Liberation
Well, it's Aug. 15. And besides my parents anniversary (happy 25th!), that also means Korea's celebration of independence from Japanese colonial rule from 1910-1945. On my way to work yesterday, I passed a big parade. Somebody held a large paper-mache tiger, which carried a string wrapped around a tiny American soldier's neck. Strangely, Liberation Day is tinged with anti-American feelings. Strange, because, as I recall, the Americans had something to do with the war ending and the Japanese surrender in 1945. However, this country has a foreign population of less than 1 percent, so many people haven't been around people from other countries much. At home, I never feel too patriotic. But here, sometimes I feel like waving an American flag. Although the U.S. has its problems, it has always welcomed foreigners from other lands. And that makes it great. Cue Neil Diamond's "Coming to America" here. (Which I played last night on my i-pod. Twice)