Free Hugs in Suncheon!
Ah! Free Hugs! Its catching on...
On Saturday afternoon we traveled to Suncheon to meet with some foreigners and some young Koreans who were doing a FREE HUGS campaign on the street.
As you may imagine, it was an interesting cultural experience. Even in Canada, hugs are quite freely given, with friends and family. Korea doesn't do hugs as liberally as us. Not even in families. We were not expecting the fantastic reaction we actually got!
We were certainly met with a lot of strange looks and critical stares. Many people said ' no thanks', some were more straightforward with 'NO'.
But there were hundreds who gave in and joined us in a hug. The love was shared. Those who passed were at least smiling. We succeeded in hugging ajummas (married women), ajossi's (older married men)(much to many people's amazement), halmeonis(grandmothers), halabeojis (grandfathers), babies and tonnes of giggling teenage girls and boys (there was a line up for Bryce). Nina gathered video feed and she'll put it together for a good video I'll post later.
It was truly inspiring. Sure, we felt kinda silly at first. But it was just the best afternoon ever.
Seriously. To see original footage in Australia, look in my links section "Having a bad day?" or the previous blog of the first Free Hugs that took place in Seoul on Oct. 15th.
On Saturday afternoon we traveled to Suncheon to meet with some foreigners and some young Koreans who were doing a FREE HUGS campaign on the street.
As you may imagine, it was an interesting cultural experience. Even in Canada, hugs are quite freely given, with friends and family. Korea doesn't do hugs as liberally as us. Not even in families. We were not expecting the fantastic reaction we actually got!
We were certainly met with a lot of strange looks and critical stares. Many people said ' no thanks', some were more straightforward with 'NO'.
But there were hundreds who gave in and joined us in a hug. The love was shared. Those who passed were at least smiling. We succeeded in hugging ajummas (married women), ajossi's (older married men)(much to many people's amazement), halmeonis(grandmothers), halabeojis (grandfathers), babies and tonnes of giggling teenage girls and boys (there was a line up for Bryce). Nina gathered video feed and she'll put it together for a good video I'll post later.
It was truly inspiring. Sure, we felt kinda silly at first. But it was just the best afternoon ever.
Seriously. To see original footage in Australia, look in my links section "Having a bad day?" or the previous blog of the first Free Hugs that took place in Seoul on Oct. 15th.
Here's Bryce holding his sign high and proud! On the other side is the English translation: Free Hugs
A much enamoured teenager getting a lovely hug from my boy.
Me (not a good view this one!) giving away one of a hundred!
One of the Korean students hugging a grandmother on her shopping rounds.
Two of my students who were shopping in Suncheon for the day. Getting a squeeze from Bryce.
posted by Lana at 3:18 p.m.
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