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Is Your Christmas the Same or Different?

 

 

 

 

 

When you go around the streets, you can hear Christmas carols and see some shops decorated with colorful lights. It means Christmas is coming. Christmas is a big festival in Korea although it is not a traditional holiday. How do people in other countries celebrate Christmas? Do Muslims celebrate Christmas? How is Christmas celebrated in Africa? Chonnam Tribune asked some international students, “How do you spend your Christmas in your country? How are you celebrating Christmas this year?”

 

 

Mohammad Redzuan Bin Haji Rusli (Freshman, Dept. of Fine Arts)

I come from Brunei, which is a Muslim country. In my country there are some Chinese and Christian people who celebrate Christmas, and when I was there, some Christian friends invited me to their home for dinner to celebrate the birth of Jesus. I think Christmas in Korea is rather quieter than that in my country, even though there are more Christians in Korea than Brunei. This coming Christmas, I think I am going to see my friends and I am expecting to have a great Christmas Day here in Korea.

 

 

 

Anita Makhosazane Nkambule (Pre-freshman, Regular Korean Language Course at Language Education Center)

I am from Swaziland, in Africa, and I am a Christian. Christmas is the only holiday in Swaziland, so all families and relatives gather together even if they live abroad. We exchange gifts with each other and go to churches. In churches, we celebrate Christmas with songs and dance like a traditional holiday. Also, many people go to the palace and dance and sing with the king, because Swaziland is a kingdom. I have been in Korea for three months and have yet to see snow, so I want to see snow this Christmas. It will be the first snow of my life.

 

 

 

Patrick Mark Singh (Foreign student, Regular Korean Language Course at Language Education Center)

I am from Fiji, in the South Pacific. Most Fijians are Christians and some are Hindus and Muslims. As a Christian, like most Fijians, I go to church and celebrate Christmas. On the street, there are many decorations such as festive lamps and Christmas trees. In Fiji, Christmas is in summer, so there are a lot of tourists who come to enjoy summer Christmas vacation. This is the first time I will celebrate Christmas in Korea; maybe it will look very different because it is in winter. I am very excited about this Christmas in Korea, and I will have a party with friends at Christmastime.

 

 

 By Kang Min-hee, Tribune Reporter

저작권자 © Chonnam Tribune 무단전재 및 재배포 금지