Photo Essay: MDream Orphanage BBQ
by Jason Newland
On Saturday, June 16, I found myself at an orphanage in Dung-gu, Ullim-Dong, a small section of Gwangju nestled close to Muedueng Mountain. They were throwing a barbeque party. I never have the willpower to resist free food. I found out about the annual MDream orphanage barbeque on Facebook from an assortment of other EPIK teachers. I decided I must go, as it’d been too long since my last hamburger. I wasn’t even sure if they’d have hamburgers—BBQ has developed new meanings for me since I moved to Korea. It could be pig intestines thrown on a grill and wrapped in lettuce; American-style pig and beef intestines stuffed into a tube, commonly called a hotdog; beef patties placed on buns with mustard, mayo, lettuce, and tomatoes; or it could be something else entirely. BBQ is all-encompassing in the Republic of Korea.
I won’t lie. My main motivation for trekking to the MDream Orphanage was the promise of free food and comradeship with my expat friends. I was not expecting the kids to be so cute. They surprised me. That Saturday was the first day I have spent around orphans. Sure, I had volunteered to help Down syndrome kids and autistic kids in the United States, but orphans are different—they’re usually hidden away in orphanages. You don’t see them that often, unless you go out of your way to see them. I saw a lot of myself in the orphans. Maybe I was projecting. I was probably projecting.
Let me explain what I mean by, “I saw a lot of myself in the orphans.” Orphans begin their stint as orphans parentless and friendless in a strange place. Some of them have been at the orphanage for a long time, while others have been there for only a few days. This reminds me a little of my situation because I have left behind my home, family, and friends to journey somewhere new where I’ve had to build a network with people I barely know. Some of those people have been around for years and others have been around for only a few days. I admit the orphans have the short end of the stick – they didn’t choose to leave their family, friends, and home behind, but they have found themselves in a new home with new friends and family – much like I have in the past few months.a lot of myself in the orphans. Maybe I was projecting. I was probably projecting.
Less speculating and more on the MDream barbeque party: I brought a camera with me. I’ve been shooting people, places, and things since moving to Korea. I’ve been capturing nouns. The BBQ was no exception. I caught shots of orphans, expats, orphans and expats at play, people eating, smiles, and the MDream Garden Orphanage. All in all it was a good day to digitize nouns on a canvas of megapixels. If I’m here next year, I’ll definitely go again. Nothing beats hanging out in a park with cute orphans while shooting photos and scarfing down free food.