Thursday, October 2, 2008

Wives

Index
My aunt, my mother’s older sister, has three sons and one daughter. Each son is successful in his own right—a company executive, a university professor, and a businessman. Her son-in-law, when squeezed out of the corporate world due to the economy, started up a small delivery service.

In each of their wives, I see some characteristic that is so familiar.

Daughter: My cousin Moon-Hi is a stay-at-home mom and homemaker. She has delicate health. When Soo-Yeon, her daughter, was accepted at Seoul University (more difficult to get into than climbing a ladder to the moon), Moon-Hi and her husband sold their country home and moved to Seoul. They are willing to go through any difficulties when necessary to bring about a better future for their children. This is such a common and pervasive practice in Korea.



Daughter-in-law #1: She is a fashionable lady who wears high heels & carries a parasol. She likes to travel.


Daughter-in-law #2: She is in Austalia now. She has invested her husband’s income well. She bought and sold homes and invested and amassed quite a bit of wealth for her family. Her main concern for her family is the education of her children. She is in Australia for a year or two with her twelve-year-old daughter to give her a foreign life and language experience. She wanted to give her the same experience that her son had when he was young.


Daughter-in-law #3: She is as industrious as can be. While her husband manages their several stores, employees, and product selection, she is in charge of a large fast-food restaurant. While she is hosting us, taking us to famous sites, she is on the phone managing the evening social function where they feel lost without her. Yet she is able to be home in the evenings for her children (ages nine and thirteen) who come home after 6 pm. It is amazing that she could be so engaged with us yet maintain order for those who rely on her. She lives nearest to my Aunt, so she is always available to meet her mother-in-law’s needs.

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