Corpses, Being a Korean Female, and Turkey: Just Another Choi Family Holiday

Thanksgiving was a lot of fun, as usual. I'll write more about that craziness later. The biggest news that day was that the South Korean government is giving our family money! How, you ask? Well, to start off with, Korea is a pretty tiny country. If you look at it on a map, it's the size of my thumb. :)

Anyways, since the population is growing and available land is shrinking, South Korea is resorting to drastic measures to build housing. One of the ways is to exhume bodies from cemetaries, cremate them, and use this land for apartment buildings and such. Pretty morbid, huh? My mom's dad had already gone through this process a couple of years back, so we knew it was a matter of time before the Choi family plot would undergo the same type of procedure.

Well, the time has come! Because these bodies are held in burial plots owned by families, the government is paying these families the price of the land. Tony asked if we had a choice in this matter, and I don't think we do...in any case, Koreans are very proud of their country and are willing to help out in any way. Plus, hey, free money.

So, that day, I received the news that because I am two generations removed from my grandfather and married, I will not be getting anything. Stupid, patriarchal society *grumble*.

But, there is a happy ending. I received an email from my dad today. Grammar mistakes are all left intact for humor purposes. :) :

I think this is a good news!

Dad

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Hi Choi Families,


One thing should be corrected.


All the women of "Sun"-generation aged 18 or above will receive
2,500,000 won each, regardless of their marriage.


Thanks Joonggi-Hyung  for finding this important mistake.


Have nice days


--Hangki

Yes, I am of the "Sun" generation. It's because I am a shining beacon of light...j/k. Koreans have a few "name beginnings" they tack on to Korean names that are rotated every generation. All of my cousins have names beginning with "Sun". Except me. My mom liked "Eun-young" too much; she thought it was pretty. :)

Oh! And my dad is "Joonggi hyung" which means "Joonggi big brother". Go Dad!! Way to stand up for your favorite (only) daughter! :)

-Stinkier, proud to be a Korean female.