Double The Holidays With Half The Days Off

So today there are not one, but two holidays going on in Korea (you gotta love the presence of both lunar and Gregorian calendars). The first holiday, 부처님 오신 날 (Buddha's Birthday), is what is known as a "red day." In Korea national holidays are marked with red numerals on calendars. The second holiday is "Teacher's Day," which is about as important as National Secretary Day. There is no day off, but as a teacher I look forward to Teacher's Day, because it means free loot for the likes of me.

The thing is, in Korea holidays move around. In the states Martin Luther King Jr. Day always falls on a Monday, here the holiday will move around. So if a holiday falls on a Sunday you're s.o.l. Today is one of those days, since it is Sunday, there is no Buddhist party time bonus day off. Additionally due to the fact that Teacher's Day fell on Sunday I probably missed out on some free loot.

Now don't get me wrong, I still scored some gifts...check 'em out yo!


My Teacher's Day gifts, I got some "scented packets" (they're like the Pine Tree Airfresheners for your house), some handkerchiefs, shower gel, two wacky moss / plant things that reside in and pop out of picture frames (like that painting in that one episode of Friends), some little painting thing that a grandmother would put on their mantle, and a picture frame.

In addition to that sweet loot, the kids I tutor took me out to lunch yesterday which was pretty rad. We had some 함흥냉면 and 만두 that was the size of my hand. It being the day before Teacher's Day, the restaraunt was loaded with high school kids taking their teachers to lunch. It was kind of odd, that I was classified as a teacher, yet was clad in some redankulous Salvation Army tee shirt, and Converse sneakers, as opposed to a tie and hideous sweater vest like the other "teachers."

Anyhow I have important Buddhist stuff to attend to today...like washing some towels and going to the supermarket. Take it easy people.