The moment you brought me into this world, the fighter in you made sure
I’d be safe from all the madness
Your safety net
Made me feel secure
You are the spice that fires me up to be
The person I am today
You have shown me what you see
In the map of your experience
Giving hands
Warm cushion heart
A mind of steel
Umbrella of your love
Mum.
I saranghaeyo so much.
Painting by me using watercolour.
Third Month
by Pak Mogwol
Half a day on Scented Grass Peak :
a sleek female deer
comes solitarily to the hollow
in the village of the lower slope,
wets her throat
in the running stream,
washes her eyes
in the running cloud,
and looks at the pale moon
floating in the sky.
‘PAK MOGWOL, born in 1916 in Kyongju, Korea, was one of the most important Korean poets in the 20th century, for the superb lyric sweetness and local colour he achieved in his early poetry and then for his profoundly moving philosophical meditations on the plight of man in the modern Korea as it underwent the ordeals of war, political turmoils and social dislocations. He died in 1978.’
Sun kisses the cloudy sky
My head raises itself up high
As rays disperse sun light
Glittering the ground
With shine
So my soul can feel at bliss
With the sun’s almighty kiss.
If you love cycling, you will love this country. If you love chips, you will love it even more. I have taken a number of trips to the land of the Dutch. Having a sister who lives there with her husband and son, I have been fortunate enough to experience the beauty of Holland and the vibrant elements of its culture. Recently, a close friend of mine has moved there and I thought it would be interesting to take account of her first impression of this country because after all first impressions says everything, doesn’t it? This is …
Seeing Vicky is always a joy, we get comfortable and over our mugs of rhubarb and ginger tea, we snuggle up next to each other on the sofa and casually talk about Holland. Vicky is from the UK, like me, and we have known each other ever since she was a baby. How time has flown, and milestones have taken place. Currently, she is with her other half in Holland and I wish her all the best. May their days together be stroopwaffley…
Her first impression of Holland is that it is organised, very clean and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Buildings look nice and presentable, and so do the people!
She goes on to say that people are more direct here, so there is no beating around the bush! An example of this is when you are trying to get past someone i.e train or shops, the Dutch tend to expect you to tell them to move. You have to be more direct. Seems like they are being inconsiderate, however it’s just being part of the culture. Being more upfront about what you want and being vocal.
The country in general are more focused on the well being of workers. I am not surprised in the slightest, because they all look happy to me ! The idea to live well is engrained in their society, so the standard of living is higher and more well balanced.
‘Gezellig’ is one of the most important words in Dutch language, meaning cosy. It is commonly used and you can apply it to many things. ‘Really sweet, cosy, homey’ This word in itself says a lot about the culture. They take more pride in the interior of homes with the usage of candles and plants. They love their plants. I see a lot of plants in restaurants and cafes as well. It’s a pleasure to see. They also take pride in new cars. People take care in what other people see. And this is shown through their respect for others. For example, there isn’t much litter. People are really friendly here.
Below is a photo, taken by my brother, of a cherry blossom in Holland.
Miranda meanders 