Korean Thanksgiving hit the United States on September 15, 2016.

During Korean Thanksgiving, also known as Chuseok, people visit their hometowns, make traditional foods, and spend time with their family. It is one of the biggest holidays in Korea.

This year, the holiday started from 14 through 16, connecting with the weekends giving people more time to rest and be thankful.

As a foreign exchange student, spending such a big holiday not at the home country is a weird feeling. But with help from my host mom, who I call mom, we were able to celebrate it on the 15. We prepared several Korean foods and invited people for dinner, including another foreign exchange student from Korea, who goes to Duncan High School.

Many of the people invited were trying Korean food for the first time, including Junior Jaden Gallop, who was excited to expand her pallet.

“I’m excited, here we go,” Gallop said. “I love food.”

Senior Destiny Nowlin, on the other hand, was nervous to branch out.

“I’m scared.” Nowlin said.

Each of the guest tried Korean food, and showed different reactions, most of them enjoying it.

“I like chewing things,” Senior Tristyn Genn said. “I like the texture of everything here.”

However, the new texture did not satisfy everyone.

“It is very, very chewy,” Junior Gorga Hampton said. “I don’t know if I like the whole texture.”

Kimbap, which most people mistaken it as a sushi, was very popular among the invited.

“I am about to eat a whole pan of Kimbap,” Nowlin said. “I am stuffing myself with food.”

Tteokbokki, a spicy Korean rice cake dish that is loved by almost every Koreans, was very new to a lot of people both in texture and taste.

“This thing that you like, it really tastes like curry.” Senior Landry Cooper said.

Duncan High School’s Korean foreign exchange student John Lee enjoyed the food, and also enjoyed spending the holiday in the United States.

“I’m so happy I got the opportunity to come to another foreign exchange student’s house,” John said. “Feels just like Korea in here.”

People enjoyed the food and had a great time, having their first Korean Thanksgiving.

At the end of the night, Gallop has only one word to say to people trying Korean food for the first time. “Don’t be a weenie.”

Jae Hee Yun