Kaiku poems

Shoelaces untied
become a tripping hazard.
Hope she falls for me.

Laughing among friends -
palate cleansing for the soul.
A welcome relief.

It is easier
To accept criticism
When it's not spoken.

Gathering of Pearls: Make Your Own Pear Necklace

     Gathering of Pearls is a fictional novel which was written by a Korean born author named Sook Nyul Choi. This book narrates the stories of a Korean girl, Sookan, who comes to America and starts a new life in a foreign country. On the cover, Sookan sits on the floor and gathers pearls all over which come from a broken pearl necklace. Around the image, flowers like plum blossoms grow. The image on the cover of Sookan gathering pearls represents her difficulties in life, inner conflict, and her guilt over the death of mother; however, Sookan gathers those pearls from her life and turns them into energy to fight for a better life. 

     Sookan met a lot of hardships when she first came to America. There were many differences between Korean culture and American culture. Sookan's culture was traditional and conservative, but American culture was open and free. For example, Sookan was surprised when she saw her American friends who were in the same grade could talk to seniors relaxingly. They never used any honorific terms or words to talk with elders. Many obstacles were also on Sookan's academic path. Sookan wanted to make her family proud, so she decided to choose very hard courses. However, her high demand on herself led to her extremely busy schedule. Keeping working so hard everyday made her felt immensely tired. She knew she could not stay in this kind of situation anymore, but she still continued to do it because of her stubborn characteristics. Nevertheless, Sookan gradually adjusted with help from her friends and teachers, and she overcame those difficulties in her life. From those difficulties, Sookan harvested friendship and approval from her teachers for her hard work. 

     While Sookan was overcoming difficulties in America, she also experienced many inner conflicts. Her main inner conflicts were mostly about her sister's order. She got letters from her sister about writing journals and sending them back to Korea. Her sister wanted Sookan to share all of her thoughts so she and Sookan would not grow apart. Her sister also wanted Sookan to go back to Korean to be a nun and continue her work. Sookan wanted to follow her sister's order and satisfy her; however, Sookan was a bit mad at her sister for always demanding her and not understanding her. Nonetheless, Sookan felt sorry for her anger because she should respect her sister and do what she wanted her to do. Sookan didn't know what should she do: to abide her sister or go on her own way. A lot of confusion and conflicts were going on inside of Sookan during that period of time. However, Sookan inspired by her firiends' and mother's words, which she finally chose to follow her heart and decided her future goals. Those inner conflicts helped her be conscious of what she truely wanted and became brave to walk on her own path. 

     Sookan's guilt toward her mother's death influenced her a lot from inside. When Father Lee came to her school in America and told her that her mother was already in Heaven, Sookan could not believe her ear. She could believe that her beloved and kind mother has left her forever. Sookan didn't even get a chance to see her mother for the last time. She blamed herself that she shouldn't come to America in such a hurry. She could wait for a few months and accompany her mother. When she got her mother's letter, Sookan knew that even at her mother's last minute, her mother was still worried about her and wanted to not interrupt her study. In her mother's letter, her mother wanted her to continue her own life in America and not be sad because of her death. Sookan knew that her mother wanted to turn her sorrow and pain into pearls which symbolized energy to live in a better life. Although mother's death left her a life long guilt, Sookan understood that she won't sink in the pain and sadness, and she would gather those sorrow to expand her life width and walk steadily to her future. 

     Sookan picked up those pearls in her life which were composed by life difficulties, inner conflicts and self-accusation, and she restring it into understanding and wisdom in life. She didn't fear challenges and troubles, instead, she overcame and defeated those hardships and confusions. The voice inside of her told her that she would find herself a direction and insisted to walk on firmly without turning back. Those flowers around the image of Sookan on the cover symbolize Sookan's strong, brave and persistent personality. For Sookan, pain and sorrow are indispensable elements of her life, because she needed to readjust herself and keep running on the right track. A brighter and better future is waiting for Sookan with full of treasures like pearls. 

Blog 12: Epilogue for Gathering of Pearls

     After five years studying in America, Sookan already have her goals for her future life. Everything has changed compares to what her life is when she first arrived at America. She already overcome the sorrow of losing mother, although she still feel guilty and regretful when she thinks about it right now. After her mother's death, she already decide firmly that she will stay in America for her rest of life, because there is no point that she goes back to Korea if her mother is not there anymore. Sookan already fits perfectly into American life style. She already understands American culture and feels really comfortable live with it. Also, she wants to select the road that she likes for her future instead of her sister's choice. Sookan has her own goals for her future life. She sometimes missed her brothers and sisters, too. She writes some letters to her sister and elder brothers, but she never gets any feedbacks. She only gets letters from her younger brother. He told her what had happened recently, not to worry about the family and live well in America. Although Sookan is upset about not getting any letters from her sister and elder brother, she thinks about her Korean culture and her sister's anger and acknowledging it. 

     During the summer vacation after she graduated from college, Sookan and Ellen went to Greece with Marci. They travelled together and choose this travelling as their graduation trip. On their way, Sookan and Ellen listen to Ellen's introducing of all the beatiful sight and stories behind them. They talked a lot of things and they really had a great time. 

     After this trip to Greece, they separate for a time to find job. Marci continue her dream of being a classical professor. Ellen and Kyle get married and she finds a job which plans wedding for other people. Sookan, surprisingly, she doesn't choose to be a nun in Korea. Unexpectly, she finds a job at an elementary school. She loves Mr. Bennett's children very much, so she decides to be a teacher at Mr. Bennett's children's elementary school. In this way, she can take care of them and also spend time with them. Sarah and Jimmy are so happy when they hear this news. They also love to be with Sookan. 

     All Sookan's friends and teachers are happy for Sookan finding a job at elementary school. Sookan invites Sister Reed, Marci, Ellen and Mr. Bennett's family to her renting apartment to have dinner. She cooks Korean food for them and they all like it very much. 

     Speaking of Tom, Sookan finally makes up her mind that she decide to date with Tom. They are seen as the cutest couple by Ellen and Marci. Tom treats Sookan really well and everyone can see that how much he loves Sookan. 

      For now, everything goes on very well in Sookan's life. She enjoys her life in America and never regrets that she makes this decision to stay. A bright, colorful future is waiting for Sookan to embrace her with full of surprise. 

Chapter 13-18 study guide

Chapter 13:

1. Marci doesn't have a good relationship with her parents. She often argues with her parents and doesn't want to talk with them. 

2. Marci suggests Sookan to tell her sister the truth and live in her own life. She thinks Sookan should have to break free of her sister. 

3. I think Sookan will think about Marci's suggest but she won't follow it, because Sookan is that kind of girl who always think about her whole family instead of just caring her own life. 

Chapter 14:

1. Sister Reed gives Sookan a pearl necklace, because this is given by Sister Reed's aunt and her aunt asked her to make a special present when she meets a truly extraordinary young women. She thinks Sookan is the one. 

2. Ellen decides to accept Kyle's proposal and she already decides that if her parents object their marriage, she will elope with Kyle. 

3. Her parents feel shocked and objects her quick marriage. 

4. I totally agree with Sookan's position. Because marriage is very important in Ellen's life. She needs to take it seriously. Sookan knows how important this is to Ellen's whole life. So as a friend, she will choose to do the best and right thing for Ellen. In this case, stand at her parents' view will be the best for Ellen. 

Chapter 15:

1. The reason why Sookan has conflicting emotion is because she wants to use the money she collected to buy her mother and her family each person a gift. However, when she decides to surprise Ellen and Sister Reed by attending the party, she sees a beautiful dress and it fits her very well. She bought it and she doesn't have any money left to buy her family gifts. That makes her happy but guilty. She feels happy because she finally can attend the party and wear the perl necklace to surprise Ellen and Sister Reed. She feels guilty be cases she didn't buy her mother anything. She feels its wrong. 

2. I think I would buy my family gifts first. Because there are many chances that she can go to the party and surprise both Ellen and Sister Reed. But I think it's better to buy gifts and send them back home to make up for the Christmas presents. So in this case, you can at least let your family know that you are still thinking of them and love them as always. 

Chapter 16:

1. She has fit into the American culture and life as she wished in this beginning of the year. She also accomplished her goal in studying. She has make through her fist year in college. She has good friends and have good relationship with teachers. Everyone likes her. 

2. Sookan has changed a lot compares to the time when she first arrive in America. She knew American culture better and feels more comfortable with her American life. Right now she prefer more about American style of treating people and things. She becomes more independent. She not anymore thinks it's her obligation to always follow her sister's order. She has her own thought right now. 

Chapter 17:

1. He told Sookan that her mother died at the beginning of May. 

2. Sookan is shocked, heart brokenand sobbed. She can't believe her mother is already in heaven. 

Chapter 18:

1. When Sookan looks back to her mother's death, she feels awful because she can't accompany her mom at her last moment. She even didn't get to see her mother. She regrets that she shouldn't leave this early to America and she should stay at home and be with her mother longer. Then she reads her mother's last letter again, she finally decided to turn her pain into energy. She gets why her mother tells her to remember the story of the pearl. She will live a good life and try to be as best as she can to make her mother proud. 

2. I think Sookan should be strong and walk on. Her mother's death is already a fact, she can't do anything about it. The only thing she can do is to be strong and live a best life as she can to make her mother proud of her. She should turn those pain into the support for her hardworking and new life in America. 

Gathering of Pearls: A Book of Similar Experiences

     Recently, we are reading a fiction called "Gathering of Pearls", which was written by a Korean American writer Sook Nyul Choi. We have not finished this book yet, but I already attracted by its plots. This book is mainly talking about a Korean girl whose name is Sookan came to America because of scholarship and studied in a catholic college. Her life and internal sentiment experienced a huge challenge. At the beginning, she was afraid of fitting in the American life, failing classes and disappointing her family. However, she met good friends and teachers who helped her overcome those difficulties she met in her life and conducted her to enjoy her American life and understand American culture. 

     I'm really attracted by this book because I can feel the connection between Sookan's new life and my personal expererences. Recall back to a year ago when I first came to America for studying. It was my first time to travel alone for this far and to a totally trange country. I had the same concern when I was on the plane to America. I was afraid of being isolated and unable to communicate with my American classmates because of unskilled English speaking. However, when I started my highschool life, I felt that it wasn't as difficult as I thought it was. Although I made a lot of grammar mistakes when I talked with my new friends, they still could get what I meant. When I met difficulties in studying, I went to ask teachers and they are always willing to help me. My English quickly got improved. I was invited to a friend's house for Halloween. They told me what Halloween was and what they usually did. They told me to wear something funny or scary so we could go to "trick or treat" at night together. That was my first Halloween andirons was so fun that I would never forget it. 

     Also, one thing that interested me a lot is her internal sentiment. At that time, there's no such a thing called Wechat which we use a lot nowadays for texting and chatting. The only thing Sookan could use was writing letters to her family. She could not go back to Korea until she finished her studying in Korea because the ticket for flying was very expensive. This meant that she could not see her family for four years. She missed her family a lot but she had to continue her life in America. She felt sorry for bot helping her mother around but her personality of loving challenges and risks made she can not stop studying in America. One thing that was noticeable was the relationship between Sookan and her sister. Her sister wanted Sookan to follow her order and help her work of being a nun. Sookan wanted to obey her at first. But after her sister's angry letter Sookan felt ambivalent. She was angry at her sister for not understanding her situation but then she felt sorry for her anger. She didn't know what was the right thing to do: obey her sister or being herself. 

     I think, so far, "Gathering of Perls" is a good book to read. It perfectly connected to our international students' experiences and created resonance. Although I have not finished this book yet, I recommended it to all the international students here in our school. 

Discussing questions

1. What does hosting the party mean to Sookan? 

2. How did Sookan react to her sister's letter? 

Chapter 6-12 study guide

Chapter 6:

1. Sookan's sister kind of blamed on her that she wrote a hurried postcard to her mother but Sookan didn't have time to write to her a simple journal. She thought that Sookan forgot what she said about those everyday journals. Sookan was a bit mad because her sister didn't understand what her situation was. She wanted to write those journals and obey what she said, but Sookan was so busy and have poor free time to do it. Inside Sookan, she thought her sister had changed and it was to her as she never knew her sister. This is very important to both book and Sookan's identity, because from this point, Sookan might not choose to obey everything her sister said as same as before. This is a big turning point for Sookan. 

Chapter 7:

1. Ellen thought social scene is important to college life. 

2. Ellen told Sookan that she didn't have to be a nun in order to help people. She could get married, having a family and still be a teacher or volunteer if Sookan wanted. This makes Sookan think about her future life and reconsider whether she should always obey her sister' swords or not. 

3. I think Sookan is right to listen to Ellen. Because Sookan has the right to choose what she wants to do in the future. She can't always obey her sister. She should do what she likes. Her own happiness is very important. 

Chapter 8:

1. Because she missed afternoon attendance and sneaks out to use the time to write her sister a letter. 

2. I think so. Because she doesn't have any other free time to write to her sister. She wants to write the letter as soon as possible and this is the only chance she can do this. So I think she made the right choice. 

3. She writes about what her American culture is like and what her school life is like. She also told her sister the reason why she didn't have a chance to write to her and explain her busy schedule everyday. 

4. I think her sister will feel sorry for her anger at Sookan. Also, I think she will be a little worried about Sookan that she is afraid Sookan will forget Korean tradition and become more American. 

Chapter 9:

1. Thanksgiving is good for Sookan because it gives her a feeling like home. She feels love and warmth in this family which makes her more fit into American culture and life. However, this feeling of home also is bad for her, because when she sees Ellen's mother ask her to go upstairs and rest, she immediately relates to her own mother. It accumulates her missing toward her mother and her whole family in Korea. 

Chapter 10: 

1. Her secret study spot is the shower room. 

2. Her head started spinning and she felt a sharp pain in her stomach. When she stood up and started garpthering her books, she fainted. 

3. She said that she and Marci and Ellen could all get together over vacation but Sookan is not going to take any books with her to Marci's. 

Chapter 11: 

1. Her mother's letter is all full of love, pleasure and understanding. She told Sookan what had recently happened in the family and told her to enjoy her life in America. She wanted Sookan's to be happy and didn't want her to worry that much. However, her sister's letter is full of complaining and blaming. She did not show a little understanding to Sookan. She blamed Sookan for not immediately sending her letter and her journeys. She wanted Sookan to follow her order and her track and never thought about what Sookan's feeling was. To life, Sookan's mother had a lighthearted, forgiving and optimistic attitude, but Sookan's sister held a more negative and stubborn attitude toward others. 

Chapter 12:

1. She prepare Korean food such as Bulgogi, salad and rice for the party. 

2. Marci made brownies and Ellen brought butter cookies. 

3. Sister Reed joinefpd them. 

4. Firstly, it reminds her life in Korea when she saw her mother cooking. She understood why her mom love to see people enjoy her cooking. Secondly, she reinforced her friendship with Marci and Ellen, the Bennett's family and also her relationship with sister Reed. This gathering not only just a enjoyable party, but also it is a release of stress and worries for Sookan.