Friends in Korea

Korea
Land of the Morning Calm

by Jill Jarman, Age 11, Springfield, Virginia

Korea is a special place to me because it was in Korea, Land of the Morning Calm, I turned eight and was baptized in a Korean meetinghouse. Although this was three years ago, it still seems like yesterday.

The streets of Korea are full of people in open markets, where such things as pickled snake, brassware, kimchi, salted and fresh fish, and fresh fruits and vegetables are sold.

Kimchi is eaten and loved by Koreans of all ages. My mother made it from a Korean recipe given to us by a friend. My Korean friends liked it, but I thought it was very spicy, very smelly, and very hot.

The native Korean dress for girls is a hanbok. The older men wear a tall horsehair hat and the traditional long baggy white pants. This native dress is still seen everywhere as well as modern dress.

Children in the streets play games and have lots of fun. Though their eyes are slanted and their tongue sounds strange and foreign, their hearts and ears are open to give cheer and happiness through a song. Everyone can and does sing in Korea.

Our church there is small, but the Koreans come and listen thoughtfully to prayers and talks, singing their best and trying to understand the hard-to-pronounce English words. Primary was held in our home until it grew too large and was transferred to my school.

The Korean children in my school taught me a game similar to “Peas Porridge Hot,” but somewhat different.

Here are the American words:

The White Rabbit

High above in the deep blue sky,

Down the Milky Way,

Rides a boat there without a sail,

With no oars, some say.

Ship of Night, its only crew is a

Rabbit white;

Westward it sails along

Quietly through the night.

Illustrated by Howard Post