The House of Reunion
Every Chusuk, people visit their reletives usually on their father's side. Anchors talk on the news all day that even though the traffic is terrible, it is a happy way back home. I don't agree to that. Not that my family stays home in Chusuk, or there are no traffic on our way to the relatives. I mean it's not a happy return. You can use the word happy return on a journey you can't wait to arrive, the journey you don't even want to spare a little time for the exciting rest stop, For me, the happy return home is when we visit my grandmother.
I feel sorry for my father. After all, Chusuk is the only time he meets his family. However, for we have a minor family issue due to different characters, I feel uncomfortable there. So I wait for another big family event- Grandmother's birthday.
She is my mother's mother and lives in Busan. It's much harder and takes a longer time to get there, but the trip to her house is the most exciting time for me. Her house is only a tiny two-story house on a hill where there are never enough room to put your shoes. Even the bathroom got kicked out on to the roof, due to the lack of space. The sliding door rattles like a tin can whenever gust of wind rushes in through the window and the narrow stairs are so steep, I sometimes feel like I am climbing them. However, everyone who comes through the old rusty front door has a big smile on their faces. The small opening is full of shout of joy and welcome. It is the place of reunion.
The whole family gathers on her birthday and stays for a night there. When everyone arrives, we have a big meal in the small livingroom packed with almost 20 adults; Four families, grandma and couple of her relatives and acquaintances. Still, no one complains about the room. After we sing happy birthday and finish our cake, the adults and children seperate. The adults talk and play games on the second floor and children stay on the first floor, doing whatever they want. When we were young, we used to play pillow fights and pretended we were at war. Now, for we are all older, we talk about our life and drink. It feels like home when I am with them, when I can feel the strong bond between us. Even dad seems like he enjoys visiting my grandma more than visiting his family. He laughs and talks more.
Nowadays, we started to rent a condo to celebrate our grandma's birthday. The families each take turn choosing and renting the place. Even though the location changed from grandma's house to an unknown and unfamiliar place, I regard it as home because grandma's house is now a symbolical place where in the core, it can anywhere where my grandmother is. So I feel comfortable wherever we go, for there I reunite with my loving family and that's where i regard as my grandma's house.
Writer’s name: Choi Hyo Jung / Reader’s name: Bo-won Kim
ReplyDelete1. Every words seem alive for the whole writing was a very clear description. I could imagine myself there.
2. It was a very clear description but I don’t understand the first two paragraphs well. Because I don’t think those parts were essential in the writing.
3. Mostly I could sense a ‘sight’ but there were also ‘hearing’ from “Now, for we are all older, we talk about our life and drink”
4. The place is filled with happiness and I can also sense it from the writer. The writer seems to be full of joy and excitement when she visits there.
5. As the writer has mention in the writing, she feels a strong bond with her family(on her mother’s side) and she cannot wait for her grandmother’s birthday again for it is the day she can meet all of her families.
6. Everything is nice except the first two paragraphs, I think it would be better without them.
The House of Reunion. Choi HyoJung
ReplyDeleteIn every major traditional holiday such as Chusuk, anchors talk on the news all day that even though the traffic is terrible, it is a happy way back home. You can use the term happy return on a journey you can't wait to arrive, the journey you don't even want to spare a little time for the exciting rest stop. For me, the happy return home is when we visit my grandmother.
She is my mother's mother and lives in Busan. It might sound boring spending a huge amount of time in the back seat of the car, but it is the most exciting time for me. Her house is only a tiny two-story house on a hill where there are never enough room to put your shoes. Even the bathroom got kicked out on to the roof, due to the lack of space. The moment I step in through the door, the familiar smell of old wall paper and wooden closet surrounds me. The sliding wooden doors rattle like a tin can whenever a gust of wind rushes in through the window, and the narrow stairs are so steep, I sometimes feel like I am literally climbing them with all fours. However, everyone who comes through the old rusty front door has a big smile on their faces. The small opening becomes full of happy shouts of joy and welcome. It is the place of reunion.
The whole family gathers on her birthday and stays for a night there. When everyone arrives, we have a big meal in the small living room packed with almost 20 adults; four families, grandma and couple of her relatives and acquaintances. Still, no one complains about the space. There are always plenty of fresh sushi and specially seasoned meat. After we sing happy birthday and finish our cake, the adults and children separate. The adults talk and play games on the second floor and children stay on the first floor, doing whatever they want. When we were young, we used to play pillow fights and pretended we were at war, carrying the hard pillows like a weapon rather than the soft ones. Now, for we are all older, we talk about our life while drinking. It feels like home when I am with them, because I can feel the strong bond between us. Even dad seems like he enjoys visiting my grandma more than visiting his family. He laughs and talks more.
Nowadays, we started to rent a condo to celebrate our grandma's birthday. Even though the location changed from grandma's house to an unknown and unfamiliar place, I regard it as home because grandma's house is now a symbolical place where in the core, it can be anywhere if my grandmother is there. So I feel comfortable wherever we go, for there I reunite with my loving family and that's where I regard as my grandma's house.
The House of Reunion. Choi HyoJung
ReplyDeleteIn every major traditional holiday such as Chusuk, anchors talk on the news all day that even though the traffic is terrible and you have to wait hours and hours stuck in the same road, it is a happy way back to hometown. You can use the term happy return on a journey you can't wait to arrive, the journey you don't even want to spare a little time for the rest stop where you can enjoy snacks and drivers can stretch their stiff legs. For me, the happy return home is when we visit my grandmother and I regard it as my second home. Grandma's house is now more like a symbolical place where in the core, it can be anywhere my grandmother is.
She is my mother's mother and lives in Busan. It might sound boring spending a huge amount of time in the back seat of the car, but it is the most exciting time for me. Her house is only a tiny two-story house on a hill where there are never enough room to put your shoes. Even the bathroom got kicked out on to the roof, due to the lack of space. The moment I step in through the door, the familiar smell of old wall paper and wooden closet surrounds me. The sliding wooden doors rattle like a tin can whenever a gust of wind rushes in through the window, and the narrow stairs are so steep, I sometimes feel like I am literally climbing them with all fours. However, everyone who comes through the old rusty front door has a big smile on their faces. The small opening becomes full of happy shouts of joy and welcome. It is the place of reunion.
The whole family gathers on her birthday and stays for a night there. When everyone arrives, we have a big meal in the small living room packed with almost 20 adults; four families, grandma and couple of her relatives and acquaintances. Still, no one complains about the space. There are always plenty of fresh sushi and specially seasoned meat. After we sing happy birthday and finish our cake, the adults and children separate. The adults talk and play games on the second floor and children stay on the first floor, doing whatever they want. When we were young, we used to play pillow fights and pretended we were at war, carrying the hard pillows like a weapon rather than the soft ones. Now, for we are all older, we talk about our life while drinking. It feels like home when I am with them, because I can feel the strong bond between us. Even dad seems like he enjoys visiting my grandma more than visiting his family. He laughs and talks more.
Nowadays, we started to rent a condo to celebrate our grandma's birthday. Even though the location changed from grandma's house to an unknown and unfamiliar place, but I feel comfortable wherever we go to spend time with her, for there I reunite with my loving family and that's where I regard as my grandma's house.