In my OPINION…

      Senior Project is one of the unique experiences that Tabor Academy has offered. While participates Senior Project, one can truly concentrates and develops his or her own interest. Although I have wanted to do Korean traditional performance since when I was a sophomore, I have been busy with routine of Tabor life past three years and never have had a chance to create a performance. Since my senior project with So Yeon and Hee Sun is mainly about Korean culture and music, I believe that senior project will offer me a great chance to not only learn about Korean culture but also inform to others.

     Next week, we start to do Senior project. Our senior project is a musical production. The musical production basically will be consisted of Korean traditional songs, dances and combination of Korean and western instruments such as violin, flute and piano. Playing instruments, signing and creativity will be potential in this production. I want to say the theme of this project will be “Harmony” As Western and Korean cultures merged, the audience will experience “Harmony” through the performance. Not only audience, but also I and other students will learn “unity” and “teamwork” while we creating this performance.

     The musical production has several acts. In the act, we will make sounds with different kinds of instruments and materials. We will use Korean traditional instruments and tools that we can get from Korea. We purchased all the materials that we need from Korea during the spring vacation.In between acts, we will put video clip which is about Korean traditional culture and Korean modern life. We visited the place which is designated as important cultural property and urban areas to take pictures during the spring break. The purpose of making video clips with different topic is that we want to show not only diversity of Korean cultures but also coexistence of old and new cultures.

      Although it is sad that I am going to drop this class, I wish that many people in this class will watch our senior project..

      During the Spring Vacation, I went to Korea. As usual, I enjoyed the time with my family and friends. Every time I see my friends going to home with their parents at Tabor, I thought that being an international student is such a pain because international students can go home after several months. So, many of international students become really excited before every vacation. They miss their family, friends, home, food and their own culture.

The day when the vacation starts all Korean students from Tabor gathered at Flag pole to take Van which heads to JFK airport. On the way everyone are busty with talking about what they are going to do when they arrive in Korea. We usually take the Korean Air which departs at 00:50am from JFK. Although it is quite late at night, airport is busy with many Korean students who go to school in New England like I do. I have met many of my friends at the airport.

Going back to home, Korea takes about fourteen hours from JFK airport. My parents always ask me how my flight was since it is such a long flight and said they never imagined that they could do this several times in a year. Yet, spending fourteen hours is easier for me because it has been fourth year that I have been going back and forth from Korea. Off course, at the first time, spending fourteen hours on the plane was impossible. I had nothing to do and had a twinge in my legs. On the plane, I usually spend time with sleeping and watching several movies.

Airport is a place many people can say hello and goodbye at the same time. I remember the first time when I say goodbye to my parents at the airport. At that time, I was only fifteen years old. After I came to US, I could not celebrate my sweet sixteen birth day with my family. I had to get over homesick, cultural difference and language. Although I experienced many difficulties, I never regret the decision that I have made because I could get better education and open mind.          

After fourteen hours of long journey, finally I arrive at Korea airport. I can see many people are excited to see their families and friends. I become excited to meet my family who always come to airport to meet me and take my youngest brother’s warm hug. The first thing that I do when I arrive at home is enjoying my mother’s homemade Korean food.

      Imagine that you are separated from your parents or brothers and sisters for fifty years. In Korea, there are many older generations that have suffers this trauma. 

     As you know, Korea is the only country which remains divided from the cold war into North and South. In 1910, Korea was forcibly annexed by Japan and remained as colony of Japan until the end of the World War II in August 1945. Under the suppression of Japan, Koreans suffered similar injustice as Jews under the Nazi government. The saddest thing that Koreans experienced was the division of the Korean peninsula. In 1945, the Soviet Union divided the country north of the 38th parallel and with the US controlling the south. The two Cold War Powers lead to Korea’s current division into two political entities: North Korea and South Korea.It has been about 60 yeas. Although the two governments have different beliefs and conflicts because of nuclear weapon, it is a national tragedy that many older generations were separated from their families because of the war. It was not the will of older Koreans to be divided as two nations. That division was caused selfishness of powerful countries.        

     Since many older people separated from family, North Korea and South Korea allowed them to have reunion once a year few years ago. Sometimes I watched the moment they met each other on TV and many people cried together. It was dramatic and emotional because they met their family after more than fifty years’ of separation. Also, they still cannot live together for rest of their lives. Since there have been man people who try to find their family, not every family can meet every year. Although they meet one time, they never know when they can meet again in the future. I thought that North and South government should allow them to live together for rest of their lives.

     A few yeas ago, people felt optimistic about reunification of South and North Korea. However, these days few people are concerned about reunification. According to the article from Korea Herald, “30 percent of those surveyed students said they were interested in the inter-Korean relationship and 60 percent said the opposite.” As time passes, the gap between language, economy and cultures become bigger and it is hard to find similarities between people from two nations.

      Nobody knows what direction two nations are heading. I understand it is not easy to be one nation after over fifty years’ separation. However, both governments should continue to exchange in order to keep peace between two nations  

Every year, Tabor students have opportunities to experience the taste of various foods from different countries. This year Asian Dinner 2008 was on Feb 7th Thursday and it was successful. International students from Korea, Japan, China, Thailand and Middle East prepared and cooked their traditional foods for whole school. Also, entire dining room staff and faculty members helped and supported Asian dinner. Although dining room is quite small for whole community, it was exciting to see people who were enjoying Asian foods. At the Asian dinner, many international students dressed up with their traditional costumes and show their own cultures. Asian Dinner provided opportunities international students to represent their own countries and exchange cultures.

Students from each countries spent about eight hours to cook dishes. The day before the Asian Dinner, many of International students gathered at dinning room after school and marinated meat and chopped all the vegetables. For example, Korean table needs a lot of chopped vegetables such as onions and carrots. Many Korean kids cried while they chopped more than 30 onions. Also, they marinated meats with Korean sauce for Bulgogi. On Feb 7th, right after lunch international students goest to either kitchen or faculty’s kitchen to cook. About 4:30, every countries brought what they cooked to dining hall. Not only American students, but also meet any of international students were excited to eat their own foods.

Food, exchanging cultures, and excitement from Asian dinner made Tabor Community as the unique place and it provides students chances to learn and respect various cultures. I hope the memories of Asian Dinner will remain with every one long after.

CNN has reported that Mitt Romney won the Maine caucuses with 52%. Since conservative Republicans are split between Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee, John McCain will have a good chance to win delegates Tuesday. People predict that McCain is expected to get less than half the vote but will get all the delegates due to the Republican party’s winner-take-all rules, which were designed to produce precisely this effect–an early nominee. However, it would be difficult to get this effect happen in 2008. Although McCain is popular among independents, there are so many conservatives who strongly opposed to McCain due to his stands on tax cuts(against), gay marriage amendment(against), illegal immigrants(allow them to become citizens),stem cell research(for), and other hot-button issues.   

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