Christmas

For the most part, Christmas here didn't really feel like Christmas, but it was really nice to spend time with friends. The weekend before, a big group of us went climbing about an hour outside of Mokpo, with a lot of friends coming back to town afterwards (they didn't have to work Monday, but of us teachers did. There was a Christmas Eve party at a friend's apartment and a party Christmas Day, both of which were great in very different ways.

But for me, the best part of the weekend was a party at one of the nearby orphanages. There is a group of teachers who volunteer at a couple of local orphanages, and they organized a gift drive for all of the kids they work with. About 10 of us went to the party, and it was amazing. One of the Air Force guys who climbs with us dressed up like Santa and handed out gifts, there were crafts and food and decorations, and all in all, it felt more like Christmas there than at any other time. I'm so glad I went.

The orphanages here are more like what we call a group home in the US. Some of these kids are actually orphans, but the majority are kids whose parents are unable to take care of them for one reason or another, and the rest of the family isn't able or willing to take them in, often for the same reasons that there are so many Korean babies available for international adoption - "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree" viewpoint.

While we were watching the kids get presents from Santa, a friend leaned forward and said, "I just can't imagine how someone could give up these kids. I just don't understand it."

Word.