2010 has been an eventful and tumultous year for the world, as well as for all the individuals in it. There were good things, there were bad things, there were crazy things. The global economy was still not in good shape, there were natural disasters, freak weathers, as well as unstable world politics. While the rest of the world celebrate the new year with fireworks and whatever additional festivities each nation can provide, I would assume that many others would prefer avoiding the noise and chaos of it all, and just relax in the comforts of their home in peace and comfortable solitude.
Which was precisely what I had done. We watched the Drama Awards, had a delicious end-of-the-year dinner with champagne (in a country where 20 year-olds can drink legally), baked cupcakes, and spent the night relaxing instead of visiting the Charles bridge area for the New Year fireworks every year. Not only is the weather unusually cold this year, but we've been driving to the bridge area every year since 2005, and by the fifth year nothing was particularly new or exciting about it. It's just become a routine, something that we ought to do because it's the last day of December. It's a little sad, but part of the magic seems to have disappeared from all the familiarity.
At the stroke of midnight, the sound of fireworks started to crackle outside, but nothing around me had changed. I did step out of the house momentarily to admire the occasional glimpse of lights and the echo of fireworks while shivering from the cold, and that was all I needed for festivities.
With the new year comes new responsibilities. As a college junior facing her second semester, I must now (horror of horrors) seriously consider grad school and career options, and need to prep myself for the real world that I am yet so childishly unprepared. I also need to focus more on my studies, continue adjusting into apartment life, and learn how to treat friends, acquaintances, and strangers the right way without sacrifing my sincerity or being a pushover.
Of course, there are still old responsibilities you need to maintain, such as keeping your basic physical/mental health and hygiene in check, behaving like a civilized human being, and calling extended family in the new year.
As dad whips out his mighty Samsung Galaxy and announces "We should say Happy New Year to family in Korea", my brother and I look at each other with mixed emotions.
It's not that I particularly dislike wishing people a Happy New Year. I have nothing in particular against any of my relatives and am largely neutral/positive about them as a whole. Still, you do feel a bit mechanical hearing the same thing over and over again from relatives and you say the same thing repeatedly every year.
Most Relatives say in the following order:
1) How are you?
2) It's good to be home, isn't it?
3) Happy New Year, study hard, stay healthy, don't fight with your brother.
You reply in the following order:
1) I'm fine.
2) Yes.
3) Yes, yes, yes, yes.
4) Oh, and Happy New Year. ("Stay healthy" added for the grandmothers)
As we say our greetings to the primary individuals, my brother and I wish that would be the end... but alas, we must always confront our uncle, my father's oldest brother, on the phone this day every year. He is... interesting, to say it very nicely. And whenever he lectures you, it leaves you cringing, facepalming, or sighing in defeat. Or all three at once. I am sure he is a good person, but the fact remains that his speech is not too much to be desired. (I hope my cousin is not a regular reader of this blog, welp)
Dad dials the numbers. My usually stoic brother is reduced to a giant heap of fear, like a pig in a slaughterhouse waiting to die. I will refrain from transcribing the actual exchange, save for the fact that the first thing he said to me was, "What was your name again?"
...that should be enough to get a glimpse of how the exchange went, as our parents chuckled at their childrens' various silent emotional reactions.
Happy New Year, everybody.
