Stories

A Close Call: I Fell Though the Ice
Jang Gyu Cheol from Korea

Photo: Thomas Peters
After falling through the ice, Jang Gyu hasn't gone ice skating again, but he is getting into skiing. | |
When I was eleven years old, I had a big accident. I get scared even now when I think about that time. I went skating near my house. There were many people, and I saw some of them were falling on theice.
It was my first time to go ice skating, so I was nervous. I was wondering how to skate.
I went with a friend who was very skillful. He spent some time teaching me how to scate, but I didn't learn much. He left me and skated all around. As soon as he left, I fell down. I envied the other people because they could skate very well.
I was bored because I kept falling so I took off my skatesand just walked around on the ice in my shoes. It was cold and my hands were frozen.
Suddenly, I stepped on something that was not hard. What was it? It was a weak place in the ice. When I stepped there, I sank under the ice. I thought that I was going to die, but I did my best to grab something to get out from under the ice. I tried to grab the edge of the ice, but it was very difficult for aneleven-year old.
It seemed like a very long time, like a year. Then, fortunately, someone helped me. He grabbed my arms and pulled me up. So, I lived and I'm still alive today.
I thanked him. At that time, my friend came back. I was annoyed at him because he was supposed to take care of me, but he didn't. He was embarrassed. When took a taxi home, the taxi driver was surprised and asked what hadhappened. I didn't want to say anything because I was tired and scared. Even now, whenever I think about that time, I feel uncomfortable. I don't want to go skating again even now.

More difficult experiences:
I Almost Choked on a Plum | A Ruined Sunday Morning Routine | Fall Foliage and Thoughts on Life
Return to: Our Difficult Experiences | Issue 23 | Home Page

In Japan, Men are Learningto Cook
Aya Takehisa from Japan


Photo: Aya Takehisa
My husband, Chihiro Takehisa, can cook better than me. |   |
These days, the custom that wives should cook has changed in Japan, especially people in their 20's and 30's tend to think so. Among couples in that age group, both spouses have jobs, so they tend to think that sharing the housework is normal.
But not everyone that ageagrees because husbands don't have enough chance to know how to cook. Up to now they have been used to seeing two roles; their mothers cook everyday and their fathers eat those dishes.
Recently some cooking schools for men have opened. I have read several articles about the schools. Students of the cooking schools are mostly middle-aged men who are afraid of their retirement, because they work frommorning to night at their office, so they don't know how to cook.
On the other hand, of course, their wives cook well, they have many hobbies, and they know how to enjoy their leisure time. After these men retire, they tend to do nothing in their free hours. So these men are learning to cook not only as a hobby, but also because it is essential for them.
In Japan, the famous chefs are almostall male, while the famous cooking teachers are almost all female. I think that this tendency also comes from our old beliefs; being a chef is considered a business and being a cooking teacher is considered an extension of cooking as housework. I believe this tendency will change in the future. We'll have many chances to cook without considering whether we are husbands or wives.

More on cookingand eating trends:
In Korea, Both Men and Women are Cooking | People in Korea are Eating More Vegetables | Varying Menus: Modified Fast Food | Avocado Rolls: A New Japanese Food? 
Return to: International Cooking and Eating Trends | Issue 22 | Home Page

Scary Moments We'll Never Forget


Photo: T. Peters
I imagined that someone with a gun was at the door, so I didn't open it. | |
A...