Happy Lunar New Year!

I took this picture as I was coming down from hiking the mountain behind our university. Up on top of the mountain, the air was clear but closer to the ground, there was a lot of fog since there is snow on the ground but the air is getting warmer.

Yesterday marked the first day of the new year according to the lunar calendar. Here at UBE, most staff had gone home to spend the new year with their families. This and Chuseok (like Korean Thanksgiving) are the most important holidays of the year for most Koreans. There are usually a lot of traffic jams as people leave the cities to travel back to their hometowns.

Families gather to eat food typically eaten for Sol Nal (New Year), including Ddeokguk (rice cake soup) and have traditional ceremonial rites for their ancestors. Young people also do three bows to their elders who give blessings (spoken and usually in the form of money).

This year is the "Year of the Rabbit" according to the Chinese zodiac. The rabbit is said to signify peace and prosperity. Wishing you all a happy lunar new year with much peace and prosperity!