Hee Won Hwe (HWH) Workshop Croatia

Dawn Haider
July 2009

Excitement, fun, fresh air, beautiful beaches, and relaxation are a few of the things that drew over 22 2nd Generation young people to the Hee Won Hwe Workshop in Croatia this summer. This workshop was the kick-off for a new kind of ¨workshop¨ for the future, one in which blessed children can gather and spend their holidays together -- more of a vacation so to say. Thus, the schedule was wide open for each individual to decide what activities he/she wanted to participate in.

Day one found the participants settling into 2 apartment buildings in Medulin, one of the famous beach cities of Croatia. Then, all gathered for the first meal and a short meeting in the evening discussing the purpose of the workshop and possible activities to take part in. Day two found everyone at a beautiful beach. And whether it was sunbathing, relaxing in the shade, swimming in the crystal clear waters, hanging around the rocky gullies of the shore, or jumping from the dock into the water, all found a sense of peace. Afterwards, all came back to a warm cooked meal prepared by participants.

Day three started with a short Hoon Dok Hae and discussion session. It then turned into a fun-filled adventure to Pula, a tourist city. Many participants mingled with each other as they toured the city. An ancient stadium was among the first things to be visited. Then, many tried the local Cevapcici for lunch (sausages with special sauce) as they relaxed near the ocean. A trip to the beach in Pula was then in order and thus, many people swam near and far. Underwater pictures of fish and of participants were taken! Then at night, many people laughed, shared, and spent quality time with one another. There was also a fig and apple pie (as there are many trees within walking distance with various fresh fruits such as figs) made from scratch and shared later during the night with English-style tea and invigorating music.

But perhaps, day four was really the icing on the cake, as some participants rented bicycles and rode them for over 10 km back to the same beach as the first day. Those not so daring hopped in cars and went to the beach. Snorkeling was a favorite activity and again, diving from the dock also challenged many to ¨make the best entry¨ into the water. Many swam all day with not a care in the world. They really felt at home with the others in the warm, clear ocean. And after all had worked up an appetite from swimming and biking back to the apartment, a celebration was waiting at home. One participant prepared local fish, chicken, cevapcici, and sausage on the barbeque.

And as there was a number of Americans there, the day would've been spent nearly the same with a barbeque in order to celebrate July 4th (Independence Day). But most important was that everyone was together, enjoying life and enjoying good food. The closeness of the participants was determined by everyone's ability to help out with preparing food, cleaning up, contributing to the costs of the food, and also in helping to organize a fun time for all.

In essence, the ¨workshop¨ was a success. By gathering with blessed children, spending time for God during meditations and Hoon Dok Hae in the mornings, and by just taking time to relax away from the ordinary, Croatia proved to be the ideal spot for holidays and fun. In the future, we hope to encourage all blessed children to think about spending their holidays with each other.