer to her and even I start the conversation in first hand. Therefore, my mother is my best friend who understands me the most.

Throughout my life, I have encountered several hardships. Sometimes I failed at important exams, had trouble with my friends or did bad behaviors in schools. Sometimes, I cried, messed up everything and even blamed others for my faults. However, she has never scolded on me and criticized me. She has always respected me and listened to my words and opinions. She has not treated me as a child but as an equal human being with her. She has advised and mentored me, not ordered to me. This considerate characteristic of her influenced me a lot. Others might say that disciplines and sometimes punishments are needed to make children go on a right path. Actually several other mothers said "Your mother is too kind. If I were your mother, I would treat you tougher." However, I think my mother made a right choice in educating me. Her attitude toward me makes me trust her. It gives me impression that she is always honest when she treats me. It also affected how I confront other people in the world. I try to act as my mother when I face other people in schools and society. I try to listen and think at their point of view rather than forcing my view to them. Therefore, my mother is the best mentor, supporter and role model.

My mother is an ordinary housewife with her husband and two daughters. Just as most other housewives, she spends most of her day in her house with her family. She might seem not special to others. However, she is a woman whom I admire and love the most. My mother has played many roles in my life. She is a multi-player. She acts as a mother, my best friend, mentor and many other roles. If someone asks me who has influenced you the most throughout your life, I will answer that it is my mother. Although she just a small and thin lady, the effect that she has influenced is tremendous to me.

Ju Hye Choi_Ch. 3 Final Draft_201203623

 

Midnight in Paris

 

 

 

 

 

     One late night in Paris, my friend and I roamed around the crowded city to find a quiet place to rest. But every step we made was like stepping on nothing. Rooms were too expensive, cheap places seemed chancy and even the train station we were hoping to stay up all night closed. The night only got deeper and colder leaving us footsore after hours of searching. We began to lose hope until we saw a familiar hotel sign and decided to stay in the hotel lobby. This was when I first met Nadir.

 

 

     He was the receptionist of the hotel. He was dark skinned, average-height and was wearing a neat black suit with a navy neck tie. He had a short brush cut hair slightly wavy and had large-lidded dark eyes with managerial eyebrows that gave him a soft impression. His face was oval and he had two different smiles. One where his nose would flatten as his cheekbones raised to meet his eyes and one where he had the Mona Lisa smile looking mysterious and deep in thought. His first impression was overall presentable and comfortable looking 40.

 

 

     When our eyes first met, I was apprehensive about how he would react when I was about to ask him if we could stay in the lobby till dawn to catch our train in the morning. The lobby was warm and welcoming with wide and cozy sofas but feeling guilty we could not rest. In the end, we ended up standing in front of the hotel desk.  

 

 

           "Bonjour…Hi. My friend and I would like to ask if we could stay here in the lobby till dawn. We have a train to catch in the morning so, well, we did not make any room       reservations…Do you mind if we stay in the lobby for a while?" I asked anxiously. Then he gave me that Mona Lisa smile that raised my heartbeat. I felt uneasy until he took the sting out of everything when he said, 'I've been there. I was once a college student. Hold on a second, let me see what I can do.' His words were brief yet profound. After a little while, he offered us a key.

 

 

"Here is a room key. A pilot reserved a room, stayed for three hours and left so the room is vacant. You guys can stay there."

 

 

"Really?" We asked in amazement because it was one of the expensive hotels in Paris.

 

 

"Yes." He replied genuinely leaving us speechless.

 

 

     As we entered the hotel room, it was like going from rags to riches. We jumped up and down on the bed like little children, we did not know how else to thank him. Later that night however, we were able to treat him some dessert after his work. My friend and I went down to the lobby and asked whether we could treat him. He said, "Sure," and this was when I got to know Nadir, not as the receptionist but as a man himself.

 

 

     Dressed up casually, he offered us a ride to a near café where we talked about life and people. This was when he talked about passing forward. A woman one day, peeked through the hotel door where he was working in the morning. Looking impatient, she asked if she can use the restroom. He responded yes with a smile but little did he know his yes would lead to a free ticket to a costly event that he had longed to visit in the United States. Later he found out she was an important person in the film industry and he really appreciated her hospitality. It left a positive impression on him he wanted to pass forward the kindness that was passed on to him.

 

 

     As he finished his last word, everything fell into places his hospitality and kindness which led to hours of getting to know each other. After all Nadir was a warm-hearted man who loved to take risks, who loved to play his guitar and who so treasured the goodness in life. He was a thoughtful man who showed through actions what little act of kindness can do. Now whenever I think of Paris, I am reminded of Nadir and his words to  pass forward.

Ju Hye Choi_Ch.3 Final Draft_201203623

 

Midnight in Paris

 

     One late night in Paris, my friend and I roamed around the crowded city to find a quiet place to rest. But every step we made was like stepping on air. Rooms were too expensive, cheap places seemed chancy and even the train station we were hoping to stay up all night closed. The night only got deeper and colder leaving us footsore after hours of searching. We began to lose hope until we saw a familiar hotel sign and decided to stay in the hotel lobby. This was when I first met Nadir.

     He was the receptionist of the hotel. He was dark skinned, average-height and was wearing a neat black suit with a navy neck tie. He had a short brush cut hair slightly wavy and had large-lidded dark eyes with managerial eyebrows that gave him a soft impression. His face was oval and he had two different smiles. One where his nose would flatten as his cheekbones raised to meet his eyes and one where he had the Mona Lisa smile looking mysterious and deep in thought. His first impression was overall presentable and comfortable looking 40.

     When our eyes first met, I was apprehensive about how he would react when I was about to ask him if we could stay in the lobby till dawn to catch our train in the morning. The lobby was warm and welcoming with wide and cozy sofas but feeling guilty we could not rest. In the end, we ended up standing in front of the hotel desk.  

           "Bonjour…Hi. My friend and I would like to ask if we could stay here in the lobby till dawn. We have a train to catch in the morning so, well, we did not make any room       reservations…Do you mind if we stay in the lobby for a while?" I asked anxiously. Then he gave me that Mona Lisa smile that raised my heartbeat. I felt uneasy until he took the sting out of everything when he said, 'I've been there. I was once a college student. Hold on a second, let me see what I can do.' His words were brief yet profound. After a little while, he offered us a key.

"Here is a room key. A pilot reserved a room, stayed for three hours and left so the room is vacant. You guys can stay there."

"Really?" We asked in amazement because it was one of the expensive hotels in Paris.

"Yes." He replied genuinely leaving us speechless.

     As we entered the hotel room, it was like going from rags to riches. We jumped up and down on the bed like little children, we did not know how else to thank him. Later that night however, we were able to treat him some dessert after his work. My friend and I went down to the lobby and asked whether we could treat him. He said, "Sure," and this was when I got to know Nadir, not as the receptionist but as a man himself.

     Dressed up casually, he offered us a ride to a near café where we talked about life and people. This was when he talked about passing forward. A woman one day, peeked through the hotel door where he was working in the morning. Looking impatient, she asked if she can use the restroom. He responded yes with a smile but little did he know his yes would lead to a free ticket to a costly event that he had longed to visit in the United States. Later he found out she was an important person in the film industry and he really appreciated her hospitality. It left a positive impression on him he wanted to pass forward the kindness that was passed on to him.

     As he finished his last word, everything fell into places his hospitality and kindness which led to hours of getting to know each other. After all Nadir was a warm-hearted man who loved to take risks, who loved to play his guitar and who so treasured the goodness in life. He was a thoughtful man who showed through actions what little act of kindness can do. Now whenever I think of Paris, I am reminded of Nadir and his words to  pass forward.

 

 

Jihee Won/ Final draft for ch.3/ Tues 11-1

Oh, my god! I finally got accepted! After one more year of studying, I became a freshman of Arabic department. And it was at a welcome party for freshmen that I first met my friend Jung-hyun. We only knew each other's phone number through an internet homepage for Arabic department freshmen of 2013. We – six friends including me and her- promised to meet in advance at school cafeteria before party starts. At first, I was a little bit afraid to meet new friends. Though we had lots of conversation through mobile messengers, we didn't see each other face to face! Anyway, few minutes after my arrival, I saw a girl approaching me and it was her. While waiting for others, we became friendlier because both of us were very talkative. When all of us met, we ordered pork cutlets for lunch and shared our expectations as a freshmen.

 

Jung-hyun and I were in same group during the party and we found a surprising thing in common. We were born on same day, March 31th!

"What a coincidence!" We screamed in a surprise!

 

Winter passed, and our first semester in HUFS began. At that time, Jung-hyun was the only one among five close friends of mine who lived in Imun-dong. She lived near school back gate. As it was our first semester, we got really tired after taking Arabic classes. Three hours of grammar classes were too sleepy! After class, we used to go her house and sleep until dinner time. Usually, she made dinner for us after nap. She was a good cook; especially good at making rolled omelets, noodles, and oil pastas. Also she prepared various kinds of foods which she invented. I can't remember names of her food but they were absolutely delicious!

 

She also loves reading comic books and watching dramas. Every time I visit her house, she is always watching new dramas that I didn't see before.

"You were watching Game of thrones last week, didn't you?"

"Yes, I was but I had finished it and now watching Attack of Titans since yesterday. Sit here and let's watch it together".

Though it was midterm examination period, she continued watching new dramas. We watched dramas for hours and slept until the alarm clock rang. Hearing the alarm, which was set to ring at 8pm, we got up and packed our bags. We headed to school library to prepare our exams. When I look back, sometimes I think spending hours like this during the exam period was not an appropriate behavior but I don't regret it because we really had fun!

 

There is a saying that "Joy is doubled and sadness is halved when shared". We were always together when we were having fun; however she was also next to me in my gloomiest times. Last winter, I had a big argument with my parents and without thinking where to go, I just stepped out of my house. I called her if it is ok to stay with. I didn't have any money in my pocket because I didn't get allowances from parents. Without hesitance, she said yes. When I arrived at her house, she already prepared meals for me. After dinner, she bought bottles of beer and we talked about my situation: why I had such a big argument with my parents. She listened without a word and made sincere comments for me. We watched a movie together and I felt more relaxed. The next day, she had to go back to her home in Incheon, but I hadn't made any reconciliation with my parents yet. She told me " Why don't you stay for one more day? It doesn't matter. I have an appointment with my parents so I cannot stay with you today but feel at home as if it's your own room." I was so sorry and thankful to her.

 

It's been almost two years since we met. She is still one of my best friends in this university and we didn't have any trouble yet. I think that's because we have so much things in common; almost same GPA, life patterns, and personality. I appreciate having such a nice friend and want to continue our relationship forever.

Soohee Oh / The final draft #2 / Tues 11-1

Another mother   "Hi!" An excited voice penetrated into my room; it was my new homestay mom, Ruth. She was very tall and seemed like she did not care about her appearance much. Scanning her from head to toe, I noticed a very short hair with a somewhat old pair of glasses, a pair of jeans and a red fluffy jumper. She took all my baggage and loaded them into her car. "It's freezing! Let me turn on the heat for ya" She pressed some button and the 10 year-old looking car began to blow some warm air onto my face. As soon as we arrived home, she showed me my room and the entire house. My room was preheated; and I felt she seemed like such a caring person, about not only her family but other people around her. It was one of the cold winter morning but she seemed to be someone who would spread her positive, confident energy into the cold air. She used to be a pastor and a consultant at a church. The reason why she decided to become a pastor is that she used to be a bad student at school but after she met God, she was completely changed. She began to take care of herself and of her people. Now I was one of her people. Even though I was not a Christian, she said many encouraging words to me whenever I was depressed or disappointed with myself. One day, I took a quiz at school. Since I was a typical Asian student, I was not satisfied with the score which was below 90. With a sad face, I got into Ruth's car after school. "You look so sad. What happened, Soohee?" said Ruth. Then I told her that I got a bad score on a quiz and could not get off of the result. "Well, when you think of your life as a big picture, one small mistake will not ruin the entire picture." After hearing this from her, I was in shock, realizing how unsatisfied and discouraged I was throughout my life. To me, it was a very simple yet powerful advice, making me rethink about my attitude toward life. I used to be someone who was never satisfied with what I had and what I got. However, I liked all the words she said - "You will have another chance" or "You got B on the essay? That's great!" These positive and encouraging compliments actually kept me going rather than depressing me. In the end of my life in Canada, the biggest change for me was the positive, tolerant mind and attitude towards me and other people around me. On the day I left her house for Korea, she gave me a huge hug and patted on my back. On the flight, I noticed a letter from her, saying she was truly glad to have me and believes I can do a good job in Korea as I did in Canada. Bursting into tears, I promised myself not to forget her and what I learned from her.

Jieun Kim/ the final draft/ tues 11-1

Unpredicted Love

           Even before I started going to Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, the whole school was going onto an orientation trip. I was very excited since it was the first time meeting people from our department and I was hoping to get to know a lot of friends and get closer.

           On the recreation time of the second day, we were supposed to do a talent show in groups, where we would dance, sing, or recreate a famous gag program. This is where I met this guy, Dong Hyeon Lee. His skin was a bit dark and he wore glasses. He was not that tall but neither was he small. He was very slim and he had a mischievous look on his face. I clearly remember him because his group mimicked a famous gag program and in the process, he ripped off his shirt. Not entirely, but I could almost see his belly. It was a visual shock. I never expected to see a part of another guy's upper body. And the feeling of surprise and shock was his first impression.

           However, as hours passed by, I found out that he seemed to be very humorous and he hung out with others very, very well. I envied him because I was so shy to hang out with others like him. His smile was like a bright sunshine. This was mainly because even though he did not look younger than his actual age, he laughed like a 7-year-old boy. His laugh was naïve and pure. It made other people laugh as well. Also, his fashion sense was incredible. Since, it was very cold and windy at that time, everybody was wearing jeans. However, he was the only one to wear shorts with red leggings underneath them. It would sound weird to hear that a person wore red leggings under shorts, but I never thought it was weird. Actually, he looked very fashionable. His group members constantly laughed at his jokes and he looked very proud of himself and confident.

           I really never thought that I would get close with him. However, surprisingly, he is now my boyfriend who I have been dating for over a year. He still laughs in a way that makes other people laugh as well. Also, he still sometimes wear weird but fashionable clothes that other people might question. However, everyday he says something to me in a soft, warm voice, "I love you and I will love you forever."  

Lee Jong-ho / The final draft / Tues 3,4

When thinking of my friend, HS, I feel both gratitude and worry. I am grateful to him for being my good friend. I do not recall how we became friends. We were from the same highschool, and from a certain point of my memory we were friends. I have only a few friends, but I never picked one to have him for my friend. We became friends naturally as we spent our time together. That is how I make friends. HS makes me worry because, from what he says, his life is ruined. He still has a few semesters to go, grade low, not yet served in the military, nor has a job. He told me that he works part-time in an English class, but I do not think he puts a lot of effort in it.

He is a tall, skinny guy. I am that sort of person but he is even taller and even skinnier than me. Also, he doesn't have fat in the stomach, which I does…… I think that is because he plays sports but I do not. I cannot say that he likes to play sports, though. He does play soccer and basketball with other friends, but never called others to play sports with him. That is good to me because I hate to play sports. We play video games or drink together. But we do not share much part of our hobbies.

When we meet and talk, with alcohol most of the times, he always hear me and tell me many things. Though our opinions do not always match, it is nice to have someone to tell my worries and expectations. Oftentimes guys' talk just becomes a talk about girls. He always says that his goal of the life is to meet the prettiest woman. I do not think that is a stupid idea, but I do think that is an impossible one. He is too realistic to meet the prettiest girl. Unlike me, he always had a girlfriend. The thing is that he seems quite content with the relationships, and that is good for him. HS is a person who needs someone around him.

Recently he went to the boot camp. He, however, will not be serving in the military. He was chosen as the social service because of the record about his ankle. He got the surgery and tried multiple times to get selected as the social sevice. That is good for his ankle, but he wasted about a year for that. He is 26 now and when he serve in the social service, we will spend two more years. Sometimes I think he takes life too comfortably. He has plans but does not seem to be working on it. I really hope that he graduates before he is in 30.

Han Gyul Kim/The final draft/Tues3-4

201200909 Han Gyul Kim

My Brother

             It was cold winter when he was born. I still remember that I went to the hospital to see my mom and a newborn brother in the early morning of January, 14 years ago. He is my oldest sibling, who is six years younger than me, among two brothers and one sister. But, he is my best friend in our family, even though there is a big age gap between us.

             He doesn't look like the typical boys of his age. His long, wavy hair reaches his shoulder which seems to be too long for a boy, and his skin is white as if he has never been outside. Although he eats a lot, he never gains his weight. As a brother, sometimes it's a quite pity to see his skinny body.

             We were not a good friend for each other from the beginning. When he was a baby and I was an elementary school student, I really hated him because I thought he was the one who stole my mom's love from me. Mom had to take care of him twenty-four seven, so eventually she couldn't look after me much. Until he became ten, we fought day and night.

By the time my brother became ten years old, both of my parents were working outside since my mom went back to work. Eventually, only two of us had to spend time together after school, so it was my responsibility to take care of him as an older brother. Since then, I started to find out how much alike we are, and how fun it is to play with him. Unlike me, he was good at playing games, so he taught me how to play certain games and I loved those times. We especially liked to play Super Mario, and it was huge pleasure for me that he achieved something that I had never been able to do. Even these days, we play certain games together though we live apart. Still, I always find that he is better than me.

             Although he is such a great friend of mine, he had some trouble with his peers in school. Since my family except me and dad moved to Jeju Island, my brother transferred to the middle school near the new home. However, he failed to adapt to the new surroundings. So he became a homeschooler, studied by himself, and recently passed a qualification exam equivalent to middle school graduation. I think the fact that he quitted school is not important. He is still a good brother, a good friend of mine, and at the same time good son for my parents.

Bo-won Kim/the final draft/ Tues 3-4

A star in my house

201300489 Bo-won Kim

 

There is a star shining brightly in my house. Always shining, no matter how late I go home. The star is my dad. These days, I go home late due to studying for upcoming exams. Whenever I go home, the house is dark with no single lights on. However, I can sense a single light from the living room even I cannot see it with my bare eyes. The light is coming from my dad, who has been waiting for my safe return all night long.

Last night, I returned home at approximately ten o'clock. Not as usual, the house was filled with noises coming from a TV and my sister laughing. "I'm home" I yelled and went straightly to my room and lay on my bed. Tired from studying all day long, I dragged my body to the living room to watch my favorite TV show. I would have been more than happy to lie on the sofa, but there was my dad, sleeping on the sofa. "Why is he sleeping on the sofa? Can't he go into his room?" I asked my sister with an annoyed face. "Don't make that face. He was waiting for you." she said. I could not say anything.

I looked at my dad sleeping. He was sleeping as if he has no worries or concerns in this world. I didn't realize what it means when my dad said "time flies" until that night. His wrinkled face tells how old he is and that he is not a dad used to hang out with me anymore. I looked at him closely. Maybe that was the first time I have ever looked at his face that close. He had a rough skin form all day working and his drooping lips made his face look older.

Everyone always used to say that my dad and I look just the same and called us clones. For the past twenty years, I have denied it for I hated to hear that. After looking into my dad's face, I understood why people called us clones. I look just like him and I'm not ashamed of it anymore.

 His pajama was all worn out. I assumed it was because he did not care about his outfits. But it wasn't. It was because he had no time to look out for himself, for he has to care for his two children. Suddenly I could feel his love towards me and my sister.

 "Oh, you came" said my dad, waking up. "So, how did your day go?" I started the conversation, remembering the old days my dad and I spent together. Surprised at me starting a conversation, his eyes were wide for a few seconds. Soon, his face was filled with smile as mine. We spent all night talking, not realizing how my favorite TV show ended.

 There is a star shining brightly in my house and it's never going to explode. It looks out for my home and my family, not sleeping all day. The star seems tired for having done so but is always smiling, saying "I'm OK." The star will shine even more brightly with care and love from my family. We will protect the star as the time goes by and one day, I will be a star just like my dad. 

 

 

 

Hye-In Jo / Ch3. Final draft / Tues 11 am

My elder sister

 

Her name is Su-in. She is 26 years old. Whenever I go out with her, we are often told that we look like friends, not sisters. What's worse, I'm almost always told that I look older than her. How sad it is! I always correct people's misconception, saying I'm three years younger than her. The reason why people think that way lies in the differences of our appearances. My sister has a long black hair with a bang with I have a long brown hair without a bang. She is smaller than me and she weighs more. She has a rounded face with big and round eyes and plump cheeks. Compared to her, I look sharp. And fashion styles are really different, too. I prefer to wear fancy clothes such as lace blouse and colorful skirt. But she likes simple designs and monotonous colors. To put it simple, she looks favorable, kind and agreeable while I look chic or cold.

When I was a preschooler and an elementary student, I was really selfish and rude. When my mom had me and my sister do an errand and go to a supermarket to buy things, I usually told my sister to hold a heavy shopping bag where all the groceries were put. But right before we opened the house door, I snatched the bag from her. After we entered the door, I lied to my mom that I held the shopping bag all the way from the supermarket. I was really wicked. Although she might have been really angry, she didn't scold me at all. She just did nothing. But things changed as we grew older. When I was 12 or 13 years old, she started to physically discipline me to punish my misbehavior instead of my mom. At that time, I was really hated her but after all, I learned what I was doing was a bad and rude behavior. And she made me a better person who is more considerate of others. And I thank her for transforming me.

Since I became an adult, she and I have become like friends. She no longer treats me like a spoiled child. She depends on me and I count on her. We talk with each other about everything such as our interests and our concerns, so much so that we often fall asleep late at night after hours-long heart-to-heart conversations. She is my best friend.

Tsz Ching LEE / Ch.3 first draft / Tues 11am

The Another Part Of Me

 

After I finished a brief self-introduction in front of the class, my new class teacher held my hand and took me to an empty seat next to an Asian girl. "This is Teresa, she is the monitress of our class. She will be willing to help you out and I am sure you two will be good friends." My teacher introduced Teresa to me. It was our first meet. When I was 6, my whole family emigrated to England. I can hardly remember anything in my early childhood but this scene -- the first day I transferred to a new school.

 

Teresa was a smart, helpful and warm-hearted girl. "You are not alone." She said to me someday as she tried her best to help me adapting to my new school life. Her parents were from Hong Kong as well, but Teresa was born and brought up in England. Sometimes, her parents invited me to come to their house for dinner. We always stuck together to talk about our favourite food, songs, books, cartoons, and etc. Days by days, we became good friends. We spent most of our time together during 6 years of primary school, and 5 years of secondary school. "I wanna be a lawyer." She always told me. As I remember, we spent lots of time to talk about our dreams and future after we went to the secondary school. 

 

I wasn't clear about what do I want to be in the future. But Teresa seemed have a firm aim to achieve what she wanted to be. There is a saying "One takes on the colour of one's company." She studied very hard, as she wanted to get into the best law school in the future. Although I didn't have a specific goal to reach at that time, I was just affected by Teresa to study hard for the certificate examination. We almost studied everyday, and at the meantime, I found my goal is to be a translator. Fortunately, our hard working didn't let us down. Teresa got into the law school where she desired to go to, and the examination result was good enough to bring me back to Hong Kong for getting into the university translation department.

 

Teresa and me, we were being for witnessing the growth of each other these years. I am gratified that we share the same childhood and our growth through the years.  Even we didn't contact for years, I believe she is still there. Pursing dream isn't easy for sure, no matter facing good times or hard times, I will always believe that there is another friend on the another side of the world is still holding the faith and working hard for her dream like what I am doing.

 

Teresa, we are not alone.