I'm 24 Years Old (with The Soup)

The passing of 2010 into 2011 not only brought “A” New Year but 2.  Living in Korea, I am 24 years old.  I’ve gained 2 years  in the 4 month span that I’ve lived here.  Let me explain how I have defied physics and hopped into this Korean Delorean of mine. 

At birth a Korean is a one year old.  Where in western countries we count age by saying that I have passed my 22^nd year of life, in Korea (and other East Asian countries) they say that I am in my 23^rd year of life.  Six of one, half dozen of the other. 

Okay, well that accounts for one year, you say, but what about the second?  Korean’s become a year older with each New Year.  They do still celebrate their actual day of birth, but the additional year gets added with everyone else on the New Year.  Of course I didn’t know this in the beginning, but soon learned that it was moot to ask my students how old they were.  All of my 4^th graders answered that they were 11 years old, my 5^th graders, 12, and my 6^th graders, 13. 

Traditionally, Korean’s believe that you gain a year by eating a specific rice cake soup called ttokkuk on the first day of the year.  Folks, I ate the soup, but, not knowing the ceremony, I was 2 days late. The first day back to school landed on the 3^rd.   The school took the teachers out for ttokkuk, which I really enjoyed.  There was chicken in the soup and the rice cakes had the consistency of dumplings.  It was not far from its southern/comfort food counterpart.

So what age am I now?  Should I subtract a year for that??  Hmmm… Add a year here, subtract one there.  This is getting to be a little much.   

In a conversation with my Korean co-teacher I asked: “So, Jella, did you eat the soup?”  A snicker, “No, I didn’t want the year.”  Think how valuable this tradition could be in the States.  Not thrilled about moving into your 30s, 40s, 50s? There is a simple solution: Quit the soup.  OR, rather, knowing how eager kids are to grow up, “I’ll take 2 servings of the soup this year, mom.”