By Hope Schaeffer

Playing Yut Noli & Seollal 1

I don’t consider myself an artist, but I started drawing comics during a language intensive in college as a way escape the frustration of language barriers.  Not quite two years later, I have a handful of vignettes I illustrated for family and friends.  Most are inspired by the inevitable miscommunications, hilariously awkward situations, and sweet little moments of sublimity that are my daily life in Korea.  

Playing Yut Noli & Seollal 2

Celebrating Seollal (Korean Lunar New Years) with my host family was a new experience, yet imbued with all the warm and familiar tones of family bonds.  We spent three days eating and playing Yut, a game that quite reminds me of Parcheesi marathons with my sister at Christmas.  I’m looking forward to another cozy holiday filled with laughter this winter.
Hope Schaeffer was a 2013 – 2014 ETA at Hongseong Girls’ High School in Hongseong.