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관훈동4

15. A House with 11 Families In grandparents’ neighborhood, there was two story house with 11 families living in it. Opening of the outhouse was to the alley. A line of people waiting to use the toilet was formed in front of it every morning. Not a single day would pass without some type of turmoil in that house. A couple would yell at each other, pots and dishes were flying, and kids would cry or scream. In other days, the.. 2020. 12. 18.
14. Ants There were plenty of ants in my grandparents’. Unattended food attracted them and would be covered with them quickly. Grandmother used to scoop the ants up from the stew or soup, heat up, and serve the food. I even saw warrior ants which had claws and big heads. Since then, I have seen many ants in Korea and America, but never seen those warrior ants again. To avoid the ants, grandma hung basket.. 2020. 12. 17.
4. Grandfather's Dance Upon the news of his return, his parents came out of the house on bare foot. They slaughtered a pig and had a big party with relative and neighbors. His cousin urged him to make a speech. He got on the podium at the school yard and told the town’s people that the North Korea invaded the South unlawfully and started the war. However, the South was winning and they would defeat the communists. Soo.. 2020. 12. 3.
나의 살던 고향은 이제 한국에서 산 세월보다 미국에 와서 보낸 시간이 10년이나 더 길다. 누군가는 “타향도 정이 들면 고향이라고” 노래했지만, 나는 아직도 미국이 고향이라는 생각은 들지 않는다. 내게는 남들에게 자랑하고 내세울만한 고향은 없다. 아버지는 실향민이었고, 외가는 손바닥만 한 집이라도 사대문 안에 사는 것을 자랑스럽게 여기던 서울 중인이다. 남들은 명절이 다가오면 서울역과 고속버스 터미널에 자리를 펴고 차표를 구하던 시절에도 우리는 명절을 집에서 보냈다. 사전에 보면 고향이란 “자기가 태어나 자란 곳. 또는, 자기 조상이 오래 누리어 살던 곳”이라고 한다. 그렇게 따지면 나의 고향은 외가가 있던 관훈동이고, 아버지가 사업을 접고 양계를 시작했던 구파발이며, 미국 오기 전까지 갈빗집을 하며 살았던 벽제다. 외가.. 2020. 10. 16.