I couple days before I left Ukarumpa I was invited over to my Korean friends house because his family was having a "house warming party" thing cause they just moved. He said that it started off as a small party, but then "like everyone on center" was invited and so we can come to. Plus, his dad had bought 30 kilos of meat (that's like 66 pounds!!!) so there was plenty to go around. Kaela and I decide to go a little late, just to make sure Seung Jun (our friend) was home from soccer and all but when we showed up we...hid. We quickly diverted the back porch party and hid at the front porch trying to get Seung Jun out of the house. There was only Koreans in the back, having a grand ol' Korean time...it was intimidating. Kevin showed up and we finally worked up the nerve to go to the back. Quickly they forces us all to grab a plate but as we would go for different foods we'd get "oh oh oh spicy!" so we would quickly change our options. The meat was amazing! Lamp chops, ribs, chicken lets, and I don't know what else. Korean food has a great reputation for being ah-maz-ing among us in Ukarumpa - and it all lived up to it. A couple more friends came and Seung Jun eventually made an appearance asking us "Feel awkward yet?". Considering the fact that the chairs where aligned in a giant circle and so everyone could see everyone. Yes. Considering that we had no clue what they were saying when they asked Seung Jun a question and then all would start laughing. Yes. But it was fun. Mr. Lee just kept bringing around more meat, heaping it on our plates.
After we were done eating we had what Mrs. Lee told us was a "Musical concert". There is a Korean man in Ukarumpa who is a professional opera singer- and he's amazing. So we formed another circle around a campfire and he played his guitar and sang songs. I tried to sit on the outside of the circle cause I was still finishing my plate, but they all had to move their chairs to fit mine in. *awkward.* And somehow all the boys ended up on the other side of the circle, laughing at me. (Kaela had to leave so I was the only non Korean girl).
But it was such a odd but special moment sitting in that circle. Here I was surrounded by like 30 Koreans in Papua New Guinea, listening to a Korean sing English....then Pidgin...then Korean. The moon and stars where out above us and the fire was crackling. My favorite part was when he sang "How Great Thou Art" in Pidgin.
It was such a beautiful song and I loved hearing it in Pidgin. It truly was a blessing and a special honor sitting there worshiping with the Korean community.
After the "concert" they served us up huge bowls of cake and icecream that we had to force down and us teens just hung out by the fire. The boys played capture the flag with the little kids for a bit and we just hung around talking and laughing.
It really was a special and relaxing evening and I was reminded what a privilege it was growing up in a diverse, multicultural community. Koreans are such hospitable, generous, generous, generous, fun people and it's always enriching and humbling spending some time around them. Their Korean community in Ukarumpa is founded so strongly in God and always a blessing to the center. It makes me realize the importance of finding a community to fit into that will keep me rooted where I need to be as I go forth into the world.
So if you get a chance, spend sometime with a different culture and see what you learn. :)
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