09/18/2024
Happy mid autumn festival! ~A personal anecdote~
As a first-generation immigrant in Canada, I live incredibly far from the rest of my family. The holiday season, or big cultural events, can really hit home that I'm alone because it pushes so many messages about celebrating together and cherishing family.
It felt strange to be alone at first. But you know what, I've moved past that. What else can I do? Nowadays, I like to make the most of these events to reconnect with my culture in my own simple ways. It can feel disillusioning to participate in a lifestyle that is so far from the sights and traditions I grew up with. But cultural celebrations bring out the very sights and traditions that feel so familiar to me. It's the chance to feel at home away from home.
I'm part Korean. In Korea, the mid-autumn celebration is called Chuseok, (추석), which is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar on a full moon. Although I don't throw a big party, every year, I gift myself one of my favorite food items, songpyeon (송편); it's a type of dessert rice cake filled with sugar and sesame. This year, I'm trying out new songpyeons from a local bakery, They look absolutely amazing.
And surprise surprise, I'm also part Chinese! The Chinese believe that the mid-autumn moon is the brightest and fullest moon. Hence, we celebrate by eating mooncakes, which are typically filled with egg yolks that have the image of a full moon. I'm excited to try mooncakes from a different local bakery,
Yes, I'm indulging myself with both options.
The next time you're feeling lonely during the holidays or celebrations, I hope you know that I get you, I really do. And at the same time, I believe in you. I believe it's possible to be far from home and loved ones, but still make your holiday meaningful in your own way.
I hope you enjoy your holidays too.
