This is Pusan, Haeundae Beach.  The man in blue is a Canadian named Denis pronounced De NI.  The girl is the wife of the white teeshirt guy who's name is Dave.

That's so original.  I know like 500 Daves.

Again that is Pusan, Haeundae Beach.  We former and current members of the Kyungnam College Faculty had a flag football game on the beach last year at Chusok Holiday.

Chusok is the Korean Thanksgiving, essentially a harvest festival feast festooned with family and food. 
Like America, it's a time for families to get together and eat a lot, so intercity travel the day before the holiday is slow and crowded.
 
In America, we celebrate this holiday the last weekend in November so, no matter what, it is always a 4 day holiday.  Furthermore, every national holiday in America is observed with a day off.  That is, if Washington's Birthday falls on a Sunday, Monday is a holiday.

This is not the same in Korea.  If a National Holiday, such as their Independence Day from Japan on August 15th, falls on a Sunday.  That's just too bad.  You're not getting a day off from work.  Banks will be open.  Better luck next year.  Last year, Korea lost a National Holiday.  Arbor Day, celebrated April 5th here, used to be a day off, but not anymore.  It was to encourage people to go out and plant trees on that day.  Also, this year, June 6th is Korean's Memorial Day.  It used to be a day off.  Not anymore.  Still recognized on the calendar, still gotta work.

Korea used to have a 5 and 1/2 day week, meaning everybody worked on Saturday -- half day.  Even school children went to school on Saturday -- half day.  This was replaced by the 5 day work week, so probably that's why they are taking holidays away.  Although the 5 day work week is not in full effect.  School kids go to school on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month.  And while major companies don't work Saturday official, many still have to go.  Also, the whole 9 to 5 thing is meaningless.  You can't leave work till your boss goes home.  Basically people stay at work till 7 or 8 and several times a month theres the obligatory -- all right, we'll all going out for beer and karaoke.  3 year old son has a fever?  That's just too bad.  You must go, you must drink, and you must sing at least one song.  And if yer an attractive female, your boss demands a slow song dance partner.

It's funny, as a long time resident of this country, it is common for people like me (and others who enjoy days off from work) to check the calendar at the start of each year to see how many National holidays fall on a Friday, or worse, fall on a Sunday.

Let's get back to Chusok, and the other major holiday -- New Years Day.  As I said Chusok is their Thanksgiving/harvest festival.  Since Koreans are traditionally a farming society, they primarily use the Lunar Calendar.  What that means is that there are two New Years holidays.  January 1st is recognized as a National Holiday as is Christmas, but they are not celebrated the way we do in the West.

What is celebrated is the Lunar New Year, called Sollal.  While January 1st regardless of the day it falls on is always New Year's day (and if it falls on a Sunday, you're still working or going to school on Monday)-, the Lunar New year changes every year.  It is basically the 1st new moon of the year, which falls anywhere from Late in January to mid February.  This is a major holiday in Korea, celebrated with 3 days off.  Potentially, a 5 day weekend is in the cards.  2009, the new moon will be January 26th, Monday, so Sunday and Tuesday are holidays, giving us a 4 day weekend.   Not bad.

This year, Chusok comes early.  Chusok is celebrated the 7th full moon after the new moon.  This year, that day is September 14th, a Sunday giving us a 3 day weekend.  Last year, it was a 5 day weekend.  I visited friends on the mainland.  I went to Seoul, Pusan (as pictured above) and Cheonju -- 3 cities I've lived in here in Korea.

This year, I really want to go the Philippines but it's only a 3 day weekend so it doesn't seem justifiable, that is worth the 500 buck round trip ticket price.  We'll see.

Essentially, national holidays in Korea are not guaranteed days off from work.  They sure like to work here.  Yet when I see my vice-principal asleep half the day on a sofa somewhere in the office as well as most of the male and female teachers here at the high school where I work, heads down on desks -- I wonder the logic.  By the way, he just got promoted to principal.  Must be because he always checked the clocked when I said good-bye each day.

I start a new job tomorrow at another high school, called the Beauty High School.  It is a vocational school and the English education is based heavily on hair, skin, makeup and stuff like that.  I'm really looking forward to it.  From what I understand, I'll never have to pay for another haircut again.  My girlfriend is already hitting me up to hook her up with manicures and stuff.  "Let em practice on me!" she said today over lunch.  I'll see what I can do.