First of all, just because Jae Ran won't do it herself, I am going to brag here about this Kimchi Mama's latest accomplishments:
Not only was she accepted into a PhD program, she was offered a fantastic job opportunity in her field.
She briefly mentions it (with links) in a post on her own blog. CONGRATULATIONS, Jae Ran!
I am so proud of this Kimchi Mama... you'd think I had gotten a new job and will be a PhD candidate myself!
So I got thinking about how, at least back in the 70's, Koreans would go ga-ga over Pilot pens.
One of the most popular gifts to give to a brand new student, someone who got into one of those impossible-to-get-into Universities in Seoul, was a Pilot Pen. I do remember my dad owning one and that pen only came out on special occasions.
Ah... you scoff and wonder what the big deal is. I mean, Pilot pens are dime a dozen in any office you enter... right?
Now, these pens were more the standard gift choices... at about a few hundred dollars each, you can now see why they would coveted.
And then there are these... and these. And more.
I wonder if it's still a custom, to receive a fancy pen as you enter a new school system. Do you remember any other gifts or customs, whether in Korean or other cultures, that seem unique to you now?
Oh, and another gift I remember was yut (sticky Korean candy) for students studying for university entrance exams - so they'd stick to above the cut-off scores for acceptance.
-Mama Nabi
