Happy Pepero Day!

Hi again! I almost forgot! Today is 11/11 :) which means Pepero (빼빼로 데이) Day! It's become somewhat of a national holiday in Korea. I'd love to take some time to explain what exactly Pepero Day is.

Pepero Day is sort of the "Valentine's Day" of Korea although there is "White Day" which is more like Valentine's Day. One reason that it's on November 10th is because 11/11 looks like 4 sticks of pepero. It's like Japanese Pocky. I don't know if there are any American cookies that are like this. There are a lot more fake pepero and Pocky nowadays as well as a ton of different flavors of coating... There's the type where you dip it yourself too.

So first of all, there is a snack in Korea obviously and it's made by a company named Lotte. It was a huge marketing scheme to set up a day where you eat pepero and buy a ton with friends and family. It was successful too because you don't see other companies with a day devoted to their food. My mom bought about 40 boxes to share with church members and one very very amazing person in English Ministry brought pepero for everyone (like everyone, all 100+ people at church) too.

There is a game that can be played with pepero. Pepero "cookies" were originally one long cookie coated with chocolate. It looks almost like a chopstick. So two people can bite each end and they keep eating the cookie until they chicken out. It's a really popular game to play on Korean variety shows and you'd probably understand why.

It's a fun day for everyone, single or not. So have a happy pepero day! If you didn't celebrate this year, buy a pack of pepero and share it next year.

Here is the lovely child with her picture of me/Rapunzel 

Anyways. I help Sunday School at church as well as Korean School on Saturdays. There are only six to seven kids and the kids are really nice. They aren't crazy which is good! There's this one adorable girl who I love spending time with. She's turning four soon. Today we were drawing together and this girl is in her princess phase. She loves the Disney Princesses but she said that she was drawing me. After a while of drawing she decides she wants to make me have long hair like Rapunzel. After a nice banter of conversation, I asked her if I was as pretty as Rapunzel. She hesitates and thinks and then says "a little" and resumes her drawing. Kids are funny and I love talking to them. Earlier that morning, the same girl said she was camel and that she was raising me. I told her that usually people raise camels but she looked at me as if I was gibbering in another language. Maybe that's why I love volunteering with kids even if they drive me crazy. xx

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