Yongsan Legacy Newsletter - Sep 2024 [Chuseok Special Edition]
Yongsan Legacy Newsletter - Sep 2024 [Chuseok Special Edition]
Chuseok is still the most important holiday in Korea. Do you remember your Chuseok at Yongsan Garrison? This month, we would like to repost three articles that are related to Chuseok.
From September 16 to September 18, 2023, families come together to express gratitude. During this season of reflection, the Yongsan Legacy team would like to take a moment to acknowledge and thank our writers and readers for their invaluable contributions.
We’ve been slowly but surely reposting and organizing materials we have gathered since 2015 on Yongsan Garrison. As we’re all volunteering our own time and resources, we struggle to find time; however, we always find inspirations and encouragements from the articles you submit to us.
If you find yourself enjoying reading the articles on Yongsan Legacy, we encourage you to sit down and write your story however short or mundane it may be. Your story will serve as a source of inspiration for the Yongsan Legacy community and future generations.
To celebrate Chuseok, Yongsan Legacy team would like to dedicate this month’s newsletter to three stories related to Chuseok. These articles embody the spirit of Chuseok transcending both time and space: remembering, sharing, and giving thanks.
A Miracle of Chuseok 2018
In 2018, Mr. Nam Sangso shared the story of an Englishman he had worked with at Yongsan Garrison, writing it as a tribute to his late friend. In addition to this, he visited the man’s grave at Yanghwajin Foreign Missionary Cemetery - it is a tradition to visit your ancestors’ grave during Chuseok and to honor ancestors.
In an incredible twist, a year after the article was published, Gifford Cheesman’s daughter found it online, allowing her to connect with the father she never met.
Call it a fate or a miracle, this story shows just how a simple act of remembering someone can, not only honor the past, but also create meaningful connections for others, even across time. more
Photo of Yanghwajin Cemetery where Gilford Cheesman is buried. Mr. Nam Sangso visited on the Chuseok of 2018. Photo Credit: Yanghwajin Cemetary ( yanghwajin.net/)
Cultural Exchange or Cultural Conversion?
John Blom served as a principal at Seoul American Elementary School from 1991-1999. His teaching career at Yongsan Garrison began in 1974 when he joined DoDEA to teach elementary school kids. He remembers running the Host Nation Program which he believed and encouraged students to participate through his service at SAES.
He would take students to Seorak Mountain and Korean restaurants nearby Yongsan Garrison. And he remembered trying on hanbok and serving Korean food to 40 homerooms to learn about Chuseok. However, his passion and commitment of Host Nation Program seldom met with skepticisms from the parents… more
John Blom standing next to a dolphin statue in front of Seoul American Elementary School, where he used to be principal. Courtesy: Yongsan Legacy
My “Ironic” Chuseok Celebration
Marsha Altvater visited Korea for the first time since she left Korea in 1965 when she was 8 years old. She recalled her visit on Chuseok day “ironic” since she’s revisiting her hometown to remember and rediscover her childhood on the day when Koreans visit their ancestors’ graves.
She discovered how the city has completely changed, and yet, there were pieces of her youth in spots and corners around Samgakji area. She was able to re-encounter many of her forgotten childhood memories, and more importantly, she felt the presence of her family and relatives… more
Marsha with Yongsan Legacy Team members in front of the photo studio in Samgakji where Marsha took the last photo before leaving Korea. September 2018. Photo by Hein Hwang
Do you remember your Chuseok in Korea? Do you remember someone particular? Share your story on Yongsan Legacy.
If you want to submit your story as a part of this edition, please email your story to yongsanlegacy@gmail.com. We are looking for stories from different decades from the 50s all the way up to recent memories of now mostly closed and emptied Yongsan Garrison. No matter what year, your stories and memories of Yongsan Garrison are important and valuable.
And don’t forget to share this post with your friends or colleagues or family to spread the word.
We look forward to hearing from you. Thank you!
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