Celebrating March 21 at KCC in Cairo

By Korea.net Honorary Reporters Amira Atteya and Roufida Abouelwafa

Photos = Roufida Abouelwafa

Another reason why we love the Korean Cultural Center in Egypt is that it represents the country we love, "Korea." It also hosts events that bond Korea deeply in the Cairo community and assures us of tying up both cultures together, showing respect for each other's beliefs, ideas and differences, and for creating a Korean experience flavored by Egyptian culture.

On March 21, the Korean Cultural Center in Egypt (KCC) hosted an event to celebrate Mother’s Day. Six lucky daughters and sons brought along their mothers to celebrate their day. Mother's Day is a day to appreciate their hard work, efforts and their unconditional love. Usually, the elder daughter plays the mother’s role and cooks a big meal for the family as they gather around to give the mother gifts like flowers, handbags, shoes or even makeup.

The event first started with some words form Mr. Park who welcomed the mothers and children to the KCC. He showed his appreciation to the mothers for choosing to spend their day in the company of the KCC.

Park Jae-yang is the director at the Korean Cultural Center in Egypt. He speaks on Mother's Day as a small girl plays around him.

After Mr. Park’s words, the guests were divided into teams where each mother and her family were stamped with a Korean tattoo and each had a special meaning.

This stamp symbolizes the word haengbok (행복), or 'happiness' in Korean. 

Later on, the guests were invited to take a tour and were introduced to the place where their children spend most of their time. They also took a look at the activities in which they participate.

Honorary Reporter Amira spends mother's day with her family at the KCC.

Afterward, it was cooking time. It was time for a competition where each team learned a Korean recipe and tried to show off their talents along with their family to make a perfect Korean dish, since food plays an important part on this day. 

Chef Ghada instructs the mothers how to make a perfect gimbap rice roll, hotteok sugar nut cakes and delicious soup guk recipes. 

Chef Ghada started out with a recipe for gimbap rice rolls, which was adjusted to suit Egyptian tastes. "It was a fun experience to cook something we weren't familiar with," said one of the mothers.

The chef then continued to make hotteok sugar nut cakes, a famous Korean sweet pancake. She added the filling that can be exchanged for any other Egyptian filling, like meat or cheese or even vegetables. It can also be used in Ramadan, the Muslim holy month, where mothers usually try to make new recipes  as appetizers.

The recipes were sealed with a delicious guk soup recipe. In the final judgment, Chef Ghada couldn't pick up a winner, as all the teams did well. They all showed tolerance, cooperation and had a lot of fun cooking very delicious well-decorated plates.

Gimbap rice rolls are always a favorite Korean recipe.

A day like that couldn’t pass without throwing some light on the common aspects that exist between mothers in Korea and Egypt, especially in past generations. In those generations, it was a common thing to be a stay-at-home mom, where mothers were required to spend much more time raising children, and were not free to give enough attention to their wanted career. It was as if they had to dedicate their life to providing for their children with care and attention.

The children’s sake was their top priority, and sometimes their only job. Because of this sacrifice, they expected more from their children. That’s why in both countries you can see that pleasing your parents, cherishing them and sometimes fulfilling their dreams, is a common thing. That’s why on such a day as this we had to interview the mothers, to learn exactly what they expected from their children.

Here's the interview.

On such a day as Mother's Day, what do you think mothers wish for their children and expect from them?

I think every mother wishes to see her children do well in their life, achieve their dreams and make us proud because all the effort we have born would then mean something to see it fruitful.

Sometimes, parents and kids aren't on the same page because of different points of view. What do you think would be the best behavior for the kids to not upset their parents?

I think it's important that the child, no matter how old they may be, should share their thoughts, decisions and feelings with their parents, especially their mother. It's the one thing we truly want to feel, like we still have our place in his life, that our message isn't over. It's not about whose decision they're going to make, it's about doing what they want and never regretting it, because in the end their happiness is my happiness.

Wow. That was really touching. You have two small daughters. Do you know what the older one said when I asked her about what she wants to be in the future?

No, actually. I can’t tell because she changes her mind almost monthly about what she wants to be when she grows up."

I think you'll be moved when you hear her answer. She said she wants to be anything that will make you proud of her, because she wants you to be happy.

I am moved by that answer.

Finally, I want to thank you for your time. I hope you have enjoyed the day today, and I would love to take a photo of you with your girls.

'A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.' -- Washington Irving

wisdom117@korea.kr

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