Deeply Honored in South Korea!
Honestly living in Korea has grown into an amazing adventure and life experience. I can only attribute these wonderful years filled with new and exciting times to Divine Guidance. Truly I am deeply honored at this latest surprise gift that just arrived unexpectedly at my doorstep.
In the last months of last year (2020) I was asked to participate in a Centennial celebration of a local or perhaps national news company in Seoul, "Dong-A".
From Wikipedia:
The Dong-A Ilbo (Korean: 동아일보; Hanja: 東亞日報, literally East Asia Daily) is a newspaper in Korea since 1920 with daily circulation of more than 1.2 million and opinion leaders as its main readers. The Dong-A Ilbo is the parent company of Dong-A Media Group (DAMG), which is composed of 11 affiliates including Sports Dong-A, Dong-A Science, DUNet, and dongA.com, as well as Channel A, general service cable broadcasting company launched in 1 December 2011. It covers variety of areas including news, drama, entertainment, sports, education, and movies. The Dong-A Ilbo has partnered with international news companies such as The New York Times of the United States of America, The Asahi Shimbun of Japan and The People's Daily of China. It has correspondents stationed in five major cities worldwide including Washington D.C., New York, San Francisco, Beijing, Tokyo, Cairo and Paris. It also publishes global editions in 90 cities worldwide including New York, London, Paris and Frankfurt.
I am usually a "Yes" person so I agreed without really knowing what I was about to get into. Such is the nature of my work and life here in Seoul. Lacking in my knowledge and ability to speak enough Korean I generally tend to just say "yes" and go along with the flow of the next adventure basically blind. Admittedly this is probably not the best way to live but for me it has proven otherwise. I have a deep trusting faith in the Creator who has Divinely guided my path and life journey so far.
In addition to a new career as an actor and lifestyle model as well as an honorary journalist I often find myself in the most interesting situations these days. One of the most honorable of late is having been chosen as the token "foreigner" to represent all foreign guests living and working in Korea for this 100th year celebration.
It was super thrilling to go to Gwanghwamun* square to see my story being broadcast on a huge neon sign in the middle of my favorite neighborhood in Seoul. This is essentially the central government district that houses the "Blue House" (like the White House in the USA), the fabulous Sejong Theater, the statues of my favorite of all kings, King Sejong, who created the Korean alphabet system, and the famous Admiral Yi who won Korea back from the Japanese. I always enjoy wandering around that district where you can also frequent the main palace and see a fantastic display of the changing of the guards!
As it happens, in addition to having received a copy of the 43 seconds video clip (below) of my story, today I received a surprise package at my door. Inside the package were two copies of a book and a letter that read (in Korean and translated by my manager): it is a greeting message from "What is your Dream" team that reads:
"It was an honor to tell other people about your dream. We made it into a booklet so that the readers could remember this heart warming time. Whenever you feel down or during hardships you can take out this booklet and recollect these wonderful memories. Thank you for your love and attention and we hope that your dreams come true."
I'm sure I don't have to tell you that upon seeing the gift of two copies of a book representing Korean life and the people of Korea, where my story is included as #68, that tears of joy welled up and flowed down my cheeks at being honored in this way!
I cannot explain how this happens to me in my life. I am simply thankful to G-d for these little gifts as I walk blindly through my life now at age 66!!!
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