Global Arts

There are a few basic things we all seem to know: our name and age. Ask almost any toddler how old they are and you will have a fistful of fingers, cookie crumbs and all, depicting their years on earth. What if you went to another country and you were suddenly 1 or 2 years older? How could that be? Travel to Korea with Little Passports to find out. Like Little Passports on Facebook and get fun updates on your world. Inspiring quotes, reasons to celebrate, and travel stories are all shared on the Little Passports Facebook page. Join today! If your favorite little explorer is not signed up for Little Passports yet, give them the gift that shows up at their doorstep every month! Find out more here.        Age Reckoning in Korea Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul Everyday life in Korea is a fascinating blend of our modern world and ancient traditions. Age reckoning is one of these traditions that strongly lives on in Korean culture. Here's how it works: a child is considered one year old at birth and with each New Year (not birthday) one more year is added. This means EVERYONE turns one year older on the same day! So a child who is 8 in the United States, might be considered 9 or 10 in  Korea. If your child just can't wait to boast double digits, tell them to head to "The Land of the Morning Calm"!            Important Age Celebrations  Korean Soup While most of us have moved beyond childhood (at least on the books) our little ones have many special age rites ahead of them. In Korea, the 100th day of a child's life, Baek-il, is a promising sign that they will grow to become a healthy child. On the other end of the age spectrum, an important age in Korea is 60. Reaching 10 years beyond your bicentennial is a reason to celebrate. Hwan-gap marks the complete 60 year cycle of the zodiac and is commemorated by celebrating with family and eating yummy food such as the soup pictured above. Notice the raw meat and raw egg waiting to be topped with boiling water and cooked before your eyes. What do you think? How old are you? Little Passports is going to side with Mark Twain: "Age is an issue of mind over matter.  If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." Activities   1) How Old Are You? Discover your age according to Korean age reckoning. Do this by using the dates of Seolnal (Korean New Year). Example:                  * August 15th, 2001 (Amy is born!) = Amy is 1 year old (1 day in US)      * February 12th, 2002 (Seolnal) = Amy is 2 years old (6 months in US)      * February 1st, 2003 (Seolnal) = Amy is 3 years old (1.5 years in US)      * February 3rd, 2011 (Seolnal) = Amy is 11 years old (9.5 years in US) In the United States Amy would be considered 9 years old, but in Korea she would be considered 11 years old. 2) Make Kimchi Click  here for a yummy kimchi recipe. Be sure to also check out our other international dishes! 3) Re-think Birthday with Little Passports Either way you count the years, most of us missed out on counting year number one while we were still warm in the belly. Let's make up for it with a celebration! The entire family can celebrate together over a traditional Korean dinner. Some of us may not have the experience in the kitchen to pull off ALL the bells and whistles of an authentic Korean meal, so, let's improvise. A proper Korean meal includes numerous side dishes called banchan. Get creative and make your favorite side dishes to accompany your steamed rice. Soup (guk or tang) is also a common dish to be served WITH the meal, not before. Many Koreans do not consider a meal complete unless kimchi is involved. Get the Basics Down! 4) Map Activity   Can you find these countries on the map?      * South Korea      * North Korea      * Singapore      * Nepal 5a) Bonus Questions 1) What vegetable is typically used in kimchi? 2) Are BBQ's popular in Korea? 3) What is the capitol of South Korea? What is the capitol of North Korea? 4) Do you know why Hibiscus is important in South Korea? 5b) Bonus Answers 1) Napa cabbage 2) Yes! Korean BBQ is a fun and interactive way to enjoy traditional Korean food. Scissors are often used to cut meat and the BBQ takes place right in the middle of the table. Plenty banchan accompanies a BBQ, so come hungry! 3) South Korea: Seoul, North Korea: Pyongyang 4) Hibiscus, or mugunghwa in Korean, is South Korea's National Flower. The word mugunghwa stems from the Korean word mugung, meaning "immortality."