The first few months of the New Year are chalked full of holidays.  Here is a brief synopsis of the most significant in February and some in the next few months.

Bo-rum Dal, the first full moon after Bo-r, the Lunar New Year (So-nal) is on the 10th of February.  On this day, eat nuts for your teeth, drink rice wine for your hearing, and make a wish expressing your desires and needs for the New Year when you see the full moon.  Throughout the day ask your friends to  wbuy your heatbu ( (  ??   ???. . Nae do-wee sa-ga-ra.) in order to be cool in the summer.  Also, join in the festivities on Haeundae Beach, where kite flying will be the order of the day.

 Koreans have expanded  Valentine’s Day into three days, spanning three months.  On Valentines’s Day  women give candy, mainly chocolate and flowers to their boyfriends, husbands, and other male friends. On White Day, March 14th, men have their turn to honor their girlfriends, wives, and female friends with candy not necessarily chocolate, and flowers.  Do not show up to work empty handed; you must bring candy and flowers to your students, and co-workers.

April 14th is Black Day, the day reserved for all of us unlucky enough not to have a significant other.  On this day you meet with your friends who are in a similar situation and have ky e  ? (Jja-jang myon black noodles), a Chinese dish.

Íb_düb (Sam-il jom), March 1st, or , or (Dok-leeb), is  Independence Movement Day.  It is the day the struggle against Japanese Colonial rule began. t   ??  (Ryou Gwan-soon) is the Korean Joan of Arc.  Most of your students will be very disappointed because this day falls on a Sunday this year.