.
For my country
It has been 30 years since I arrived in Canada,
in 1977. My life in Canada in that time has been a very satisfying and
happy one. I also feel deep gratitude and pride for my mother land,
South Korea. It was a miracle that I was able to immigrate to Canada.
In 1976, my third attempt to immigrate to Canada was denied. Out of
desperation I sent a letter to the Canadian embassy in Seoul.
I wrote that my mother in Canada lived in tears because of me.
I told them how despite my small size and lack of education and skills
that I worked hard all my life. Every Children’s Day, I planned a party for
the children, organized and performed memorial services for the lonely
souls in a public cemetery, and build a rest room in a senior’s house.
I wrote how my story was broadcast as a radio series in 36 episodes of
20 min each.
I also informed them that I had received an award for being an exemplary
citizen many times. Moreover, I promised that even after my immigration
to Canada,
I would continue to do my good deeds as a good citizen of Canada as
I did in Korea.
Within a week, the Canadian embassy sent a notification for an interview
and my immigration to Canada was finally passed. It is impossible for me to
describe the happiness I felt at that moment and in 1977 on January 14th,
I finally arrived in Toronto, Canada. At the time of immigration we could
not bring anything,
so we had to start from scratch. My wife had to work in a toy factory, do
manual labour and catch earthworms for money. Fortunately for me,
I was granted an opportunity to study English for 6 months.
After working as a dishwasher and cleaner at a hotel, I was able to open
my own shop in November 1978. I took care of my customers with kindness
and heart and the business grew.
Meanwhile I tried my best to keep my promise to be a good citizen as a new
Canadian.
I had a party for the children in our village, helped with fireworks for the
Victoria Day celebration,
delivered newspapers during the postal strike and volunteered for traffic
control during a traffic light break down. I volunteered to sell Korean candies,
help with cleaning and planting and caring for flowers whenever we had
Korean Canadian Association events. I also performed a Korean traditional
masque dance for seniors every year.
I am proud to say that I worked hard for others in this society and made their
lives a bit easier and more pleasant.
Recently I had to close my store after 28 years. I had to vacate the place even
though two years remained on our contract since the building would undergo
renovations. So now I am working at a Korean grocery store as a general
helper but I am still a director of the Korean Canadian Association. During my
18 years of tenure I witnessed the growth of the association and promoted
friendships between Koreans, as well as an expanding Korean community.
I am also the president of a seniors’ golf club, encouraging senior Koreans to
come together. In addition, I maintain my website and blog that has had over
100000 visitors. I appreciate how happy and fulfilling my life is every day.
Canada gave such a good opportunity for me to have all this happiness,
hope and joy.
I promise to myself, once again, that I will always work hard to be a
good Canadian citizen.
I believe that by being a good citizen of Canada,
I show respect for my native country and repay what I learned in Korea.
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Like waves in the Mugunghwa Garden
yim jungnam (member of the Mugunghwa Love Group)
Hankook Ilbo Canada (editorial@koreatimes.net) -- 14 Nov 2022 04:00 PM
If you ask me, "What's the biggest task of the year?" I will readily answer,
"It's the Mugunghwa Love Meeting Memorial Day event."
For me, Memorial Day events are very precious, rewarding, enjoyable, and giving hope and happiness.
This year, it was held in the 12th James Garden Sang-on Mugunghwa Garden.
Previously, I packed flowers and supplies at Dalasang and Supermarket while I was packing supplies at home, but I was happy and worried that my wife, who had never participated in the Memorial Day event, would participate this year. So I hurriedly bought flowers and wire and left home around 9:30.
When I arrived at the park, the chairman came first.
Every year, i have to report a park rally before the event, but when i look at the park, the park employee stands out and approaches i with a stuttering tone
"Memorial Day event is held every year at the Mugunghwa Love Gathering, and it is held today."
"It's a very good thing. “
"First, Nadine, who is in charge, is promoted to the Bureau of Management, and I'm Paul, who is in charge of temporary management."
"It's a pity that people don't seem to know that we enjoy freedom because of them who sacrificed their lives for our country.“
I was so happy and excited to see how kind you are to me even if I stutter because my English is short.
One event guide sign and two bouquets of flowers were placed in two hills and a large Taegeukgi was erected. Meanwhile, I saw some happy faces...
Hankook Ilbo President Kim Myung-kyu, Buddhist Association President Choi Jong-hak, Hanka Senior Association Chairman Lee Woo-hoon, Veterans Association Chairman Song Seung-bak, Writer Byun Eui-seop, Chairman Kim Geun-rae, and Elder Jung Jin-hong were all welcome and grateful.
At 11 o'clock, the ribbon began to hang. Divided into two teams, 516 red ribbons in honor of 516 Korean war victims hung from the branches of Mugunghwa trees. The ribbon flower was really beautiful.
Just looking at the flowers containing 516 souls that bloom in only one place in the world makes my heart race and my heart race.
After wearing the ribbon, we had a tea party with the food prepared by the chairman after a brief greeting from the chairman. I didn't know that many people would leave because they met after a long time.
People who visit the park look at it with strange eyes at first, but after knowing the story,
" "Thank you, thank you". I was so moved
In the meantime, there are things that I will not forget during the Memorial Day event.
A middle-aged Kennedy stood in front of Mugunghwa Garden and began to cry wildly. It's not just crying, it's just raising your shoulders and bawling.
I don't know what to say. "What's wrong with you?I asked him,
"My father participated in the Korean War, but he died not long ago.“
"I'm thankful and I thought of my father.“
When I heard the sound, I cried with joy and gratitude.
I hugged her for a moment. And she doesn't know how grateful she was to bring her mother the next year.
Once again, two grandmothers came to the venue and thought it was weird
"It's to honor the souls of 516 Canadians who survived the Korean War"
He gave me a big hug as he said "thank you, thank you"
I don't know how happy I was or how happy I was at that moment.
And one time, I was cleaning up the Memorial Day event facilities, and two women approached me and said, "What are you doing?When asked, "I put on 516 ribbons for the victims of the Canadian war who sacrificed themselves in the Korean War, but I'm cleaning them up today," the two women began to help out, repeating "Thank you, thank you." I was so grateful for them that I was so grateful.
In fact, it was during Chairman Kim Byung-sun that I started having such a wonderful, beautiful, and great meaningful event. Was it around July 2011? Chairman Kim Byung-sun asked me.
"Chairman Lim, how about holding a Memorial Day event with 516 ribbons on Memorial Day in Canada?"“
I was excited about the wonderful idea when I answered, "Okay."
"Then Chairman Lim makes a phrase for the event. I'll make a ribbon.“
In that way, Chairman Kim Byung-sun hurriedly made 516 ribbons, and the first Memorial Day event of the Mugunghwa Love Group began on Canadian Memorial Day in November 2011.
I really can't forget Chairman Kim Byung-sun who made such a great and wonderful event.
" Thank you, Chairman Kim. “