As I bitched a lot in my last post I'm in a beter head space after a full weekend with my boyfriend :) First weekend with him since we've been dating and it made the weekend so much longer and pleasurable etc etc so I really feel rested :)

I try everyday to adapt to Korean customs etc but I seem to always make little mistakes ..

Today I want to talk about the Korean mother role as I see it.
Korean mothers are kick ass strong women!! As much as you would think they are slaves in the home at first apearance- fark, are they respeted and admired :) Its really sweet!

I'm not sure if it's only Jong Youns family, but he really respects his mum, putting her on a pedistool constantly. Cooking and cleaning is the mothers job- getting the money in is the fathers..spending that money is often primarily the mothers job.. often becuase its spent on the children.

The mother is in charge of preparing all of the special food for ceremonies. she keeps her own name but when it comes to the ceremonies, they only celebrate the mans side of the family.. if there are no boys then their ancestry is lost..so you can see why they want a Boy! Who wants their ancestry to be forgotten??!

Cute little things for getting a baby boy are- touching the nose of the grandfather statues often found on Jeju island.. and if you drink soju.. then the last shot to be poured shows you if you will be given a boy or girl.. below half is a girl, over half is a boy :)

The role of women is changing in Korea as many women have opted for a successful career path.. pretty much the same story as in western society but I wonder what this will mean for the men in the years to come? Will they be expected to share in the house work?

i realised one again, how special my boyfriend is the other night. One of my students was teaching me how to be what I call "korean cute". Saying " I like Chicken, Booing booing" acompanied with shoulder movements and twisty hand movements in oder to be cuter.
I couldn't do it because I hate being fake cute, it makes me ridiculously un comfortable that I cant help but laugh.. and turns out this was a good thing becuase Jong Youn, in his straight up manner, was not impressed and declared he hated fakeness, prefering natural charm ;)
hahahaha the shock from my student was priceless.. she said.. oh your bf and I are the same age but, he thinks very old and most korean men like "booing booing.weird shoulder movements* and fakeness" btw, she has got the art of cuteness down to a tee and it suits her I think... but its not for me and luckily, it's not for my bf either :).

Tonight, we have another family ceremonial dinner.. I feel like we are always celebrating something!! In NZ we have far less special days than here but I guess on those days, like xmas, bdays and easter, we go all out and make a big thing of it.. I get a little nervous at these things becuase I'm scared I'll get lazy and not pay respect properly in some way. Especially at night when i feel lazy already! Like lastnight, Jong Youn told me off becuase I didnt sit upright or stand up when his father said thankyou for the dessert I made.. but I'm at the stage where I felt so comfortable at the time that I didn't feel like I had to becuase if I were in NZ then I wouldn't have and in NZ we are soooooo relaxed about formalities! Ahhh i have to keep reminding myself! But when it's late at night and after feeling like I'm home again becuase they're so lovely to me I get lazy and forget.. ahhh... then i get in trouble with Jong Youn.. hahahaha