Goodbye, 382 Shin Dang Dong

Jangmi is saying goodbye to Korea and moving to the US. She boxes up precious items from her home and wishes she could box up so much more to bring with her. Jangmi has many questions and wonders what home will be like in a place that seems so foreign.

Jangmi's story of goodbyes, airplane rides, moving to a country with a different language and making new friends, all while missing her home tells the real story of the feelings a child goes through as they transition from one home to another. The exceptional thing about this story is that Jangmi is not in a rush to get over her feelings of sadness. She is fully in the moment, allowing herself to be sad today, and thinking that maybe one day this new place will feel like home.

Oftentimes we want to rush ourselves and our children through the sad feelings and focus on the new exciting things. We tell our children that learning a language isn't hard for kids or that making friends or a home in a new country will be easy. The truth is that when we are saying goodbye to a place that we have either been raised in or grew to love, it is never easy and neither is learning a language or making new friends. When we give ourselves and our children the space to acknowledge what we are losing or what we are missing, we stop ourselves from rushing and we can slow down to offer comfort.

My son was only 4 and a half when we left Venezuela, but he had already lived so much life there and had so many good memories. The first few months after we were in our house in Malaysia, he and I would talk at bedtime about the people and places we missed. We would cry together and wonder what the people in Caracas were doing without us. He would tell everyone in Malaysia that he was Venezuelan and that Venezuelans don't eat spicy food. But now 7 years later, he really enjoys a lot of those spicy foods and he has made a home here too. It just took time. I'm thankful for those nights that we talked about what we missed and I hope that sharing Jangmi's story with your child will encourage those same conversations for you.

Find the book on Amazon.

Ask

• What part of the story was similar to your own experiences or feelings?
• How has your family handled transitions? What does it look like when your family says goodbye?
• Jangmi’s dad helped her in the move by talking to her about what their new home was going to look like. Are there people who have helped you when you have made a move to a new place?
• The book ends with Jangmi writing to Kisuni. How do you think Jangmi felt at the end of the story while she was writing under the tree?

Activities

What I Left Behind

The illustrations in this story show great detail about the people and places that Jangmi left behind. Write or draw about the people, places, pets, foods, things, family members, and friends that were in a place that you left. (Third Culture Kids: A Gift to Care For by Ulrika Ernvik is a fantastic resource for activities to do with your child. Reading over the "Magic Truck Activity" could be helpful in preparing for this activity.) 

Home

When you think about the word “home,” what comes to mind? (Draw it or write it) What do you see? Smell? Hear? Feel? Taste?

Music

Listen to Leaving on a Jet Plane or Memories or your favorite farewell song. Draw a picture of what comes to mind as you listen.