Track 8

Track 8

Hi there, Nam!

You aren’t still working on your history assignment, are you?

Hi, Victor!

No, I’m taking a break.

I’m looking at some photos, actually, a family celebration.

Do you want to see them?

So, who’s the cute baby in this picture here?

She’s my niece, my brother’s daughter.

Her name’s Tae-Hee.

She’s one year old in this picture.

It’s a very important birthday in Korea, we call it Dol or Doljanchi.

It’s a very special celebration, in fact, I think it’s probably more important than a wedding or a graduation!

And we invite all our family and friends and sometimes our neighbors.

Here’s a picture of the restaurant where we celebrate Tae-Hee’s big day.

What a lovely place, and a beautiful garden too.

Yes, it’s perfect location for taking photographs.

Can you see me just there next to the trees?

Ah yes, I like your hat!

And I like the red and silver hat Tae-Hee’s wearing too.

It’s really pretty.

Yes, it’s a traditional hat for a girl.

Baby boys wear a different one, all black.

It looks very serious!

That’s a bit boring.

Black and silver would be more interesting.

What’s Tae-Hee wearing round her skirt?

That’s a little purse.

Boy babies wear this too.

It’s made of silk and it means good luck in our culture.

And she’s wearing a belt too.

Look, do you see?

The belt means she will have a long life!

And what’s this on the table there?

It’s very colourful.

It’s rice cake.

I’ve never seen anything like that before.

It looks like a rainbow!

We always eat rice cake at a baby’s party.

There are usually 12 different types of them on the table.

Look, this rice cake is completely orange in colour and this one here is bright green!

It looks like a vegetable!

Now, look, this is me with my brother’s wife, Mi-Cha.

We get on really well together.

What are you holding?

Oh, it’s a little bag.

All the guests get a gift bag at the end of the party.

And inside there’s a present from the baby’s parents.

It’s really fun to open it because you don’t know what you’ll get.

So it could be a candle, or some chocolates.

Guess what I got?

You can see it in this next photo.

It looks like a box of tea.

But shouldn’t it be other way round, the baby gets the presents?

Well, the baby receives money from the guests, so in a way you’re right!

And actually, I’ve got my present right here.

So why don’t we open the box right now and have a cup of tea?

Then we can try to finish our assignments.

Sounds good to me!