A passenger ship wreck, and great grief

  A passenger ship wreck, and great grief

          A couple of days passed by after a passenger
         ship, Sewol, got into a huge accident.
         The ship was on the way from Inchon harbor to Jeju
         Island, on Apr.16,2014, transporting 476 people.
         Most of the people were high school students taking
         their field trip to Jeju Island.

              Many passed away and still missing in that accident.
         Day after day, time after time, all the medias- TV, 
         radio, newspapers, internet-are reporting the news
         and sending out laments without stopping.
         Not only the families of the casualties but also all the
         nation are in deep sadness and sorrow.
         What young innocent high school boys and girls are
         mostly the victims of the sinking makes us even more
         desperate.

              The bright colored spring, all of a sudden, has
         turned dark gray over the country, Korea.
         Even though beautiful kinds of flowers are starting
         blooming around us, hundreds of the youth have gone
         even before their blossoms of life begin.

              The death of them is surely not their own fault,
         it's because of the sins of grown ups and the leaders
         of our society who are corrupt.
         Our society has lost honest, integrity, responsibility,
         faithfulness, trust, and good moralities. On the contrary
         we are getting greedy for whatever we want to get.

              Every time the politicians make laws and rules, 
         but they don't obey them. The leaders in every part
         of our society are even more dishonest in everything
         they do. That's why the others don't keep the laws,
         either. The ship wreck happened as an extension of
         this corruption.
         It seems like we are living in a dangerous wildlife;
         nobody can protect us from any harm.
   
              This is our nation's self-portrait.

              All the nation are still grieving on the death of the
         innocent people.
         But I want to say to stop crying, to hold back our
         tears. Instead we,grown ups, especially the leaders
         who should be roll models in our society, apologize
         sincerely to our young generation for what we have
         done wrong so far,and take next step to rebuild our              life healthy. Let's try such disaster never break out                again.

              Rebuilding our country healthy is not a hard work,
         I think so.
         It is not up to the politicians, or the leaders.
         There's no hope in them. It is up to me, you.

               Let's try not to tell a lie.
               Let's be honest and do our best in all we do.
               Let's try to keep even the smallest rules in our
               dairy life.
               Let's not expect the others get our society back                  on track.
               Let's do it myself first
             

     Spring, I brought it into my house

             The news from radio announces that this year

              the spring has come 18 days earlier than as usual.

               I brought the spring into the veranda of my house;

              lettuce, chicory that I sowed on Mar.11 have

              already shown their shoots and are growing prettily.

              Seeing them every morning makes me smile.

               Today, young leafed mustards and wild angelica

              seeds were joined in them.

               It seems the cold winter has really gone.

               I love springtimes most.

               All the natures around me start shining their own

               colors.

   

 

               < Spring time, in Pa-ju, S.Korea>

                    Now I'm living in a small town, which is located in the city
                         of Pa-ju, S.Korea.
                         This town can be divided in two sections - old one and new one-
                         Old one means that houses, streets, and everything in it are
                         almost old; new built buildings and apartment complexes are on
                         the new section.
                         I'm living in an apartment on the new section.

                            In these days the weather is so attractive that I go out
                            to enjoy the spring.
                            It has almost been 7 months ever since my family moved in here.
                            This is my first spring in this town.
                            How fabulous it is! I can feel beautiful spring here and there.
                            Forsythia and magnolia are in full bloom, followed by
                            azaleas and cherry blossoms.
                            Tiny violets are shining in the sun, and weekend farmers are
                            hustling and bustling out in the field.
                            It seems like all the living things are coming out of deep sleep.

                            Everything looks pretty!       Spring makes me feel happy!!!

    

         

The 11th Yanghwajin Jazz Concert

                    The 11th Yanghwajin Jazz Concert

                 - Piano and Voice : Malo . Cho Yoonseung Duo Concert -

                                 Jazz Concert was performed in the church yard,

                                 at 8:00 p.m.

                                 on Thur. May 30, 2013.

                                 The church which I became a member recently

                                 always try to communicate with the local residents,

                                 no matter they are christian or not.

                                 This concert was one way of these efforts, 

                                 connecting the church and neighborhood.

                                 Today it would be 11th music event, but for me very first time.

                                 Each year the church presents this kind of concert

                                 two times, one in every Spring and the other in every Fall.

                                 A top jazz vocalist in Korea named Malo and a top

                                 jazz pianist named Cho Yoonseung were invited

                                 for the concert, for the people.

                                 These two musicians showed their best all through the evening.

                                  I heard that about 1,800 people had assembled there.

                                 All the audience fell in love with jazz and the mood

                                 that beautiful night.

                                  people were gathering at the church yard
                                  before the concert began.

                                 The name of our church is
                                 <100 Mission Anniversary Church>, which is in S. Korea.

                                 Finally, the concert hit the road...

                                 The program the musicians played was as follows;
                                  1.Concierto de Aranjuez/Spain - Chick Corea and Joaquin Rodrigo
                                  2. Frevo - Egberto Gismonti
                                  3. Ladies in Mercedes - Steve Swallow

                                 4. Both Sides, Now - Joni Mitchell
                                 5. Meus Mehores Momentos - Leny Andrade
                                 6. 신라의 달밤 - 박시춘 곡/ 현인 노래

                                  7. Pathetique - P.I. Tchaikovsky
                                  8. Brigas Nunca Mais - Tom Jobim
                                  9. 남행열차 - 김진룡 곡/ 김수희 노래

Bukhansan National Park (2) 북한산 (2)

                               

                                   Bukhansan National Park (2)

                                     

                                    Bukhansan is something like a big, huge lung

                                    for those who are living in Seoul, S.Korea.

                                    Lots of people love to come here and hike

                                    walking up and down the mountain roads.

                                    May 18, 2013     I have come here again.

                                    This time I took another road, starting at

                                    Gupabal (the name of a town), through Daenammun,

                                    and ending at Segumjeong (the name of another town).

                                  

                                    The distance is about 6 km and it took me about

                                    6 hours.

                                    While walking through the mountain road, 

                                     my husband and I enjoyed taking pictures of

                                     various kinds of flowers and plants. 

                                     Almost flowers are in full blossom, all the trees

                                     are fresh green.

                                     It is nearing summer time.

                                     What a beautiful view!!!

                                   Dae-seo-mun (Great West Gate), is the main
                                  gate of the Bukhansanseong and is located on
                                  the lowest spot among total 16 fortress gates.
                               
                                 

                                  Jung-seong-mun (gate), is a gate installed in
                                 the Jung-seong on the gorge between the No-
                                 jeok-bong Peak and the Jeung- chwi-bong Peak
                                 of Bukhan Mountain.
                                  A small secret gate is hidden behind this gate.
                                 This secret gate didn't have a name but it was
                                 named 'Si-gu-mun'. That means dead bodies
                                 passed through this gate.

                                   Dae-nam-mun (Great South Gate)

                                   Some of the flowers and plants growing in

                                  Bukhansan National Park.